Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello. I recently had an NHS assessment for autism, which I didn't think went very well. I was diagnosed with "autistic traits" but I am not very confident in the outcome, because there were so many problems with the assessment. For starters, I felt very rushed; I was told it would take up to 2 hours, but the clinician ended the assessment after 90 minutes. The clinician's phone went off a couple of times. I didn't feel that the clinician took things like high IQ, gender, and compensatory strategies into account. He was also very dismissive of points that I made, although it's hard to capture this in writing. For example, he said that bikes couldn't be my 'special interest' because I only have 3 bikes. He also said that there was 'nothing unusual' about having four pairs of identical shoes and wearing these constantly (for sensory and routine reasons) all year round, even in winter when they aren't appropriate.
I was very upset after the assessment, and have booked in for a private diagnosis in order to get a second opinion. It is incredibly expensive, but having waited so many years for my NHS assessment only to feel really unseen and unheard, I feel like I just want to get an answer that I can trust.
My question is: has anyone had a different outcome at their second assessment? And any tips for ensuring my second assessment is more positive than the first?
I just wanted to post an update. I had my private assessment, and received a diagnosis of ASD.
The experience from start to finish was infinitely better. The psychiatrist who assessed me had prepared well, and read all of my notes and questionnaires. He asked the right questions, and I felt much more heard. He didn't dismiss the points that I made, and was really sensitive when talking about difficult subjects.
It was incredibly expensive to go for the private assessment - but I am really glad that I was able to. I wanted to share my experience in case anyone has an experience similar to mine in the future.
Hi. I'm so pleased that you got the right diagnosis going private. I had a similar experience on NHS Autism assessment and I felt totally dismissed and was told I do not meet the diagnostic criteria Autism Spectrum Disorder. I was so upset that the next day I had a big meltdown, took me a week to recover.
I'm more determined now to get a second opinion and go private. Thanks for your post it's very encouraging.