Online Mental Health GP Consultation in Ireland: Anxiety, Low Mood and Stress

If you are struggling with anxiety, low mood, stress or poor sleep, you are not alone — and you do not have to wait months for help. NOVAGP.IE offers a €39 online mental health consultation with an Irish-registered GP, by video or phone, usually the same or next day.

This guide explains exactly what the service covers, what it does not, and how it fits with HSE services such as SilverCloud — so you can decide if it is right for you.

Who this service is for

This consultation is for adults aged 18 and over in Ireland with mild to moderate symptoms, such as:

• Feeling anxious, on edge, or unable to stop worrying
• Low mood, loss of interest or pleasure in things you usually enjoy
• Stress from work, family or life events, including burnout
• Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much
• Physical symptoms of anxiety such as a racing heart or trembling

It is not a crisis service. If you are thinking of harming yourself or feel unsafe, please get help now: call 999 or 112, the Samaritans on 116 123 (24/7), Pieta on 1800 247 247, or text HELLO to 50808. Your nearest Emergency Department is always open.

How it works

1. Book online at a time that suits you. Before choosing a time, you answer a short safety check. This service is not suitable for under-18s, for anyone in crisis, or where the main aim is a controlled medicine such as diazepam or sleeping tablets — and the booking process will say so honestly.
2. Complete two short questionnaires — the PHQ-9 (mood) and GAD-7 (anxiety). These are the same validated screening tools used in Irish general practice. Your doctor sees your answers and scores before the consultation.
3. Have your consultation by video or phone. Your GP reviews your scores, checks your safety, and agrees a plan with you.
4. Your plan is put into action — this can include a referral to free HSE SilverCloud online therapy, a request to your own GP for counselling (CIPC), a prescription where appropriate, or a medical certificate.
5. Your own GP is kept informed. If you have a GP in Ireland, sharing the consultation and the agreed treatment with them is a required part of this service. Continuity of care is a core requirement of the Irish Medical Council for mental health treatment, and it keeps you safe.

What the GP can help with

• Assessment of mild to moderate anxiety, low mood or depression, stress and sleep problems
• Starting or continuing first-line antidepressants (SSRIs such as sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram or fluoxetine), with a follow-up review in 2 to 4 weeks
• Short-term, non-addictive symptom relief where clinically appropriate — for example propranolol for the physical symptoms of anxiety
• Referral to HSE SilverCloud, the free guided online CBT programme for adults in Ireland
• A referral request to your own GP for Counselling in Primary Care (CIPC)
• A medical certificate where clinically justified

What is not included

To keep you safe, and in line with Irish Medical Council guidance on remote prescribing, this service does not provide:

• Benzodiazepines (such as diazepam or alprazolam), Z-drugs (zopiclone, zolpidem), pregabalin, gabapentin, ADHD medicines or opioids — controlled or dependence-forming medicines are not prescribed remotely
• Lithium, antipsychotics, or starting treatment for bipolar disorder or psychosis
• ADHD or autism assessments, capacity assessments, medico-legal, fitness-to-drive or firearms reports
• Crisis or emergency care
• Care for anyone under 18
• Ongoing management of severe or complex mental illness — this belongs with your own GP and the community mental health team

The free HSE SilverCloud pathway

SilverCloud is a free, HSE-funded online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) programme for adults in Ireland. It runs over 6 to 8 weeks for anxiety, depression and sleep problems, and a trained supporter reviews your progress each week. No medical card is needed.

If your assessment shows SilverCloud is suitable for you, your NOVAGP.IE doctor can refer you directly. It works well alongside — or instead of — medication for mild to moderate symptoms.

Why we share with your own GP

Mental health treatment works best when one doctor looks after you over time. The Irish Medical Council expects continuity of care, so if you have a GP in Ireland we always send them a summary of your consultation and any agreed treatment. If you do not have a GP in Ireland, you can still use the service.

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