Can a professional send records securely?

Please make contact first. The practice will confirm what is relevant and provide an appropriate method; sensitive records should not be attached to an initial website enquiry.

Are reports guaranteed to be accepted by employers, schools or other clinicians?

No provider should guarantee universal acceptance. Requirements vary. The intended recipient and purpose should be clarified before assessment.

Can urgent risk referrals be accepted?

The website enquiry route is not an emergency pathway. Immediate risk should be directed to local emergency, GP or crisis services.

For professional referrers

Professional referral checklist

Use this checklist before making an initial referral enquiry to Focused Care Psychology in the Republic of Ireland.

1. Referral question

What decision or clinical question should the assessment or therapy help answer?
What difficulties or strengths are being observed and in which settings?
Why is the referral being made now?

2. Intended use

Personal or clinical understanding
Education or care planning
Workplace or occupational purpose
Legal, statutory or other formal purpose

If a third party has specific evidence, clinician, multidisciplinary or report format requirements, identify them before booking.

3. Information to have available

Age and current location of the person being referred
Consent or authority for the referral and contact
Relevant developmental, health, education or care context
Current risk or safeguarding information that affects suitability
Known deadlines and intended report recipient

4. What not to send in the first email

Do not attach a complete clinical record, school file, legal bundle or other sensitive record to the initial enquiry. First establish scope and the appropriate secure transfer route.

5. What happens next

The practice reviews the referral question and scope.
Suitability, clinician requirements and any external standards are clarified.
Relevant evidence and secure document transfer arrangements are agreed.
Fees, expected stages and report output are confirmed before work begins.

Important: the referral route is not an emergency or crisis service. Urgent risk should be directed to appropriate local emergency, GP or crisis services.

Start a professional referral enquiry Back to professional referrals

Tip: use your browser print function to save this checklist as a PDF for your team.