ADHD: Private clinics exposed by BBC undercover investigation

Dawn said:

Don't let it doubt your ASC status if you feel comfortable that it's right. Doubt only if you don't feel it genuinely fits.

That said, I'd have doubts about an assessment that took no more than an hour. Mine was a full day, following the submission of a big fat bundle of old school reports, questionnaires from my mother, my one questionnaires, old dyslexia diagnoses and MH correspondence.

They need all that to be confident in making a diagnosis in many cases. 

Hi Dawn.

I'd appreciate it if you could explain what type of cases require all the documentation you speak of above (+ a whole day assessment).

My assessment consisted of the RAADS questionnaire + some others + 2 one hour online interviews so I'm doubting now from what you say and obviously from this documentary, that these were sufficient to make a reliable diagnosis.

Thank you.

It entirely depends on the clinical qualification and specialisms of the person or persons who diagnosed you, nothing else. As has been pointed out, extensive assessments over several days, carried out on the NHS, can still give incorrect diagnoses, if the clinicians carrying out the assessment are not fully qualified to do so, or have outdated or stereotypical ideas of what autism is. I imagine that you gave an extensive written history of your traits and experiences, that whoever diagnosed you would have read. This, for adults, is a far more accurate way of assessing autism than any amount of testing or observation.

I was privately diagnosed by a consultant psychiatrist who formerly worked for the NHS and after that was Clinical Director for Developmental Disorders for The Priory Group in the UK, I have no doubts that he was qualified to diagnose autism.

Thank you Martin.

Martin said:

imagine that you gave an extensive written history of your traits and experiences, that whoever diagnosed you would have read. This, for adults, is a far more accurate way of assessing autism than any amount of testing or observation.

Yes, that is so.

The second assessment was with a Consultant Psychiatrist.

Thank you Martin.

Martin said:

imagine that you gave an extensive written history of your traits and experiences, that whoever diagnosed you would have read. This, for adults, is a far more accurate way of assessing autism than any amount of testing or observation.

Yes, that is so.

The second assessment was with a Consultant Psychiatrist.