Assessment for diagnosis waiting time

My son was referred by the health visitor aged 3. He finally has his ados next week... 3 years and 10 days after referral! (We are in Wiltshire)

I wouldn't put too much hope on an assessment in May 2023, it may be much much later than that.  Staffing issues or higher priority cases can easily stretch this out far beyond the suggested date.

They do tend to work on a priority order rather than first come first served.  I waited 3 years with no indication I was going to be seen.  Then I had some personal circumstances that made diagnosis much more urgent and when I informed my local centre of this I was seen within two weeks.

I had a appointment with mental health nurse who specialises in autism in May who then referred me for assessment. She told me the waiting time is 20 months in are area. 
while a friend of mine is waiting privately for assessment for her child, and the waiting list is long as well, as so many don’t want to wait so long for NHS. Another knock on affect of covid unfortunately 

That's interesting, I wasn't aware that was an option. I can't get through to my doctors still so don't hold out much hope for an appointment any time soon. Though if I can get one I will be asking about that. While I research how much a private one is. I have no idea other than a lot more than free! I would like to keep it free but I believe a diagnosis soon would be much more beneficial than in 3 or 4 years time when I would be thinking I wish I could know for definite so I can tell family and get on with accepting and working with them rather than against them sometmes. I will look at Psychiatry UK first. Thanks

I have just been assessed through nhs right to choose. If you need something like a procedure or assessment and it’s a long wait time the nhs will find it privately. I was told wait times were over 3 years in my area and I couldn’t wait that long. Talk to Gp about right to choose. 

Clearly they were all ill informed. An NHS and Private provider diagnosis are one and the same, as long as they are fully qualified!

Wow I'm actually impressed at that one. 18 months isn't too bad at the moment, I think the national average is 2-3 years.

I was referred october 2020, and at the moment the estimates are for May 2023, but the first estimate I was given was February-March 2022 so it's increased by over a year since the first date I was given, to come to a total of over 30 months, and it's not improbable that it will be delayed further. I'm starting the process to get funding from my university to seek private diagnosis, because otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford it. If you can afford private go private

Autism is assumed to be a disability from the point of view of anti-discrimination legislation, but to get benefits you may have to show how your autism disables you. This is really from the point of view of governmental benefits like PIP. I am autistic, but would not be awarded PIP because I have many decades of being able to cope without it behind me. For employers and places of education, a valid diagnosis of ASD should be sufficient to gain accommodations. A valid diagnosis is dependent on the qualifications of the clinician or clinicians making the diagnosis, not where the money to pay for the assessment came from.

From the official NICE clinical guidelines for the assessment of ASD - the Department of Health: "Diagnostic assessment, which in the UK uses ICD-10, is often within a multi-disciplinary team but at a minimum is by a qualified clinician, usually a clinical psychologist, psychiatrist or neurologist." From the document: Autism Recognition, referral, diagnosis and management of adults on the autism spectrum, National Clinical Guideline Number 142, p. 25. 

If you notice there is no mention of funding, just the qualification of the clinician doing the assessment.

The ridiculousness of the view that private autism diagnoses are not valid is highlighted by comparing it to someone who has a private diagnosis of sight loss, would the person who has become blind not be considered  as disabled as if they had had a NHS diagnosis?

I went through Psychiatry UK, I was assessed online by a consultant psychiatrist. It all worked very smoothly and, apart from the cost, I was happy with it.

Hi Matin, sorry to hijack? I am looking for a diagnosis but can't even get through to my GP at the oment to discuss getting on the waiting list. Have you any recommendations for a private assessment like you had, and if the cost isn't eye watering I will look to go down this route. Thanks.

I'm also on the waiting list for an assessment through the NHS & was informed that I'll be waiting at least 3 years. 

Hi, 

I know a private assessment and diagnosis is faster, but I was told at university and college, that if you get a private diagnosis and/or assessment, sometimes they weren’t accepted as proof of a disability. Is this true and has anyone else heard this? I distinctly remember being told this at college/university levels and by more than one person, both students and staff/support staff. 

It tends to be as long or longer in most areas, for an NHS assessment. Asking for a 'right to choose' referral through the NHS for an assessment by a private provider (i.e. the NHS pays for you to see a non-NHS clinician) might speed things up, if you can get it. Paying for a private assessment is the fastest of all - I paid early last year and waited 3 weeks.