Private referal

I have just been through a private referral (haven't had results yet). It has cost me £1650 in total. This was made up of £150 for an initial assessment which was a 90 minute meeting where I talked to a psychologist and completed an autism quotient questionnaire. I had also completed some questionnaires and sent these back prior to my appointment. After the initial assessment I had a letter summarising what we had discussed and recommending that due to my score on the AQ and the answers I had given I should have a full assessment. The full assessment cost £1500 and has consisted of a cognitive assessment, completion of a sensory profile, an ADIR interview with my Mum and an ADOS assessment for me. Each assessment/interview has been completed by a different professional (all extremely nice) and now they will all meet together to discuss what their findings and make a decision about whether to give me a diagnosis. They then provide a feedback meeting where they will give us the results and also discuss the support I might need going forward. Even if I don't get a diagnosis they will discuss my specific difficulties and offer support for moving forward. This meeting has been arranged for the end of this month.  

From when I first contacted the clinic in April to book my initial appointment, the whole process will have taken 4 1/2 months. This could have been quicker but I delayed some of the appointments until the summer holiday (I am a teacher) so I didn't need time off work but then I needed to arrange them around the dates when I was away and when some of the psychologists were on annual leave. 

I have been really pleased with how thorough the whole process has been. Which ever way it goes I feel confident that the result will be accurate. The appointments haven't been time limited at all, we have been given a general idea of how long each one will last but most have run over that. We definitely feel we have been listened to. Having the appointments in different weeks has extended the time it has taken and meant more travelling for me (an hour each way) but it has also given me time to think and reflect between each appointment and they have always welcomed any additional information I've brought to them. 

The clinic I used is called The Family Psychologist and they are in Kidderminster. They seem very knowledgeable about how autism presents in women which is what I needed. They also take NHS referrals so I feel that I have been through a proper diagnostic procedure. 

I have just been through a private referral (haven't had results yet). It has cost me £1650 in total. This was made up of £150 for an initial assessment which was a 90 minute meeting where I talked to a psychologist and completed an autism quotient questionnaire. I had also completed some questionnaires and sent these back prior to my appointment. After the initial assessment I had a letter summarising what we had discussed and recommending that due to my score on the AQ and the answers I had given I should have a full assessment. The full assessment cost £1500 and has consisted of a cognitive assessment, completion of a sensory profile, an ADIR interview with my Mum and an ADOS assessment for me. Each assessment/interview has been completed by a different professional (all extremely nice) and now they will all meet together to discuss what their findings and make a decision about whether to give me a diagnosis. They then provide a feedback meeting where they will give us the results and also discuss the support I might need going forward. Even if I don't get a diagnosis they will discuss my specific difficulties and offer support for moving forward. This meeting has been arranged for the end of this month.  

From when I first contacted the clinic in April to book my initial appointment, the whole process will have taken 4 1/2 months. This could have been quicker but I delayed some of the appointments until the summer holiday (I am a teacher) so I didn't need time off work but then I needed to arrange them around the dates when I was away and when some of the psychologists were on annual leave. 

I have been really pleased with how thorough the whole process has been. Which ever way it goes I feel confident that the result will be accurate. The appointments haven't been time limited at all, we have been given a general idea of how long each one will last but most have run over that. We definitely feel we have been listened to. Having the appointments in different weeks has extended the time it has taken and meant more travelling for me (an hour each way) but it has also given me time to think and reflect between each appointment and they have always welcomed any additional information I've brought to them. 

The clinic I used is called The Family Psychologist and they are in Kidderminster. They seem very knowledgeable about how autism presents in women which is what I needed. They also take NHS referrals so I feel that I have been through a proper diagnostic procedure.