Stuff the GP !

openheart said:

I hear so often on this forum, I think I have autism, my GP will not refer me.

WHY are the autism community being bottlenecked through a GP system who do not understand nor are specialists in Autism for AUTISM DIAGNOSIS ? Why can't people just self-referrel to there local autism centre clinic for an initial overview of diagnosis, this would save time, resources and a lot of stress for people.

Thoughts please?

Why should GP's roll the dice in Autism, they are failing the autism community.

It's not that often you can self-refer to services.  Most of them I think want it to come through a GP to stave off delusional people/time-wasters/hypochondriacs etc. and so they don't get inundated precisely because their services are so stretched and under-funded.  I was able to self-refer my eldest to CAMHS but my youngest's referral to the child development centre had to go through the GP.

Not all areas have a specific autism diagnostic centre.  Some people have to go out of area which definitely takes a GP referral.  GPs are known as gatekeepers to services.  We are just the hoi-polloi and there's not a chance we could know what is wrong with us or know what the best decision is for us...

openheart said:

I hear so often on this forum, I think I have autism, my GP will not refer me.

WHY are the autism community being bottlenecked through a GP system who do not understand nor are specialists in Autism for AUTISM DIAGNOSIS ? Why can't people just self-referrel to there local autism centre clinic for an initial overview of diagnosis, this would save time, resources and a lot of stress for people.

Thoughts please?

Why should GP's roll the dice in Autism, they are failing the autism community.

It's not that often you can self-refer to services.  Most of them I think want it to come through a GP to stave off delusional people/time-wasters/hypochondriacs etc. and so they don't get inundated precisely because their services are so stretched and under-funded.  I was able to self-refer my eldest to CAMHS but my youngest's referral to the child development centre had to go through the GP.

Not all areas have a specific autism diagnostic centre.  Some people have to go out of area which definitely takes a GP referral.  GPs are known as gatekeepers to services.  We are just the hoi-polloi and there's not a chance we could know what is wrong with us or know what the best decision is for us...