Can I Have a Private Memory Assessment Without a GP Referral?

If you are worried about changes in your memory or thinking, it is natural to want answers. But you may not be ready to speak to your GP, you may be facing a long wait for further assessment, or you may simply want some objective information about your cognitive abilities now.

The good news is that you do not need a GP referral to arrange a private online cognitive assessment with neuroconsult.co.uk.

You can book directly yourself, complete the assessment from home and receive a personalised written report explaining your results and what they may mean.

What is a private memory assessment?

A memory assessment looks at more than simply whether you can remember a list of words.

Changes that feel like a “memory problem” can involve several different cognitive abilities, including attention, concentration, processing speed, memory and executive functioning. Understanding the pattern of strengths and difficulties can therefore be more useful than relying on a single memory score.

At neuroconsult.co.uk, assessment tests are selected for your circumstances and completed online using a desktop or laptop computer. Your results are then reviewed and interpreted by a Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist.

You receive a written report explaining your results in straightforward language, highlighting areas of relative strength or difficulty and suggesting appropriate next steps.

Do I need to see my GP first?

No. neuroconsult.co.uk is a private self-referral service, which means you can arrange an assessment without asking your GP to refer you.

For some people, that is one of the main advantages of arranging an assessment privately. You may want information sooner, wish to establish a baseline against which future changes can be compared, or simply want to understand whether the difficulties you have noticed are reflected in objective cognitive testing.

You can read more about how the service works in our frequently asked questions .

However, a private cognitive assessment does not make your GP unnecessary. If there is concern that your symptoms could be caused by a medical condition, your GP can investigate possible causes and decide whether other tests or specialist referral are needed.

Why have an assessment before seeing a specialist?

There are several reasons someone may choose to have a private assessment while still intending to speak to their GP or another healthcare professional.

You may want to understand whether the changes you have noticed correspond with measurable areas of cognitive difficulty. You may want a clearer picture of which abilities appear relatively stronger or weaker. Or you may want a baseline assessment so that any changes over time can be considered against objective results.

Your neuroconsult.co.uk report can also be shared with your GP, memory clinic or another healthcare professional if you wish.

That does not replace their own assessment or clinical judgement, but it can give them additional structured information to consider.

What happens after I book?

Once you have booked, neuroconsult.co.uk will ask you to complete a pre-assessment questionnaire. This provides information that helps determine which cognitive tests are most appropriate for you.

You then complete your personalised assessment online from home.

Once the testing is finished, the results are reviewed and interpreted and you receive a written report explaining the findings, identifying areas of relative strength and difficulty and setting out suggested next steps.

For people who would also like to discuss their results directly, an assessment package including a subsequent online consultation with a Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist is available.

When should I still speak to my GP?

There are circumstances in which arranging a private cognitive assessment should not delay medical advice.

If memory or thinking changes have appeared suddenly, are rapidly worsening, are accompanied by new neurological or physical symptoms, or are otherwise causing significant concern, you should seek appropriate medical advice rather than waiting for an online assessment.

It is also worth remembering that memory and concentration difficulties do not automatically mean dementia. Cognitive symptoms can have many possible explanations, which is one reason a medical assessment remains important when symptoms are persistent or unexplained. NICE specifically advises clinicians to consider potentially reversible causes of cognitive decline as part of the dementia-assessment pathway.

Getting some clarity without waiting for a referral

Being concerned about your memory can leave you in an uncomfortable position: you know that something feels different, but you do not yet know whether there is an objective change or what you should do next.

You do not have to wait for a GP referral before taking a first step.

A private online cognitive assessment from neuroconsult.co.uk can provide an objective picture of your memory and other cognitive abilities, interpreted by a Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist and explained in a personalised written report.

If you would like to understand your cognitive strengths and difficulties and have useful information to take forward, you can book your assessment directly online.