Frequently asked questions
We want to ensure that our members receive the right treatment at the right time so we routinely fund treatment for Bupa members referred by a GP to a Bupa recognised mental health therapist.
Bupa members should call us following a GP referral to a mental health therapist to pre-authorise any treatment.+
Our members have access to a wide range of Bupa recognised mental health therapists all of whom adhere to clinical and service standards. GPs can, of course, refer a Bupa member to any mental health therapist, but we will only fund treatment delivered by a Bupa recognised mental health therapist.
All Bupa recognised mental health therapists have relevant experience and qualifications and registration with an appropriate professional body.
There are many Bupa recognised therapists across the UK. To assist GPs with their referrals a list is available on the Bupa website via this link Find a therapist.
Bupa members should call us following a GP referral to a mental health therapist to pre-authorise any treatment.
We want to ensure that our members can access the right treatment as quickly and as easily as possible. In many cases, this will mean referring them directly to a mental health therapist. However, we recognise that in some cases it may be appropriate to refer some patients to a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist. We will only fund treatment delivered by a Bupa recognised clinician. Patients must contact us for pre-authorisation prior to their appointment.+
The referral decision is for you to discuss and agree with your patient. We recognise that patient preference is a strong determinate for the success of talking therapies. So if you and your patient agree that referral to a psychiatrist is the most appropriate option for them, they can be referred to a psychiatrist. We will only fund treatment delivered by a Bupa recognised clinician. Bupa members should check that psychiatric treatment is covered by their Bupa health insurance policy before seeing a psychiatrist (not all policies include psychiatric treatment) and call us following a GP referral to a psychiatrist to pre-authorise any treatment.
There is substantial evidence that CBT is an effective treatment for many conditions. There are, of course, other talking therapies but many have not been as extensively researched and hence there is little evidence to support their effectiveness.
We believe that CBT has demonstrated good benefits but it is not appropriate for everyone or for all conditions and it is important to ensure that the patient sees the right therapist with the right qualifications.
To enable our members to seek treatment from a therapist to suit their individual needs, we recognise a range of talking therapists including CBT practitioners.
+Please note that access to talking therapies and other forms of psychological therapy are available only to those members who have psychiatric treatment benefit included in their Bupa insurance.
**Calls may be recorded and monitored.
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Lines are open 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.