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Private Diagnosis?

EmSchiles

Hi there

Wondered if I could ask some advice please?

My husband has been referred through the NHS for a full ASD assessment. He's really struggling, and the waiting time for the initial assessment is over 3 years, so we are thinking about going privately.

My concern is that if he is prescribed any medication, will the NHS honour the private assessment? I have contacted a place listed on the National Austic Society directory, but just wondered if people had good or bad experiences going privately.

Thankyou in advance for all help and advice recieved.

  • in reply to EmSchiles

    I would probably do the research and show them the provider you are thinking about -so they can judge on the actual one you would use too, just to be clear with them!

  • in reply to EmSchiles

    You could try speak to your GP first then, and discuss it with them, whether they accept your proposed option, and if they would do shared care. If they agree to the private option, then it might be something to think about, but if they won't, it might save you the money!

  • in reply to Cinnabar_wing

    Thanks so much for your reply. Yeah its more from an ADHD point of view wether the gp would honour the diagnosis and any prescriptions. We just dont wanna pay to go down a private route thinking he'll get any help, when in reality the nhs wont recognise it, and he still has to wait for the nhs service.

  • I did a private assessment, like you I'm in Scotland, and our area doesn't actually do assessments for adults so it was the only option.

    I don't think there is any medication they would prescribe you for autism, though it's something to consider if it's adhd too -I think you would then have to go to your GP, see if they accepted the private diagnosis (I've heard someone say it was refused as it wasn't NHS), and then see if they would do shared care to get the medication through NHS, else you'd be stuck with a private prescription. But as I said, that's more ADHD, not for autism. 

    I've never spoken to my GP about it, so don't know, but I wasn't expecting any help from them anyway. Maybe if they accepted it you could see if there was any counselling available? It would depend on your area though. If you are in Scotland, NAS Scotland have a 'What's Next' programme for those on the path/self diagnosed or newly diagnosed to help. You can find out on the NAS Scotland pages:
    https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/scotland

  • in reply to Bunny

    Thanks so much, I should have mentioned we are in Scotland, and the Right To Choose option isnt available here x

  • Hi and welcome to the community! Wave

    If your husband lives in England, then he might like to consider asking his GP about re-referring him using the Right to Choose pathway (RTC), which he'd be entitled to use instead if he wishes.

    In England (only, not in any other part of the UK), this enables access to certain, approved, private autism assessment providers who typically have much shorter waiting lists than the NHS, but with the referral and assessment still fully funded by - and recognised by - the NHS. 

    I was on an NHS waiting list for two years before I learned about RTC and switched to it (on the recommendation of my NHS psychiatrist). My assessment and diagnosis (I chose to use Psychiatry UK) then followed just a few months later. 

    Although the page recently stopped being updated, some examples of RTC providers are still listed here (by NHS Sussex), along with some further explanation.

    More information:

    NAS - How to request an autism assessment