GP lied about referral. What can I do?

Hi,

I’m 33 and female and went to speak to the GP about an autism assessment. He asked me a load of personal questions and I got a bit emotional answering him, but I felt really embarrassed more than anything. Answering a few random questions on the spot to justify something that makes sense because of a lifetime of a million little things rather than any one glaring symptom.

I think I’m perceived as mostly normal but inside I’m acutely aware of how much I’m having to concentrate and calculate my responses. Every day is an exam that I can score ok on but I’m perpetually revising. There are things I don’t even remember because I’m so practised in negating my reaction, I’m like an robot, until someone else points it out as one of their symptoms of their autism and I connect another dot.

He said that I might be but might not, he didn’t seem very knowledgeable, and that I’d have to travel to Sheffield. End of appointment.

I googled Sheffield and it seemed legit. I get the referral through and it’s to an anxiety and depression therapy agency in Derby.

The thing is that anxiety and depression are not part of my symptoms. My reactions are very internal and sometimes they explode out in private and other times I manage to swallow them deep until I can reason with myself somehow and let it go.

Anxiety and depression were not mentioned in the appointment either. Except as I was literally walking out of the room and he asked if I was depressed, he didn’t actually use that word, and I said no and he nodded and I left.

I have a telephone consultation booked when he gets back off his holiday (?!) so what can I say?

Thanks

Parents Reply Children
  • Do you live in Derbyshire? If the letter is from Derby it may not be as bad as it seems. I live in Derbyshire (not too far from Sheffield) and all of the letters re my assessment came from Derby as that's where the autism assessment centre is based, although they do deliver assessments throughout Derbyshire.

    Here are the contact details in case you want to contact them directly re your referral.

    Autistic Spectrum Disorder Assessment Service, 
    Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, 
    St Andrew’s House, 
    3rd Floor,
    201 London Road, 
    Derby, DE1 2SX. 
    Telephone 0300 790 0265.