GP referral problems

Happy to hear that your GP has made a new referral! Good luck!

Happy for you :)

That is good news Karen - the GP is clearly on your side. Best wishes with your re-referral. it will be the New Year before we know it. 

Thanks to everyone for your help; I have had my appt and the GP was suprised I'd been turned down; I've provided more information and the tests I've done which will be included in the new referral.  He's going to add a paragraph "strongly suggesting" they accept his new referral.  The referral will go in after Christmas.

Firstly, I think you've already done a good job. I want to congratulate you on the progress you've made so far. Almost two years ago, I had actually asked to be referred for the first time, and I felt I wasn't taken seriously, and I started feeling unsure about my judgement, and a lot of other worries also magnified, so I waited for almost a year (until earlier this year), before getting the courage to ask again. And the second time, with some persistence, I got a referral. The second time wasn't so smooth either, I felt the GP was a bit racist, she asked if I thought it could be a cultural difference instead because of my heritage (just by look), to which I said no. 

I think the suggestions other people have posted are very helpful. You may also want to look at the page about how to get a diagnostic assessment as an adult on the NAS website. https://www.autism.org.uk/about/diagnosis/adults.aspx The section 'YOUR GP’S RESPONSIBILITIES' may be relevant to you.

You need to do a bit of prep-work before you next go and see your GP to make sure you can make a good case for an ASD referral.  The NICE criteria for adult ASD identification etc. are here:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg142

Specifically you are interested in this section:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG142/chapter/1-Guidance#identification-and-assessment

Download, print and complete the adult AQ and EQ tests which you can find, with scoring criteria, here:

https://www.autismresearchcentre.com/arc_tests

Since you will have time complete the larger tests than the abridged ones for additional weight.  Assuming the outcome of those tests indicates potential ASD then take your completed copies and print-outs of the scoring criteria with you.

You then need to write up a short (no more than two sides of A4) "life history" where you give examples of where you have had difficulties that reference the identification criteria from the NICE "Identification and initial assessment of possible autism" criteria.

When you go and see your GP take:

* Completed AQ, EQ tests + scoring criteria,

* Your A4 sheet of "life history",

* A print-out of the NICE identification and assessment criteria.

Assuming everything seems to confirm the identification/assessment criteria then your GP should then be able to refer you.  The appt. should also be fairly non-stressful since it will mainly be your GP reading the information provided :-).

Maybe take a copy of the test scores. Someone recommended to me to outline how a diagnosis would help you. What do you want out of it?