Right to Choose ASD & ADHD Pathways
ADHD and ASD assessment – Right To Choose
Right To Choose
Information on alternative referral options for ADHD & ASD assessment
If you are based in England under the NHS you now have a legal right to choose your mental healthcare provider and your choice of mental healthcare team, this includes for referrals relating to Autism and ADHD assessment.
This service is offered through the NHS and is free
Introduction to Right to Choose referrals
Did you know NHS patients now have a legal right to choose their mental healthcare provider? This important right means that, for instance, should you decide the waiting time for your ADHD or ASD assessment is too long, then you can choose an alternative provider to suit you.
Right to Choose within mental health is a relatively new scheme (since 2018) and as such, many patients are not aware of the options.
Who can offer Right to Choose assessments?
There are a number of clinics throughout the UK that can offer Right to Choose ADHD and/or ASD assessments. To become a Right to Choose clinic provider, the clinic must supply the same service to the NHS somewhere in England, they cannot be a private only clinic.
The provider’s website is usually a good place to start to find out if they offer the service you need and we have compiled a list in this leaflet of some of the choices for you to consider.
Which providers offer Right to Choose assessments?
This list of providers is constantly changing but currently the below clinics are some of the choices available as at the time of printing this leaflet. This list is non-exhaustive and there may be other clinics you may want to research too.
For more information on
ADHD & Right to Choose referrals,The ADHD website has useful information
ASD & Right to Choose referrals, the National Autistic Society website has some useful information
Things to consider about Right to Choose
It is important to note that many of the clinics mentioned in this leaflet can offer diagnosis but are rarely able to offer medication titration.
This means that you may be able to obtain a diagnosis with the named clinics, but often you will need a local NHS referral should they find that you need to start medication to control your symptoms.
When can you not use Right to Choose?
There are some restrictions on which patients are eligible for a Right to Choose assessment and the below is a list of the reasons you would not be eligible:
- You need urgent or emergency treatment – this is often not relevant as there are rarely times when this type of referral is considered urgent, but is still worth noting here
- You already receive care and treatment for the condition you are seeking an assessment for
- The organisation or clinical team you’ve chosen does not provide the right care for your condition
- You are a prisoner or on temporary release from prison
- You are detained in prescribed accommodation such as a court, secure training centre, immigration removal centre or young offender’s institute
- You are detained in a secure hospital setting
- You are detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended in 2007)
- You are a serving member of the armed forces
Process for requesting a Right to Choose referral from your GP
Talk to your GP, have an open and frank conversation about why you think you have ADHD and/or ASD. Talk about any and all mental health concerns you might have. The goal is to help you with your issues and the conversation often will be wider than just the query of ADHD / ASD.
Following that conversation your GP may suggest a referral for an official assessment. The current waiting list in Kent for ADHD assessment is around 7 years, whereas ASD waiting times are around 3 years. Right to Choose will allow you to consider alternative options to avoid waiting so long for a diagnosis and post-diagnostic support.
What happens when I have chosen my clinic?
For all Right to Choose referrals, the patient, or their family if a child, will need to research and select a clinic themselves, it is not something the GP can advise on.
Once you have chosen which clinic you would like to have your assessment with and obtained the relevant forms, please send an email to us at Memorial Medical Centre confirming who you have chosen and forward any forms. Please ensure any forms that are required to be completed by/for the patient are enclosed with this email together with the GP forms. This will enable us to process the referral efficiently.
How much quicker will Right to Choose be?
That depends on which clinic you choose and whether they can offer medication titration, should you need it. Currently, the local waiting times are up to 7 years. A general guide for Right to Choose referrals is that assessments can be in as little as 12 weeks and as long as 12 months, which is much quicker than the NHS alternatives!
If a clinic offers diagnosis but not medication titration, then you will need a further referral for post-diagnostic support. The local waiting list in Kent for this service is around 24 months.
Unfortunately, this is not something that can be easily avoided as most medications suggested for these conditions are ones that GPs are not allowed to prescribe without the support of a specialist clinic under a Shared Care Agreement.
Why would I choose a Right to Choose referral if I cannot easily obtain medication that way?
Many patients feel a diagnosis would be enough to request further support / considerations from school or employers and some patients may not require medication for these conditions at all
What if I have more questions not answered in this leaflet?
Often questions can be answered with a simple phone call to the surgery but if you cannot wait or you would like to look into this further yourself first, please see below a list of websites and resources, to help you on your Right to Choose journey: Information on ADHD:
- AHD UKD: A charity offering free advice and information on ADHD and Right to Choose referrals
- ADHD Foundation: The UK’s leading neurodiversity charity, offering services for those who live with ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, DCD, Dyscalculia, OCD, Tourette’s Syndrome and more
- NHS Website
- Mind: ADHD and mental health
Information on ASD
- National Autistic Society: offer support and advise for autistic people in the UK and their families
- Autism Speaks: Autism Speaks is dedicated to creating an inclusive world for all individuals with autism throughout their lifespan
- NHS Website
- Mind: Autism and mental health
Published on 4 July 2024