Psychiatrist referral letter to a psychologist: template

A psychiatrist's referral letter to a psychologist is the letter in which the psychiatrist entrusts a psychologist with psychotherapy, an assessment or ongoing support, stating the reason, a precise question and only the information needed, with the patient's agreement. This page is written for psychiatrists practising in France, Belgium or Switzerland.

When does a psychiatrist write to a psychologist?

• Structured psychotherapy: CBT, EMDR, family therapy.
• Psychological or neuropsychological assessment.
• Handing over supportive follow-up.
• Joint follow-up: you keep the medication, the psychologist leads the psychotherapy.

The French HAS guide (2018) on coordination between GPs and psychiatry noted "incomplete referral letters" and requests "not always stated explicitly" (our translation).

What French law says

Confidentiality and sharing information

Paragraph II of Article L1110-4 of the French Public Health Code frames your letter: identified professionals may exchange information "provided that they all take part in that person's care and that the information is strictly necessary for the coordination or continuity of care, prevention or medico-social and social follow-up" (our translation, as for all French texts below).

Paragraph III adds: "Sharing information needed for a person's care between professionals who do not belong to the same care team requires that person's prior consent".

Psychologists are not a health profession under part four of the Code. You therefore cannot take for granted that a psychologist in private practice belongs to your patient's care team within the meaning of Article L1110-12. As a precaution, we advise obtaining the patient's agreement before writing and noting it in the file, with the date. Article 4 of the French code of medical ethics recalls that confidentiality covers "what the doctor saw, heard or understood".

The code of medical ethics, by analogy

Articles 60, 62 and 64 concern relations between doctors, not psychologists. Their logic remains good practice.

• Article 60: the commentary says the doctor "should preferably give the patient a letter or any document likely to inform the consultant". Applied here: a letter the patient can read.
• Article 62: the consulted doctor must give the treating doctor "all information needed for the patient's follow-up". Useful for the copy.
• Article 64: doctors who work together "must keep each other informed; each practitioner bears personal responsibility". Applied here: write down who does what.

What the psychologist may send back

The French code of ethics for psychologists (2021), which has no regulatory force in France, says the psychologist "shares only the information strictly necessary for the professional purpose" (art. 8) and that passing on conclusions requires "the consent of the person concerned or their prior information" (art. 15). So ask for the feedback you need (see the psychologist's letter to the GP).

Mon soutien psy: what matters for the psychiatrist

Mon soutien psy is the French scheme under which national health insurance covers sessions with participating psychologists. According to the ameli pages for psychologists (read on 2 November 2026), since 15 June 2024:

• Direct access: referral and the related letter "are no longer mandatory".
• Sessions: one assessment interview and 11 follow-up sessions, that is 12 sessions per patient per year according to the FAQ; "all sessions are billed at 50 euros".
• Accompanying letter: still possible, it "sets out context, clinical elements and the reasons for referral" (pathway page). For the situations where third-party payment is mandatory, the psychologist FAQ mentions "the doctor's accompanying letter (stating whether the sessions relate to a long-term condition (ALD)", an accident caused by a third party, maternity or a work accident. It does not present third-party payment as universal.

The point that concerns you: the "patients concerned" page excludes "all situations that require, from the outset or during care, a specialist opinion from a psychiatrist". In some cases it also calls for a psychiatrist's opinion before any referral: a patient on an antidepressant for more than 3 months, a hypnotic or benzodiazepine for more than one month, or another psychotropic drug. The same page still states that "referral by the doctor is mandatory", a pre-June 2024 rule, so it is not fully up to date. A validated answer from an ameli expert (16 September 2026) nonetheless confirms the scheme is not open "if your situation requires a psychiatrist's opinion" (our translations). For a patient who needs your follow-up, we therefore advise starting from the template outside the scheme.

In the version in force since 1 October 2026 (consulted on Légifrance), Article L162-58 of the French Social Security Code provides that "psychologists chosen by the patient to deliver these sessions belong to the patient's care team". It covers psychologists in the scheme, not every psychologist, and leaves the rest to a decree. It says nothing more about what may be shared.

Caution: on 2 November 2026, the ameli pages for doctors and for insured persons still showed the old scheme (mandatory referral, 8 sessions, 40 euros then 30 euros). Rely instead on the psychologist section, which dates the change, and on the law.

Referral letter template to copy

[Dr First name SURNAME], psychiatrist. [Address, phone, secure health messaging, RPPS number if useful]

To [First name SURNAME], psychologist, [address]

[Place], [date]

Re: referral of [Mr/Ms First name S.], born in [year]

Dear [Ms/Mr Surname],

I am referring [Mr/Ms S.], whom I have been seeing since [month, year] for [reason, in plain words]. [He/She] wishes to start [psychotherapy / an assessment / supportive follow-up] and agreed on [date] that I send you the information below.

My request: [precise question, for example "psychotherapy focused on anxious rumination" or "an assessment of attentional functions"].

Relevant information

• [Two to four clinical facts strictly necessary for the request]
• Impact: [daily life, work, relationships, in one line]
• Rating scales, if useful: [name, score, date]
• Current medication: [drug, dose, since when], which I continue to prescribe and monitor.
• Points of attention: [dated facts, with no conclusion beyond what was observed]. If things get worse, [Mr/Ms S.] knows [he/she] can reach me [how]. National resource in France: 3114.

