Specialists

Mental health

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Mental health

Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:

· Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry

· Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse

· Family history of mental health problems

There are a variety of mental health specialists from doctors who specialise in this branch (Psychiatrists) to specially trained health professionals who can assess and manage common mental health problems (Mental health practitioners)

Symptoms and conditions

Literature on this site is for information purposes only, please do not use it to self-diagnose or any form of self-treatment. We recommend that you see a registered healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment plan.

Possible symptoms:

Uncontrollable worrying every day causing distress and affecting your ability to live and work, feeling irritable, fatigued, difficulty concentrating, trouble sleeping
Hallucinations – seeing, hearing or smelling things that are not real. Delusions – believing something to be true despite evidence to show otherwise. Confusion – difficulty keeping track of thoughts. Lack of concentration, poor hygiene, feeling low, loss of motivation.
Mood swings from extreme high to extreme low. Feeling sad, loss of motivation, difficulty concentrating, feeling pessimistic, lack of appetite, suicidal thoughts. Excessive happiness, talking quickly, lots of energy, easily distracted / irritable, problems sleeping, spending lots of money, risky decisions
Extreme weight loss, worried about eating in front of people, fixated on body weight and calorie intake, avoiding meals, fear of weight gain, excessive exercise, vomiting or taking laxatives, binge eating
Symptoms since childhood and impacting on life as an adult – impulsiveness, difficulty focusing, poor organization, poor time management skills, difficulty coping with stress, ability to hyperfocus in something you are interested in
Poor social skills, difficulty interpreting facial expressions or body language, difficulty following social cues, mood regulation problems with meltdowns, strict adherence to routine

Related conditions:

Generalised anxiety disorder
Schizophrenia
Bipolar disorder
Eating disorders
ADHD
Autism

Tests & investigations

Examples of tests done in Mental health

GAD-7

The Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) is a frequently used diagnostic self-report scale for screening and diagnosis of anxiety.

By answering the questions it is easier for a clinician to see subtle changes that could indicate improvement or worsening of anxiety. It also gives an idea of the severity of the illness.

PHQ-9

The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) is a self-administered tool used to assess mood and severity of depression depression.

By answering the questions it is easier for a clinician to see subtle changes that could indicate improvement or worsening of depression. It also gives an idea of the severity of the illness.

ADHD questionnaire

A self-completed questionnaire which forms part of the clinical assessment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Diagnostic assessments

Blood tests and physical examination can be carried out to rule out any physical conditions that could be causing your symptoms such as thyroid dysfunction or vitamin deficiencies.

What's involved?

Consultation Process

Symptom assessment

The consultant will ask you to describe your symptoms and concerns and take a medical history.

Physical examination

The consultant will carry out an appropriate physical examination.

Tests and investigations

The consultant will arrange appropriate tests and investigations such as blood tests and imaging.

Our Specialists

Azizah Attard – Advanced Highly Specialist Mental Health Pharmacist

Advanced Highly Specialist Mental Health Pharmacist Education Programme Director West London NHS Trust Member of Genera...

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FAQs

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For instant access to high quality, regulated healthcare the costs of the service are very reasonable. Our service is linked to healthcare insurance providers and your medical care from Virtually maybe covered by your health insurance. Interest free payment plans are also available.

Do my NHS records get transferred to Virtually?

No. However, to provide Virtually clinicians as much information as possible to provide you with the best care possible, we would ask you to allow us to have temporary electronic access to your medical records. We will give you simple instructions on how to give our clinicians access if needed.

Is Virtually right for me?

Virtually is a great service for anyone who doesn’t currently have a GP or who struggles to get an appointment with their existing NHS GP. The app is built for people of all ages and backgrounds. If you like the idea of speaking to a clinician online from the comfort of your own home or workplace then use Virtually. We have online appointments available Monday to Sunday. You won’t be giving up the ability to see your own GP. Any virtually consultation will be forwarded to your NHS GP.

Can I choose whether I speak with a male or female clinician?

Yes. Not only can you choose whether your clinician is male or female, but you can also choose the specific person you wish to speak with. We’ll display a list of the available clinicians, and you can choose the doctor or nurse you want to speak to. That means if they are available you can speak to the same clinician every time.

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How does it work when things can’t be done digitally?

Sometimes we may need to see you in person. For example, for vaccinations, smear tests or to carry out an appropriate physical examination. If we need to see you in person, we’ll ask you to book an in-person appointment by calling or emailing our patient support team.

Can you refer me to a hospital near me?

If you need to be seen at a hospital our doctors will refer you to any NHS or private hospital in England of your choice (although most patients choose a hospital near their home or workplace).

Do I have to switch from my current GP?

No. Virtually is not an NHS service. We will liaise with your current GP with your permission to ensure your NHS medical records are kept up to date.

Where is your clinic?

If you do need to see a doctor in person, our specialists see patients both in consulting rooms and at private hospitals in and around London.

How long are the appointments?

Unlike most GP appointment slots which are 10 minutes. Virtually appointments are at least 30 minutes long allowing enough time to address the nature of your condition or symptoms.

How soon can I get an appointment?

We have clinicians available within an hour for digital appointments. In-person appointments may be a slightly longer wait.

How do prescriptions work?

A private prescription will be sent to you online, within one hour of your consultation.

Who are the clinicians?

Our team of clinicians are made of GPs, Pharmacists, Physicians Assistants and Nurses, all of whom are employed by Virtually. All our clinicians are UK based with some working remotely.

Can I see you face to face?

For some conditions we may request to see you in person at our clinic. You are always welcome to book a face-to-face appointment with our team if you wish, however you may have to wait slightly longer for in-person appointments than you do for digital appointments.

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