NHS vs private assessment

You need to firstly ask yourself why you are getting a autism diagnosis. If you are seeking a diagnosis because you have been struggling to acquire employment, struggling to maintaining meaningful employment, issues with independent living skills or issues maintain relationships and you require extra support & financial assistance like benefits, educational support or social intervention than I recommend you contact your local authority to see if they accept private autism diagnosis as evidence of autism spectrum diagnosis as some local authority do not accept them. 

some local authority will accept private diagnosis as long as the diagnosis was overseen by a NHS professional.

private diagnosis can be fairly expensive however they do have some advantages but this depends on the organisation and medical professional carrying out the autism assessment. Private assessments are usually carried out by a professional who is qualified to not only recognise and diagnose autism but a range of neurological developmental disorders and learning disabilities. This means they are more likely to recognise and diagnosis other co occurring disorder and disabilities. This can be a double edge sword as some private organisations and professionals can charge additional fees to diagnosis multiple disorders and disabilities. 

private route is typically quicker ranging from anything where going through the typical NHS route can take anywhere between 6 months and 2 years depending on where you live. 

it’s very common for individuals going through NHS route to get lost in the mental health trusts administration system or referral being closed without informing you. It’s also very common for the NHS route for patients Referrals to not being accepted and for doctors surgery’s failing to inform patients or look into alternative organisations to carry out the assessment.

for some people like myself initially went through the private route to find the my local authority do not accept private diagnosis had to wait from the age of sixteen to twenty two to be diagnosed through the NHS route. This meant I wasn’t entitled to extra support at college at age 16 as my local authority fund extra support and do not accept private diagnosis. 

another issues with the NHS route is that the system is extremely flawed. The NHS route only employs professionals who can only diagnose a single neurological developmental disorder such as autism, so for example if the the professional recognises that you may have ADHD and autism they will diagnosis you with autism and refer back to your General practitioner to go through the same system to be diagnosis with ADHD which can take another two years to be assessed. I am saying this from experience.

be cautious that you may pay private but get the same service that you would through the NHS route potential paying to be pushed up the waiting list. Please avoid these organisations that are run by National mental health trust that also provide private assessment because it’s deceitful and poor value for money.

Some larger companies and businesses have an obligation and the means to pay for a private assessments but yet again this can be career damaging depending on the workplace culture. 

in this current situation we are in with COVID assessments are being carried out over video calls which I highly recommend avoiding as you the professional cannot assess your properly and fully asses how the condition affects to be written in the diagnosis statement which will affect your ability to claim benefits at a later date. 

You need to firstly ask yourself why you are getting a autism diagnosis. If you are seeking a diagnosis because you have been struggling to acquire employment, struggling to maintaining meaningful employment, issues with independent living skills or issues maintain relationships and you require extra support & financial assistance like benefits, educational support or social intervention than I recommend you contact your local authority to see if they accept private autism diagnosis as evidence of autism spectrum diagnosis as some local authority do not accept them. 

some local authority will accept private diagnosis as long as the diagnosis was overseen by a NHS professional.

private diagnosis can be fairly expensive however they do have some advantages but this depends on the organisation and medical professional carrying out the autism assessment. Private assessments are usually carried out by a professional who is qualified to not only recognise and diagnose autism but a range of neurological developmental disorders and learning disabilities. This means they are more likely to recognise and diagnosis other co occurring disorder and disabilities. This can be a double edge sword as some private organisations and professionals can charge additional fees to diagnosis multiple disorders and disabilities. 

private route is typically quicker ranging from anything where going through the typical NHS route can take anywhere between 6 months and 2 years depending on where you live. 

it’s very common for individuals going through NHS route to get lost in the mental health trusts administration system or referral being closed without informing you. It’s also very common for the NHS route for patients Referrals to not being accepted and for doctors surgery’s failing to inform patients or look into alternative organisations to carry out the assessment.

for some people like myself initially went through the private route to find the my local authority do not accept private diagnosis had to wait from the age of sixteen to twenty two to be diagnosed through the NHS route. This meant I wasn’t entitled to extra support at college at age 16 as my local authority fund extra support and do not accept private diagnosis. 

another issues with the NHS route is that the system is extremely flawed. The NHS route only employs professionals who can only diagnose a single neurological developmental disorder such as autism, so for example if the the professional recognises that you may have ADHD and autism they will diagnosis you with autism and refer back to your General practitioner to go through the same system to be diagnosis with ADHD which can take another two years to be assessed. I am saying this from experience.

be cautious that you may pay private but get the same service that you would through the NHS route potential paying to be pushed up the waiting list. Please avoid these organisations that are run by National mental health trust that also provide private assessment because it’s deceitful and poor value for money.

Some larger companies and businesses have an obligation and the means to pay for a private assessments but yet again this can be career damaging depending on the workplace culture. 

in this current situation we are in with COVID assessments are being carried out over video calls which I highly recommend avoiding as you the professional cannot assess your properly and fully asses how the condition affects to be written in the diagnosis statement which will affect your ability to claim benefits at a later date.