What I provide: [appointments every X weeks, medication changes, certificates, sick notes].

What I would like from you: [written feedback after your initial assessment / at the end of care / without delay if you notice a deterioration], with [Mr/Ms S.]'s agreement.

I remain available [phone, time slots, secure messaging].

Kind regards,

[Signature]

Copy: [Mr/Ms S.] [yes/no]; Dr [name], GP [yes/no, with the patient's agreement]

Write in the psychologist's working language. In French, "Chère consœur, cher confrère" is the custom between doctors; towards a psychologist, "Madame, Monsieur" fits better. The psychologists' code wants their documents dated, naming "the recipient and the subject" (art. 18): do the same.

Filled-in example (fictitious patient)

Dr Claire M., psychiatrist, to Ms Sophie D., psychologist, 3 November 2026

Re: referral of Mr Julien R., born in 1992

Dear Ms D.,

I am referring Mr Julien R., whom I have been seeing since July 2026 for a depressive episode. He wishes to start psychotherapy and agreed on 20 October 2026 that I send you the information below.

My request: CBT targeting rumination and work avoidance, which persist despite improved mood.

Relevant information

• Partial improvement in mood and sleep since September; daily work-related rumination, avoidance of meetings since his part-time return to work.
• Current medication: antidepressant treatment since July 2026 (drug and dose stated in the letter), which I continue to prescribe and monitor.
• Points of attention: no suicidal ideas expressed at the 20 October 2026 appointment. Mr R. knows he can reach my office on weekdays (and the 3114 line).

What I provide: an appointment every six weeks, medication changes and sick notes.

What I would like from you: brief feedback after your initial assessment, then at the end of care, and without delay if things get worse, with Mr R.'s agreement.

Kind regards,

Dr Claire M.

Copy: Mr Julien R.; Dr Paul T., GP, with Mr R.'s agreement (see our psychiatrist's letter to the treating physician).

Variants by setting

France, outside Mon soutien psy

The template applies as it is. Within the same hospital or community mental health centre (CMP), a care team under L1110-12 may exist; still note the agreement.

France, Mon soutien psy

Once eligibility is checked, we advise keeping the clinical letter, for the psychologist only, apart from administrative lines with no clinical detail: "I am referring [Mr/Ms S.] under the Mon soutien psy scheme. The sessions [are / are not] related to a long-term condition (ALD), a work accident, maternity or an accident caused by a third party." Like the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regional health agency template (otherwise pre-2024), we advise not stating a number of sessions: the psychologist proposes it with the patient.

Belgium

For first-line psychological care reimbursed through mental health networks (available since 1 April 2024), INAMI-RIZIV tells patients: "You do not need a prescription" (our translation). The psychologist carries out a functional assessment at the first session and may, with the patient's agreement, contact the GP. The page describes no role for the psychiatrist: your letter is a liaison letter, not a prescription. According to the Psychologists' Commission, "clinical psychologists have been recognized as practitioners of a healthcare profession" since 2016.

Switzerland, psychotherapy on prescription

Since 1 July 2022, according to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), psychotherapy delivered by psychologists is reimbursed on prescription. Ordinary prescription is limited to certain federal postgraduate titles, including psychiatry and psychotherapy. Insurance covers "a maximum of 15 sessions per medical prescription", then 15 more after an exchange between prescriber and psychologist. Beyond 30, the insurer must guarantee coverage and "the report containing the proposal for extension must be drawn up by the prescribing doctor" (our translation). The letter accompanies the prescription without replacing it; we advise restating the number of sessions prescribed.

Common mistakes

• "For follow-up", with no question. On the ameli forum (March 2025), a patient asked whether a letter saying only "for follow-up", with no reason given, was a problem.
• A diagnosis the patient does not know.
• Judgements ("manipulative") instead of dated facts.
• Leaving out who manages the medication or the feedback expected.
• Reusing an old Mon soutien psy template ("7 sessions", mandatory referral).
• Clinical content in the administrative part, or unsecured email.

Checklist before sending: confidentiality and consent

• The patient knows whom you are writing to and what the letter says.
• Their agreement is noted in the file, with the date.
• Each item serves the request (L1110-4 II).
• The psychologist knows who manages the medication, whom to contact and what feedback you expect.
• Sent by secure health messaging, or handed to the patient.
• Copy to the GP only with agreement.
• The patient knows they can object to the exchange at any time (L1110-4 IV).

Writing this letter with Delta

Delta drafts your referral letters from the up-to-date patient file, in your vocabulary and the structure of your letters. You review and send.

• A patient file that keeps the memory of the follow-up.
• Data hosted in France by an HDS-certified host; patient name and identifying details pseudonymised before the AI.
• In Belgium and Switzerland, data stays in Europe, in France, on infrastructure certified for health data.

See also what is Delta, choosing software for psychiatrists and our clinical document templates.

Sources

• Légifrance, French Public Health Code, Articles L1110-4 and L1110-12 (read on 2 November 2026, in French)
• CNOM, French code of medical ethics, Article 60 and commentary (Articles 4, 62 and 64 linked in the text)
• ameli.fr, Mon soutien psy care pathway (psychologist section) (read on 2 November 2026, in French)
• INAMI-RIZIV, first-line psychological care through mental health networks
• FOPH, psychotherapy delivered by psychologists since 1 July 2022