We have prepared these lists of questions as a guide for you to use.
They can help you get information about your diagnosis, assessment and care.
Think about which questions are useful for you. Also think about any other questions that are not on these lists.
Before a diagnosis
- If I do not have a diagnosis yet, what are the chances I will get one?
- How long will it be before there is a diagnosis?
- Are there different points of view about what I am experiencing?
When you get a diagnosis
- What does my diagnosis mean in simple terms?
- What are the main features of this diagnosis?
- What do you know about the causes of my diagnosis?
- What is likely to happen in the future?
- Where can I get more information about this?
Assessment
- What assessments do I need for a diagnosis or to help plan treatment?
- What assessments have you done?
- What are the results of the assessments?
- What happens next?
- Will you need to do more assessments?
Care, treatment and recovery
- What is the plan for treating my mental health difficulty?
- Can I get a written copy of my care, treatment and recovery plan?
- What are the aims of the care, treatment and recovery plan?
- Do I have to pay for my treatment?
- If I have a key worker who will this be and what does this mean?
- If I do not have a key worker, who can I contact on the team?
- Who else will be involved in my care?
- How often will I have an appointment and which member of the clinical team will this be with?
- Are there waiting times or waiting lists for therapies?
- When can I expect to see an improvement?
- Would talk therapy such as psychotherapy be helpful and where can I get it?
- Are there other therapies or medicines that might be helpful, if I am not comfortable with the care and treatment plan?
Getting help
- Who do I contact if I’m worried about something?
- How can I get in touch with you?
- Who do I contact in an emergency?
- If I’m admitted involuntarily can I appeal that decision?
Involuntary admission - being admitted to hospital against your will
Medicine
- Will I be on medicine?
- If I am on medicine, what medicine will I be on and why?
- Will I have to pay for the medicine?
- What should the benefits of this medicine be, short-term and long-term?
- How will the benefits of the medicine be monitored?
- What are the possible side effects of this medicine?
- How will the possible side effects be monitored?
- What do I do or who do I contact if I get side effects?
- Are there any other medicines or substances that this medicine might interact with?
- Is it safe to take this medicine if I get pregnant?
- Is it safe to get pregnant or get someone else pregnant if taking this medicine?
- Is it safe to take this medicine during breastfeeding?
- How long will I need to take this medicine?
- How often will my medicine be reviewed?
- Are there any other options that could be used if this medicine does not work?
- What signs or symptoms might mean that the medicine should be changed?
- What is likely to happen if I stop taking the medicine without discussing this with anyone?
- Do you have any information about this medicine that I can take home?
Inpatient treatment (staying in hospital overnight)
- Will inpatient treatment be needed?
- What happens if I need inpatient treatment and there is no bed available?
- How long will I need to stay in hospital for?
- Will I be able to leave the hospital when I want to?
Involuntary patients and the law
For concerned family or friends
- Will we be involved in discussions about their treatment plan and recovery?
- Will we be notified if they or another person is at risk?
- Who can we contact if we are concerned about risk?
- What can we do to help?
- Are there any local self-help or carers’ groups?
- What other supports are available for us, as carers?
- If they need to stay in a hospital, how often can I see them, what are the visiting times and is there a family room?
- What happens and what options are there if they will not accept certain types of treatment?
- If it's not OK for them to return home, what options are available in our area and who can advise us?
If you are concerned about someone else, ask how they would like you to be involved in their care. You will need their permission before mental health professionals can share personal information with you. They have a right to confidentiality.
Family members may share information with mental health professionals. This is not a breach of confidentiality.