rant time

Thank you, lots to read there.  Will have a look later after work, but I guess you still need the referral from the GP

Sarah said:

what is 'right to choose' scheme please?

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/your-choices-in-the-nhs/

what is 'right to choose' scheme please?

Right to choose scheme is helpful. But, tbh, it passes faster than you think. If you're asking questions now I suspect you'll be asking similar questions in 3 years so worth getting on it anyway

I don’t know whether this would work for all who tried it, but I was a year into my waiting list when I entreated the practice manager for priority, I told her that I was long-suffered in being undiagnosed and she saw fit to make me a priority of 1month waiting to go.  
I’ve only been diagnosed for two weeks, but I can say that I am in good spirits, and I think that the grass may be greener on the other side. I had tried a lot of avenues to try and get that waiting list reduced, in the end the only thing that worked may have been the simplest idea, appeal your hardship to the person with the discretion. Maybe you should try that exhortation..?

Ive been waiting a year and a half so far but like you I feel that I am me and I know who and what I am so I dont really need it

I agree with you though, the waiting list is crazy 

Hi, can you go back to your GP and ask to be referred to Psychiatry UK under Right to Choose? They are private company with NHS psychiatrists (either worked in NHS before or still working there), and under Right to Choose, the NHS will pay for your assessment so there’s no extra cost involved.

The only (potential) downsides are:

1) It’s online assessment and I can understand people might struggle with that(at least I do)

2)Some people have been saying they’re too brief, I can’t personally comment on that as I haven’t had my assessment yet. But it really depends on the personal experience I guess.

They should be able to see you within 18 weeks from your referral. However, with mine it’s actually been delayed and the total waiting length for me is 6 months. But I did ask around and I’m the only unlucky one this has happened, still faster than NHS. 

https://psychiatry-uk.com/right-to-choose-asd/  This is the webpage where they explain their Right to Choose service. If you want you can have a look. 

I hope this helps you a bit. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.

yeah and they wont even get in touch with you too and your details will go missing, so they will never see to you lol

Just waited 58 weeks myself in Staffordshire, 37 months though, that's rather absurd.

Having submitted all the pre-assessment questionnaires though and being told that I was being put through made the waiting less urgent if you like, as I knew I more or less had my answer.

This allowed me time to reflect on things in my own time before the face to face assessment. 

Don't give up if it is important to you.