Counselling in Primary Care (CIPC) is a service from the National Counselling Service (NCS).
Who can make a referral
You can refer a person to CIPC if you:
- are a GP
- are a healthcare professional working in primary care such as a public health nurse, occupational therapist or psychologist
- work in an integrated care team for older people
You have to tell the person's GP about the referral if you are not their GP.
Who you can refer to CIPC
You can only refer someone who:
- is age 18 or older
- has a medical card
- has mild to moderate mental health difficulties
The person's mental health difficulties must be specific and have started in the last 6 months. They must affect the person's quality of life, relationships or ability to cope.
If you are unsure if CIPC is the right service, talk to your local CIPC service.
CIPC is not suitable for people who have moderate to severe mental health difficulties. This is when a person has many symptoms that significantly impact their daily life or if they are in active addiction.
Mild to moderate mental health difficulties
Mild to moderate mental health difficulties include:
- depression
- anxiety, including mild specific phobias and panic attacks
- bereavement and loss (that is not complex)
- coping with injury or illness
- adjustment difficulties
- life cycle difficulties
- stress
- specific trauma
- relationship difficulties
Other ways to get free or low cost talk therapy
How to refer someone to CIPC
- Complete the referral form: Counselling in primary care referral form (PDF, 172 KB, 5 pages).
- Send the completed referral form by Healthmail or post to the CIPC service nearest to where the person you refer lives.
- If you are not the person's GP, send a copy of the completed referral form to their GP so they are aware of the referral.
- Explain the next steps to the person you refer.
Next steps for the person you refer
Give the person contact details for their nearest CIPC service.
Tell them to phone the service to confirm that they will attend counselling. They must phone the service within 2 weeks of the referral.
Share information with them about:
What happens after you refer someone to CIPC
If the person you refer contacts the service to confirm they want counselling, CIPC reviews the referral.
CIPC decides if counselling may be helpful for the person and if CIPC is the right service.
If CIPC is suitable
CIPC arranges an appointment to meet the person when a place becomes available. This is called an initial assessment. After the initial assessment, CIPC may offer up to 8 counselling sessions, depending on the needs of the person referred.
When the counselling sessions end the counsellor writes a discharge summary and sends it to you. If you are not the person's GP, CIPC sends a copy to the GP too.
If CIPC is not suitable
If CIPC is not the right service they may recommend another service or other resources. For example, secondary mental health services.
CIPC will write to to the person’s GP to inform them.
If the person does not contact CIPC
If the person you refer does not contact CIPC to confirm they want counselling, CIPC will write to tell you. If you are not the person's GP, they will contact their GP too.
Contact
Use these contact details if you are a GP or health professional who either:
- has a query
- is referring someone to CIPC
There is a separate page with CIPC contact details for the public.