How to get assessed

NAS89331 said:

Do anyone know where I can get an assessment? I need to know and I am getting quite anxious about it. 

If you are expecting an NHS assessment for autism then you will have around a 3 year wait - there is a massive backlog so you have 2 other options:

1 - go private. This can take just a few weeks to a couple of months depending on the supplier and cost between £500 and £2,000, again depending on the company.

2 - ask the GP for the "right to choose" option where they pay for you to go private. Note that the Scottis NHS does not offer this. Wait times are quite variable (a few months to a year) due to demand.

If you need to know but don't need a piece of paper to present to your employer etc then do a free online test - they are pretty good indicators and help you understand what questions you will be asked in the assessment.

One I've seen used effectively is:

https://www.thevividmind.org/blog/test/autism-test-online/

It should tell you enough to know if you are autistic so you can decide to spend more energy in researching it. A formal assessment will take a lot longer I'm afraid.

I concur with all of this. I’m in Scotland and was told I’d have to wait *at least* three years for an adult assessment on the NHS and that all the NHS’s systems and processes are for children. There is zero support for adults. So I gave in and used one of the private clinics listed on the National Autistic Society’s website. It was all done in less than two months but cost a lot of money.

Another website I would recommend is https://embrace-autism.com . In particular look at the AQ and CAT-Q tests. It’s all free.

Hello,

I’m in Scotland and a clinical psychologist recommended that I seek a formal diagnosis to aid with my acceptance. I went via NHS and following referral I waited around 6  months for an appointment with an assessor. 

I can see from others experiences that I was quite lucky. 

Hello,

I’m in Scotland and a clinical psychologist recommended that I seek a formal diagnosis to aid with my acceptance. I went via NHS and following referral I waited around 6  months for an appointment with an assessor. 

I can see from others experiences that I was quite lucky.