Check that this is the right service

This guide covers NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression in England. For support elsewhere in the UK, start with your GP or the mental health support routes. Children and young people may need a different service.

The NHS explains the eligibility and self-referral route. You do not need to know which therapy you want before asking for help. If you are unsure whether the service meets your needs, speak with your GP or the service.

Find your local NHS Talking Therapies service in England.

Understand what the first contact is for

An initial conversation helps the service understand your difficulties and their effect on your life. For example, Herefordshire and Worcestershire’s service describes an assessment followed by discussion of suitable support. That is a local example, not a fixed timetable or process for every service.

Your appointment letter or message should tell you how to attend. If it is unclear, ask whether the appointment is by telephone, video or in person, how much time to allow and whether you need to complete anything beforehand.

Prepare a few notes in your own words

You do not need to write a complete life history. A short page can help if you lose your train of thought. Try these sentence starters:

  • “The reason I asked for help now is…”
  • “One ordinary day that shows the difficulty is…”
  • “Something I have stopped doing or find harder is…”
  • “What I most want help with is…”
  • “Something I might find difficult to explain aloud is…”

These are prompts for a conversation, not a questionnaire or a score. Leave out anything that does not help you. Keep the notes somewhere you feel comfortable using them during the appointment.

Ask for support with the conversation

Tell the service beforehand if you need an interpreter, a different information format or help using the appointment technology. The NHS suggests asking for communication support and explanations you can understand.

You can ask: “Can you explain how you will use what I tell you, who can see the notes and whether someone can support me at the appointment?” Let the service explain its arrangements; do not assume every setting has the same process.

Leave with a clear next step

Before the conversation ends, write down what you have understood and check it with the practitioner. Useful blanks to fill in are:

  • The next contact is expected: …
  • I need to do: …
  • The service will do: …
  • If I have not heard back, I can contact: …
  • If my situation changes before then: …

Keep the service’s contact details with your notes. Our waiting for NHS care guide covers practical follow-up questions.

If you need help before the appointment

Do not wait for a routine appointment if you need urgent help. Use the UK mental health crisis contacts. Call 999 or go to A&E if someone’s life is at risk or you cannot keep yourself or someone else safe.

Common questions

Do I need a GP referral or a diagnosis first?
For NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression in England, you can usually refer yourself without a diagnosis or GP referral. You need to be registered with a GP and usually aged 18 or over; some services accept people aged 16 or over. Check the local service's criteria.
Will therapy start at the first appointment?
The first contact may be an assessment to discuss your needs and options. Ask the service whether it is an assessment or a treatment session, and what will happen afterwards.
How long will I wait after my assessment?
Your local service can explain its current process and expected contact dates. We cannot give an individual waiting time. Ask whom to contact if you have not heard back and what support is available while you wait.

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