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Pre-assessment?

PinkPomPom

Last year I was placed on the waiting list for an assessment. I was told this waiting list could be up to two years. 

Last month I had a phone call where they invited me to a pre-assessment. This is next week. 

Can anyone please shed some light on what may take place during this pre-assessment? 

I am starting to worry because I am not prepared. I find it extremely difficult to answer questions unless I have prepared my answers in advance so I’d like to try and have something prepared if possible. Otherwise I can panic and just don’t know what to say. 

I am also feeling anxious because of the unknown. 

I did ask the lady on the phone. I remember her saying that I didn’t need to do any questionnaires because the letter I gave my GP was so detailed (I listed my struggles). But she said a lot during the call so I couldn’t take it all in.

I am 31 year old female if that makes any difference. 

Thank you!

  • I had what in my area is known as a triage appointment which sounds a bit like this pre assessment. For me it was a video call with a speech and language therapist with another clinician watching but not taking part. It was mostly going over my history childhood to more present, and they decided I needed a full autism assessment at the end of it. In my area they can at that stage decide to send you to a more suitable service if they, for example, think it might be ADHD instead, but generally they don't and they can't just discharge you they do have to forward a referral. 

    After referral to full assessment I was then eligible for some interim help like a social prescriber while I awaited full assessment.

    My area uses this triage appointment I think to streamline the assessment process a bit as a 1.5 hour call is a lot shorter than a 6 hour session + contacting your family so it allows them to filter people who have been referred to the wrong service and get those on waiting lists some help a little quicker than if everyone had to wait for the full assessment before being able to access anything

  • PinkPomPom said:
    I did ask the lady on the phone. I remember her saying that I didn’t need to do any questionnaires because the letter I gave my GP was so detailed (I listed my struggles).

    I wonder if she meant that you don't have to do any questionnaires in advance of the appointment? I did a pre-assessment and it was a bit of basic family history (going into more detail in the actual assessment), and then the AQ and a couple of other diagnostic indicator questionnaires.

  • Yep, the waiting list is super long! Hopefully you won't have to wait too long now as they tend to do the pre-assessment only a couple months before the assessment.

    Usually a pre-assessment is a questionnaire so I'm unsure whether there has been some miscommunication and that's what you are going to do regardless of what the doctor said to you. 

    I completely understand the worry due to unpreparedness and i think a lot of us felt like that, I know i certainly did. 

    PinkPomPom said:
    I find it extremely difficult to answer questions unless I have prepared my answers in advance so I’d like to try and have something prepared

    I actually said something similar to this during my assessment and the woman said that it helps them if we haven't prepared because then they can see our reaction to the social situation. So although you feel uncomfortable and might panic, it might actually help them with the diagnostic process.

    Phone calls are so hard! It's a stressful situation anyway and then you are expected to be aware of the information. Could you maybe email and ask them to let you know a brief outline of what will happen? I'm sure you won't be the first

    Alisha xx

    P.S. Most the questions aren't too difficult, like asking about friendships and your interests and then struggles. There were a couple that confused me but overall it wasn't too bad. The actual ADOS assessment was the one I hated (not trying to scare you, just being honest).