What should I expect from assessment?

Hi,

I recently went to the GP for mental health and ended up being referred for an adult autism assessment. This GP is not the first to discuss this with me and I do know that it fits in much the same way as dyspraxia did when that was suggested by my university's disability services a few years ago - which I went on to be diagnosed with, and not like dyslexia, which I was also assessed for but wasn't diagnosed with. However, I'm always wary of medical student syndrome as an allied health student.

The waiting list for assessment is up to 9 months long, so I have a long wait before I know. I was just wondering if anyone here has experience of assessment as an adult and could share some of their experience? I really don't like going into things without knowing what's going to happen.

Parents
  • Hi Wave 

    Good to hear you are on the WL for assessment.

    From what I can gather there seems to be different styles of assessment depending on the service which has been commissioned to deliver them.

    I’m from Kent. For my assessment appt I had to complete a questionnaire about my background: family members and relationships, how I played as a child, difficulties at school, whether I had sensory issues, etc, etc. There was a section for me to add any information I felt was relevant.

    That questionnaire wasn’t a formal ASD assessment tool which I’ve heard other people have been assessed against during the appt. At the assessment itself I spent about and hour with an Asst Psych who went through the questionnaire with me, asked specific questions to find out if I have some very specific symptoms and other questions to clarify the responses which I’d provided.

    I then had an hour with a clinical psych for a second interview.

    Both the asst psych and clinical psych took notes during the assessment and at the end the clinical psych confirmed the diagnosis. I gather from other people’s experience that not everyone is told there and then having to go back for the results another time.

    As part of my referral paperwork (ages before the assessment) I did complete more formal ASD assessment tools. I also remember feeling the need to know what the assessment involved at the time my paper work went in. I phoned up and asked for it to be explained to me even though I knew I would have to be on the WL for a while. So that’s a good thing to do if you are desperate to have your mind put at ease.

    I got the impression the service I was referred to was quite used to people needing to know (because we have ASD, so the need to feel in control is typical) and so they were really patient going through what to expect.

    When my appt came through I received detailed info on the location of the clinic and where I could park with a map so I could see in advance.

    In the end my appointment was expedited and the whole thing happened very quickly. So quickly that it’s only now that I am more curious about what scoring method was used for my diagnosis. I will be sent a full report but might phone up to ask before this. In the meantime I have a statement of diagnosis  signed by the clinical psych for proof while I wait for the full report.

    It will be interesting to hear what other people’s assessments involved.

    I hope this helps x

  • Thanks for this too! I'm in the middle of a formal assessment being done (i.e. GP referral done, just waiting on the date but it sounds like it's likely to be quicker in Leicestershire).

    I was diagnosed formally with depression and anxiety in 2018 but have many years of ups and downs and, pretty regularly, meltdowns. I thought I was doing better and had got off the meltdown cycle (didn't link the depression and anxiety diagnosis to it because of specific stressors) but then spiralled again over the last six months or so. It was Occupational Health that raised the potential neurodiverse immediately before Christmas (noting that depression and anxiety is often a symptom of other things) and I've been trying to square things in my head ever since (I'm convinced they'll say Asperger's and ADHD). OH in turn have referred me to Remploy for a 'Recovery Action Plan' but they can't refer me to Access to Work until the formal diagnosis is in place. Everyone is very willing to try to help me find a route through but the cascade of bureaucracy makes me anxious about the impact on my job (I would LOVE a PA!!).

    Thanks for the advice. I'll also update once things are more clearly moving...

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  • Thanks for this too! I'm in the middle of a formal assessment being done (i.e. GP referral done, just waiting on the date but it sounds like it's likely to be quicker in Leicestershire).

    I was diagnosed formally with depression and anxiety in 2018 but have many years of ups and downs and, pretty regularly, meltdowns. I thought I was doing better and had got off the meltdown cycle (didn't link the depression and anxiety diagnosis to it because of specific stressors) but then spiralled again over the last six months or so. It was Occupational Health that raised the potential neurodiverse immediately before Christmas (noting that depression and anxiety is often a symptom of other things) and I've been trying to square things in my head ever since (I'm convinced they'll say Asperger's and ADHD). OH in turn have referred me to Remploy for a 'Recovery Action Plan' but they can't refer me to Access to Work until the formal diagnosis is in place. Everyone is very willing to try to help me find a route through but the cascade of bureaucracy makes me anxious about the impact on my job (I would LOVE a PA!!).

    Thanks for the advice. I'll also update once things are more clearly moving...

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