The screening assessment is your first appointment with one our team members. They could be a Psychologist, Therapist, or Psychiatrist. They will tell you more about their professional background when you meet them.
How is this appointment arranged?
- If your referral is not urgent and has been accepted for a routine assessment by our service, you should receive a letter requesting to call the Cullen Centre in order to arrange your assessment appointment. After you receive this letter, it is your responsibility to ensure you contact the team to arrange this appointment.
- If your referral is urgent, and has been accepted for an assessment, an appointment letter will be sent to you. Please call the Cullen Centre if the proposed appointment does not suit.
This appointment can happen in different ways:
- By phone
- Through video call (called “Near Me” on the NHS)
- In person at the Cullen Centre
The first appointment usually lasts between 60 to 90 minutes. You can bring someone with you, like a friend, partner, or parent, if that would make you feel more comfortable.
We call this first meeting a screening assessment because, we aim to find out:
- Is our service the right one for you?
- If we are the right service, what do you need from us?
- Do you need therapy? If so, what kind?
- Do you need a medical check-up or diet advice?
- Would medication help, or do you need more tests?
- Would involving your family be helpful?
- Do you need therapy? If so, what kind?
- If there is a wait for treatment, what advice can we give you to start making progress on your own?
- What do you think will work best for you? What have you tried before?
To help us figure this out, we’ll ask about:
- Your eating habits
- Your current situation
- Your mood and mental health
- Your physical health
- Any difficulties you had growing up
- Previous treatments you have tried
We believe you know yourself best, so we want to make sure you have time to tell us what you think is most important. If there’s something that’s hard to talk about, especially in the first meeting, it’s okay to say so. You can say something like, “I have an issue with X, but I don’t feel ready to talk about it today”.
At the end of the appointment, we’ll make a plan for the next steps. This will include:
- How long you may need to wait
- Any self-help ideas or other services that might be useful
- You can ask any questions you have
We will also send a letter to your GP to update them on the plan. If you want a copy of the letter, just let us know.
