At Priory, we understand that the cost of mental health and addiction treatment can be a concern for people. That’s why we aim to deliver services that offer accessible funding options.

We offer tailored plans for people who are going through private medical insurance, along with those who are looking to fund their treatment themselves.

If you have any questions or would like to know the options that are available to you, don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team on 0800 840 3219, who will be more than happy to help.

Why choose private mental health care?

There are many reasons why you may decide to choose private mental health care at Priory. It might be because your local NHS provider doesn’t offer the mental health or addiction treatment you need, there is insufficient capacity or there is a long waiting list. Or you may prefer the peace of mind of receiving quick access to the expert help you need, when you need it.

All of our hospital sites are comfortable, welcoming and well-maintained, ensuring that you are provided with the ideal environment to focus on your recovery.

How can I pay for private rehabilitation and mental health care?

If you are an individual looking for mental health, addiction or eating disorder treatment, we have three options for private funding at Priory – click on each below to find out more.

1. Self-funding

Self-funding your treatment means that you pay for this yourself.

In many cases you will not need a GP referral to enter into treatment. In some cases this will be required, but you will be advised through the enquiry process if this is the case. Having said that, you may simply prefer to start your treatment journey by speaking to your GP, and any referral from a GP will help your clinician gain an understanding of the challenges you are facing.

We can offer flexible payment options for people who are able to self-fund their treatment. Our Priory Wellbeing Centres provide a range of innovative and accessible outpatient therapy packages, which offer certainty of price for a set amount of one-to-one therapy sessions, discounted rates and a personalised treatment plan.

If you’re in a position to self-fund your treatment at Priory and you want to find out the next steps, call us today on 0800 840 3219. We are able to book flexible appointments at a time to suit you, and you can rest assured that our expert team can deliver the best care, helping you to achieve your goals.

2. Private medical insurance

All of the services that we offer at Priory can be funded through private medical insurance. This includes:

• Treatment for mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety and stress
• Addiction treatment, such as drug and alcohol addictions and gambling addiction. This can be delivered through our 28-day Addiction Treatment Programme, or through one-to-one therapy
• Eating disorder treatment, such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder (BED)
• Young people’s mental health treatment, depending on your individual insurance policy

Depending on your needs, we also have a number of treatment programmes available. You’ll have your own treatment plan and, again, all of these options can be covered by your private medical insurance. These include:

• Inpatient treatment, where you stay at one of our hospitals for a certain amount of time to undergo residential rehab
• Day care treatment, where you come to one of our sites for a set number of full days or half days each week
• Outpatient treatment, where you come to one of our treatment centres for therapy sessions, which usually last for one hour each week

All clients will have access to our highly skilled and accredited clinicians, many of whom are published experts in the field of mental health and addiction treatment. Whatever your requirement, we are committed to working with you to get your life back on track.

A registered and approved provider

We are a registered and approved provider for all of the UK’s leading private medical insurers, including:

• Aviva
• AXA Health
• Bupa
• Cigna
• Healix
• Vitality
• WPA

How to access treatment through your private medical insurance

There are a few steps you’ll need to take in order to access mental health or addiction treatment through your private medical insurance. We’re committed to making this process as smooth and straightforward as possible, so you can get the treatment you need as soon as possible.

Step one – GP referral

If you have access to private medical insurance, either personally or through your workplace, your policy may require you to obtain a GP referral before you can start treatment with Priory. Your insurer will be able to tell you if this is the case.

We may still be able to start the process of getting you into treatment without a GP referral, but it’s important to understand that this is something you may need to obtain further down the line and before you can start treatment with us. We’ll be able to advise you if this is the case if you choose to have an initial call with us.

Please note that in order to access our Young People’s Mental Health Services (treatment for individuals under the age of 18 years), patients will always need a GP referral.

Step two – contact your insurer

Different insurance policies cover different levels of care, so the next step will be to contact your private medical insurer to check that your policy covers the type of treatment you need. If they are able to provide cover, they will give you an authorisation code, which you will need in order to enter treatment with us.

Some insurance companies require that you pay an excess towards your mental health treatment. Your insurance company will be able to advise you if this is the case and how much your excess is, if applicable.

Step three – call Priory

Once you have your authorisation code, the next step is for you to call our dedicated referrals team on 0800 840 3219. You will need to provide your insurance details and authorisation code so that we can check this with your provider.

At this point, you’ll be asked about your preferred location to receive treatment and will be referred to one of our hospitals or centres based on your needs, preferences and the type of treatment that they’re able to offer. If you have a specific clinician or therapist in mind at the recommended site, you can ask to see them and we’ll do our best to accommodate that.

One of our hospitals or centres will aim to contact you within two days of your referral, and we’ll aim to arrange for you to have a consultation with one of our specialists within five days of this initial contact.

Our friendly and highly knowledgeable referrals team are on-hand to guide you through the whole process. You can contact us at any point on 0800 840 3219 and we’ll be happy to help.

As an initial step, you may also wish to call us to talk through your treatment options. During this call, we’ll gather information on your individual needs, answer any questions you might have, and advise on the process for starting your treatment journey with us.

3. Corporate funding arrangements

Mental health and addiction problems are one of the leading causes of long-term absence from work. That’s why we also work closely with employers and organisations to put in place treatment solutions for their employees. If your employer is part of this scheme, then funding your treatment can be agreed directly with them, or through the private medical insurer they have chosen to use.

For more information on our corporate funding arrangements, you can visit our workplace mental health solutions page.

Services for the NHS

Over 85% of Priory’s services are publicly funded. We work closely with:

• Provider NHS trusts and local systems
• NHS England, Wales and Scotland
• Mental health NHS trusts

If you are from a public body and would like more information on our services for the NHS, please visit the NHS area of our website.

Our aim is to provide transparent and competitive pricing models and evidence-based care packages for vulnerable people at every stage of their treatment journeys. Our pricing plans are designed to ensure a transparent and efficient process for referrers. Our cost frameworks include episode pricing, with discounts for volume and measured outcomes. We are also happy to discuss relapse prevention guarantees as part of our episode pricing framework.

Please note, we are unable to provide access to our private services through NHS funding.