If you would like to discuss a referral for ADHD or autism spectrum disorder, please contact our Reception Team to book an appointment with your GP. Currently the local NHS Service is unable to accept referrals due to the long waiting lists they hold but you can be referred via the Right to Choose Pathway. If your GP considers a referral to be appropriate, your GP will send it directly to your nominated service at your request. If you have any queries about the appointment, please contact the provider directly.
Whist these services are offered via the NHS and are free for patients, Right to Choose services are often private companies who are contracted to deliver services to the NHS. When choosing a Right to Choose service, it is important to consider the following points, relating to what you should expect from this process and your preferred service:
Choice
Your GP cannot choose for you. You need to research the options and make the choice yourself, then contact your GP to inform them of your chosen provider and they will advise you on how to proceed. This list of providers is constantly changing, and the services’ websites are usually a good place to find out if they offer the service you need. Several services are available by searching on ‘Right to choose ASD’, ‘Right to choose ADHD’ and on sites such as ADHD UK.
Referral
The number of Right to Choose services is ever growing and each service may have its own referral process. It can be difficult for your GP to complete multiple, and often lengthy referral processes. Most providers need a core set of information, so we will ask you to complete a referral questionnaire for an ADHD referral (not required for ASD referral), a self-assessment score as part of a standardised referral. If the service needs additional information, they can request it from the practice or by asking you directly.
Diagnosis, medication and follow-up
Some ADHD/ASD clinics may ask your GP to perform tests like blood tests, ECGs (heart tracings), or weight and height measurements. However, these tests are the responsibility of the service and should be arranged by them to support their own assessment. In keeping with most GP practices, our policy is to advise the service to carry out any necessary tests they require themselves.
It is important to understand that many of the Right to Choose services can offer diagnosis but are often unable to prescribe medication, even if deemed appropriate. This means that you may be able to obtain a diagnosis, but often you will need a further referral to a local NHS service should they recommend you need to start medication to control your symptoms.
Before a local service will take over your care, they may require you to complete their own assessment as not all assessments carried out by Right to Choose services are universally accepted and this may delay further treatment and follow up. Unfortunately, this is not something which can be easily avoided as most medications suggested for these conditions are ones that GPs do not prescribe without the support of a specialist clinic under a ‘Shared Care Agreement’. In line with most GP services our policy is not to enter into shared care agreements with any provider EXCEPT the local NHS services. This because it is not safe for us to prescribe these medications for different patients shared with so many different providers each with their own different processes and policies.
Your GP has no control over the waiting times for local NHS assessments, but we are aware that some waiting times nationally have been stated to be as long as 7 years. Some people still opt for a Right to Choose service as they feel a diagnosis would be enough to request further support from educational institutions or employers, and many do not require medication.
Other things to consider
It is important to recognise that as many Right to Choose ADHD/ASD services operate as independent businesses, their ability to provide you with specialist care may suddenly cease if they stop trading or lose their NHS contract. This is another reason we consider it unsafe to prescribe on their behalf, given the requirement for ongoing review and monitoring of both your condition and specialist medication.
When you are choosing your Right to Choose provider, you may find it useful to use this information to support your decision making, and to share these details with your chosen provider so that they are aware that their duty in performing tests and prescribing is unlikely to be taken over by your GP.
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