If you would like to discuss a referral for ADHD or autism spectrum disorder, please contact the practice in the usual way here. You can be referred to the local NHS Service. If NHS waiting times for an ADHD/ASD assessment are too long, you can choose an alternative provider, if they offer the service to NHS patients. If you are registered with an NHS GP in England, you have the legal right to choose your mental healthcare provider.
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.
Some ADHD/ASD clinics may ask your GP to perform tests like blood tests, ECGs (heart tracings), or weight and height measurements as part of the referral process. However, these tests are the responsibility of the service and should be arranged by them to support their own assessment.
Diagnosis, medication and follow-up
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’.
Shared Care Agreement (Right to choose & Private Providers)
The Practice will enter into a shared care agreement for prescribing and monitoring following a diagnosis of ADHD or ASD; however, this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and remains at the discretion of the Practice. Any request for shared care must come from a reputable and recognised private or NHS provider, and the patient must remain under the ongoing care and supervision of the specialist team for the agreement to remain valid. This ensures that prescribing and monitoring responsibilities are managed safely, appropriately, and in line with clinical best practice.
Waiting Times
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.
You can Complete an ADHD Screening Questionnaire.
We recommend completing an assessment via the Think ADHD website:
For more information and support services available, please visit:
https://adhduk.co.uk/right-to-choose/
www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd