Hi, Recently Referred. Waiting list Question. :)

My diagnosis took 18mth with no childhood input and help from a advocate.

exactly 2 years for me,,,,  GP referral to diagnosis

I was quick. In fact was referred, seen twice and diagnosed within 9 months? Covid seems to have sped things up remarkably. An autistic son, a medical record and high scoring all just seemed to come together to help. Now in a peer support group awaiting a late diagnosis introduction course. I'm a a lucky man it seems.

Most clinicians offering private assessments also work for the NHS. Mine was undertaken by a consultant psychiatrist who was the lead clinician in an NHS acute psychiatric facility, who also specialised in adult autism.

When I looked into this recently, I asked the private doctor I chose what their qualifications and experience were, then looked them up on line, and also checked that they were in professional good standing. Similar to PersonAnon, I was worried about getting someone unsatisfactory. I felt awkward asking the question, but if you're paying for the service, it seems reasonable.

It is worrying to check these things oneself though, not knowing much about medical qualifications, or what one should expect of a doctor in that type of practice.

My GP said the waiting list "was about two years, but that was before the pandemic - it will pobably be a lot longer, now." 

I went private. But be careful doing that - there are a lot of convincing-sounding people who just don't cut it with other professionals.  If you need a diagnosis (say for a PIP assessment or something) you could pay a lot of money and then find it isn't accepted. 

I didn't need all that ... but I did want to actually believe the result, one way or the other. I wasn't interested in finding someone who would tell me what they thought I wanted to hear.  I was only interested in the truth.

MY GP offered to vet a private service but wouldn't recommend one. 

The service I chose actually used a Consultant Psychiatrist who worked for both the NHS and big private health companies, and there was a bucket-load of information about him online. 

Despite that, since she offered, I did ask the GP, who said 'fine'. 

I booked to have an assessment with him, and I had it done - including results - within a couple of months.   

I've learnt, since, that if I'd gone through the NHS, the waiting list would, indeed, have been "measured in years", and I probably wouldn't have had it done by "quite such an exalted figure".  

It was eye-wateringly expensive but the guy definitely had zero interest in anything but an evidence-led conclusion, and I have confidence in the results, which is what matters, to me.   

The NHS is just broken in regard to mental health services and autism assessment and support in particular. For a comparison, I suddenly developed tinnitus and within 2 months I had a CT scan of my head, the next month I had audiology tests and was fitted for hearing aids that I didn't ask for, all free on the NHS (it turns out I cannot wear the hearing aids because of sensory issues with things in my ear canal, due to my autism).  For an autism assessment I went private - I had no confidence in my GP on this issue - and waited a total of 3 weeks. Yes, it is disgusting, but if you are fortunate enough to be able to throw money at this particular problem, it just disappears.

They told me 9-12 months and it was about 11 months from me first going to the GP to the assessment.

We are in East Anglia and were told minimum 12-18 months from receiving the referral to an initial assessment. Because of our son’s age (he’s 11) we felt time was running out and found the money for a private assessment. 4 weeks from contacting them to having a diagnosis. Worth the money if you can find it. It was about £2000

Thank you!!

My GP wasn't very helpful, so despite the expense, I decided to do that. The waiting time seems to be pot luck based on where you live, so definitely try the NHS first.

Hope it goes well for you, best wishes.

I guess if it takes a while longer than expected I may consider that route! 

Many years- but you could consider a private diagnosis.

you will be waiting for so many years that you will forget that you was even refered in the first place.