You can ask for a second opinion on a diagnosis or treatment plan in Ireland, and doctors are expected to help. The Medical Council's ethics guide says doctors should facilitate a patient who requests another opinion, unless they have reasonable grounds not to. The usual first step is your GP. Publicly, your GP can refer you to another consultant or clinic. Public outpatient care is free with a GP referral, but you cannot choose your consultant. Privately, you can choose, but you pay the consultant's fee. Health insurance may cover some of it, and you can usually claim tax relief at 20%. To help the second doctor, get copies of your records. A data protection access request is free and must normally be answered within one month. (All details checked 2 November 2026.)
This guide is for adults with a neurology or psychiatry diagnosis, or a diagnosis that is still unclear. It covers how to ask, the public and private routes, getting your records, and what to do if you meet resistance.
The Medical Council sets the standards Irish doctors must follow. Its 2024 Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics says:
What it does not mean is that you can see any specialist you like, on the public system, straight away. Public patients do not choose their consultant, and waiting lists apply.
There is no rule about when to ask. People commonly do so when:
Some conditions are known to be hard to pin down. Our guides to Lewy body dementia and frontotemporal dementia explain why they are often confused with other illnesses. Adults diagnosed late with ADHD or autism often describe years of earlier labels, as our piece on late diagnosis explores.
A second opinion can confirm a diagnosis as well as change it. Confirmation is a useful result too.
Asking for a second opinion is a normal request. You do not need to justify it at length. You could say:
"I'd like to get a second opinion on this diagnosis before I decide on treatment. Could you refer me, or tell me who you'd suggest?"
Ask your GP first. Your GP holds your overall record and usually writes the referral. The Medical Council guide says the overall management of your care is best supervised by a GP, who should be kept informed of referrals.
You can also ask your consultant directly. They may know a colleague with a particular interest in your condition.
The second doctor will want to see what the first one saw. Gather:
For psychiatric or neurodevelopmental assessments, ask for the full assessment report, not only the summary letter.
Your GP can refer you to a different consultant or hospital clinic as a public patient. Citizens Information says public outpatient care is free when your GP refers you. But as a public patient, you do not have a choice of consultant. The referral goes to a service, and you join its waiting list.
Two things to know:
You can see a consultant privately for a second opinion. Citizens Information says private patients pay the consultant's fee, and private hospitals set their own charges. We have not found an authoritative source for typical fees, so ask the clinic for its fee in writing before you book.
Ask whether the consultant needs a GP referral letter. Some private clinics do, and a letter gives the consultant your history.
Private health insurance may cover some or all of the cost. Check your policy, and ask your insurer what it covers before booking.
Some Irish insurers offer a dedicated second-opinion service on certain plans. One insurer's leaflet, for example, describes an international review of your diagnosis and treatment plan. Ask your insurer whether your plan includes anything similar.
You can usually claim tax relief on doctors' and consultants' fees at the standard rate of 20%, according to Revenue. The care must be given or advised by a registered practitioner. You cannot claim for amounts your insurer or the HSE has paid or will pay. You can claim refunds for up to four years.
You do not need your doctor's permission to see your own records. There are two main routes.
Under the GDPR, you can ask any doctor, practice or hospital for a copy of your personal data, including your health records.
The DPC has dealt with a complaint where a medical centre asked for a fee for a first copy. The centre accepted it should not have charged.
Put your request in writing. Say you are making a subject access request, give your name, date of birth and address, and say which records you want.
The Freedom of Information Act 2014 gives you the right to access personal records the HSE holds about you, from any time. Your request must:
You can email the relevant HSE FOI office. Voluntary hospitals handle their own requests, so contact the hospital directly. If you are unhappy with the decision, you are entitled to a review.
If you are detained as an involuntary patient under the Mental Health Act 2001, independent review is built in. After an admission or renewal order, the Mental Health Commission must:
The independent psychiatrist must report within 14 days.
There is a second check for medication. Sometimes a detained patient has had medicine for their mental disorder for three months and cannot consent. It can then only continue if a second consultant psychiatrist authorises it. That authorisation lasts three months at a time.
The Mental Health Act 2026 was signed into law on 7 May 2026. The Department of Health said work had begun to commence it. Until it is commenced, the 2001 Act rules above apply.
For voluntary patients and community care, the ordinary routes apply. Ask your consultant or GP about another opinion, or see a psychiatrist privately.
Neurology diagnoses often rest on a mix of history, examination and tests. A second neurologist will usually want the original scan images, not only the written report. Ask the hospital's radiology department, or include the images in your access request.
If your diagnosis is a functional disorder, or "no cause found", a second opinion can still help. It can confirm the diagnosis and point you to treatment, or reopen the question.
In England, if your GP refers you to a specialist, you may have the right to choose the hospital for your first outpatient appointment. You can also choose which consultant-led team will be in charge of your treatment. The NHS website explains how this works.
A difficult diagnosis can be hard to carry. If you or someone you know is about to harm themselves or someone else, phone 112 or 999, or go to an emergency department. You can call Samaritans free on 116 123, or Pieta on 1800 247 247, at any time. You can also text 50808.
It is a normal request. The Medical Council's guidance expects doctors to facilitate it unless they have reasonable grounds not to.
For the public system, yes. For private consultants, it depends on the clinic, so ask when booking. A GP letter usually helps either way.
It can be, as a public outpatient referred by your GP, but you will not choose the consultant and may wait. Private second opinions cost the consultant's fee, which insurance or tax relief may partly offset.
Make a written subject access request to the hospital or practice. The first copy is free, and they must normally respond within one month. For HSE records, you can also use Freedom of Information.
Share both reports with your GP. Ask both clinicians what would settle the difference, such as a test, a specialist centre or a period of review.
Proco is preparing clinician-led adult ADHD and autism assessments, starting in Ireland. You can read about our assessments.
This article is general information, not medical or legal advice. Talk to your GP or consultant about your own care.
Reviewed by: Proco Team
Last updated: November 2026