Published on 12, July, 2020
On a waiting list with Bristol Autism Spectrum Service, have been for seven months now. I was expecting it to to be 6-7 judging from various bits of information, so feeling a bit anxious it's got to month 7 and I've still not had a letter for an appointment. They got my hopes up early October when my mum received and sent back her questionnaire, and I got a letter asking for an additional informant if possible-but I didn't have one so just sent the form back saying so-and otherwise they would send me a letter for an appointment at a later date; they were keen to get the form back, so I was kind of expecting after that that things would begin moving forwards, so that it hasn't is an additional reason I'm worried something might have gone wrong.
Think I have to call them, but I really really hate phoning people. I can do phone calls where I know the format (so I can call my bank, I can phone companies to say 'I want to cancel x') but that's about it (I even get anxious phoning my mum-I have to get her to phone me). I've been reasoning with myself for several weeks that I should call them if I don't receive a letter by x date-and pushing forwards said date each time in an effort to avoid it but now I think I definitely need to call. I don't have anybody I can get to call for me.
But I don't know what to say?? I really just want to make sure nothing's gone awry, I've not missed a letter or mistakenly been dropped from the list for some random reason. Plus I'm about to go away for the holidays and I can't help worry that what just would happen is a letter coming the day after I leave for an appointment before I come back and not knowing anything about it (sod's law and all that). But trying to come up with a script to explain that gets me into a tangle and I know I'm not going to make sense-plus I don't know what they'll ask or say or anything, not to mention the worry that something really has gone wrong. :S Any help or suggestions much appreciated.
Update: So, I emailed before Christmas and got no response whatsoever (helpful...)
Finally managed to call them today. Got very thrown off by getting put through to the main centre reception instead of the autism service (this is what I hate most, not knowing who is going to pick up the phone and therefore what I am going to need to explain to them) but managed to stumble over explaining I was on the waiting list for the autism service and they put me through. I forgot to say hello and I'm sure I made no sense, but the lady obviously got what I was asking.
Told me I am still on the waiting list quite near the top (much relief) should hear about an appointment in Feb (their waiting list has obviously grown exponentially...if I'd known it was going to be this long I'd have gone privately, but there's no point now). I only realised after I'd hung up that I forgot also to say goodbye and pretty much just put the phone down on her...oops. Never mind, much less worried now, maybe I can stop obsessing about the post for a few weeks.
That is really good news. It is wonderful that you are finally near the top of the list. While you are waiting you could always keep a diary of things you find difficult so you have examples to tell your assessor about. Like you I hate not knowing who I am going to be speaking to when I phone up. I easily get thrown off course if the conversation does not go as planned. They will understand the difficulties you have being an autism assessment service, so don't worry about having forgotten the social niceties.