NHS vs private assessment

Has the NAS done any investigative work into the acceptance of NHS and private diagnoses by different local authorities and government departments?

This is the sort of work that the NAS ought to be doing rather than silly things like cake sales and releasing helium balloons into the air.

There's also a choice of having a diagnosis under ICD-10 or DSM-5. Which one is offered depends on which organisation or NHS trust you pick.

I have a private diagnosis of AS under ICD-10.

As far as i am aware the National Autism Society hasn't looked into it so far. My own local authority despite it being 2021 will not accept a private diagnosis and requires a diagnosis through the public NHS route.

This has meant that majority of children in my local council district have not received the extra support in secondary schools and colleges. Many sixteen year olds are waiting beyond six years to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder because of the long standing problems with the mental health trust in my area which means many fail to complete college or achieve entry level qualifications because of lack of support and accommodations.

It should also be said that many people who go through the public NHS route are typically failed because of the way that many mental health trust operates having a single professionals to diagnosis a single disability or disorder is highly inefficient. 

Most people on the autism spectrum who are having issues maintaining and obtaining meaningful employment  are getting their benefits denied because many of them need additional diagnosis for sensory processing disorder, ADHD and learning disabilities to support their claim. this is very common with people who have been denied personal independence payments.

There's a huge amount of individuals on the autism spectrum with co occurring neurodevelopmental with above average IQ  who are expected to figure thing out for themselves and the national autism society need to focus on those individuals more than those with co occurring intellectual disabilities because its these individuals who are more likely to become homeless, Being sectioned under the mental health act and forever trapped in poverty through the current benefit system or low income work opportunities or becoming physical harmed and crippled in the workplace. 

The National Autism Society only seems to operate within major cities and influential location across england. they have no clue how many local authorities similar to mine are mis interpreting their website to deny people support and assistance they need.       

Blue said:

As far as i am aware the National Autism Society hasn't looked into it so far. My own local authority despite it being 2021 will not accept a private diagnosis and requires a diagnosis through the public NHS route.

This sounds very sinister and disturbing. Which local authority is it?

Blue said:

This has meant that majority of children in my local council district have not received the extra support in secondary schools and colleges. Many sixteen year olds are waiting beyond six years to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder because of the long standing problems with the mental health trust in my area which means many fail to complete college or achieve entry level qualifications because of lack of support and accommodations.

Totally unacceptable. Does the NAS know anything about this sorry state of affairs? Is there a local ASD society that can act as a collective voice for people in the local authority who are struggling to obtain the NHS diagnosis that the local authority insists on for the provision of support and services?

Have you talked to your local authority councillor about this, and whether they can persuade the council to accept and recognise private diagnoses of ASD?

Blue said:

It should also be said that many people who go through the public NHS route are typically failed because of the way that many mental health trust operates having a single professionals to diagnosis a single disability or disorder is highly inefficient. 

My own advice is that it often pays to go private for ASD services. The NHS is there for Covid and broken legs. People should not waste their lives, or worst the lives of their children, fruitlessly battling with the NHS for years on end for a diagnosis of ASD, simply out of arrogance of expecting the NHS to provide every medical service under the sun or to save a few hundred pounds.

However, if a local authority refuses to accept a private diagnosis, then that implies the NHS (however dysfunctional it is when it comes to ASD services) is effectively a local monopoly when it comes to obtaining a diagnosis of ASD.

I would work at the local authority end of things rather than the NHS end. The situation can be rectified in the local authority with the stroke of a pen, whereas it will probably take lots of time money and effort to install the facilities in the NHS Trust to provide residents with ASD diagnosis services in a reasonably acceptable timescale.

Do a FOI request with both councils for confirmation.

Ask about NHS vs private diagnoses, and ICD-10 vs DSM-5 diagnoses.

Do a FOI request with both councils for confirmation.

Ask about NHS vs private diagnoses, and ICD-10 vs DSM-5 diagnoses.