Published on 12, July, 2020
To be clear, I already have an autism diagnosis through the NHS. I'm now seeking healthcare for a different condition. I contacted a private doctor who initially offered me an appointment, but withdrew the offer when I told him about my autism diagnosis as part of providing my medical history. He told me to go to a doctor who specialises in autism instead. Is this discrimination?
Yeah it's a private doctor. I'm on the waiting list for the equivalent NHS specialist service too, but it will be two years at least before I have my first appointment there, whereas the private doctor's waiting list is only five months. I didn't think my issue had anything to do with my autism.
MrSolo said:He recommended another doctor who is much more expensive.
Does this mean you are going privately? If so then I don't think you have much of an issue if the reason for seeing them is related to your autism - they are effectively saying you need a specialist (hence the higher cost) and gave you the contact.
This is the advice from the equality and human rights commission
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/your_rights_to_equality_from_healthcare_and_social_care_services.pdf
“A service provider must not treat you worse than someone else because of one or more of your protected characteristics (this is called direct discrimination). For example: A social care organisation does not accept someone as a client because they are a disabled person with a particular mental health condition.“
Maybe he was doing you an honest favour, not feeling adequate to the task. Maybe it's a legal thing? Private practice is a potpourri of offerings. You surely can find someone who will be able to see you with the right amount of confidence, if you lead with the fact you on the spectrum. I had a PC who, once she knew I was AS, began to treat me very differently. She was way in over her head, poor dear. I had Red Cross case worker talk to me like I was a10 yr old.
Find a doc who is schooled in dealing with AS peeps or is one themselves. Or just keep playing the roulette table. Or just don't tell them, if it's not relevant.
I can’t offer you legal advice the best I can do is say maybe. After looking very hard I cannot find an exemption in the equality act that would allow a doctor to refuse to treat somebody because they are disabled. Now a doctor can certainly argue that the treatment that it is appropriate to give someone is different because they are disabled, but I don’t see an absolute reason why a case couldn’t be argued against a Doctor Who refuses to treat a disabled person. If I have the time and inclination I may do some more reading on this later today.
autism definitely is a disability and is protected under the equality act. And doctors providing medical treatment will fall under the category of services which are regulated by the equality act. So I don’t see any reason in theory why A private doctor couldn’t be sued for refusing an autistic patient.
I appreciate when others understand the limits of their intellect. It sounds as though he wouldn’t want to misdiagnose as there is finally more medical papers on the biological differences. Count yourself lucky.
He recommended another doctor who is much more expensive.
That might depend what the issue is (I’m not asking you to tell us, just saying), if your knee hurts for example then I’m not sure why they would need to say that, but if you are seeing a neurologist or similar then they may have other colleagues who specialise in treating patients with neurodivergent conditions and would be able to offer you better care. I work in cardiology we have a few sub specialisms and the doctors often refer patients to each other because they aren’t trained to provide the treatment the patient needs. Did they give any recommendations of who to see instead?