Hi all , if possible i would like to know if anyone can help me with some information on diagnostic /referral times and how to pursue matters further with my local CCG.
after completing the following tests with my psychologist (MCMI-III , ASQ ,EQ ) she suggested i may have aspergers and said she would put me forward for more specialist testing.
after hearing nothing for 6 weeks i contacted who i was refereed to myself and have been told the waiting time is ...12 months , obviously - to me this is totally unacceptable as it is hindering my recovery and what treatment options are available to me.
i have read the NICE autism guidelines and under care pathway (taken from the autism quality standard) it says that
'People with possible autism who are referred to an autism team for a diagnostic assessment have the diagnostic assessment started within 3 months of their referral. '
the above also come under quality measures , this is a link to where i am looking..
pathways.nice.org.uk/.../autism
if anyone knows i would like to know how to pursue the matter (do i contact my GP or CCG and tell them 12 months is not good enough - if CCG who do i speak to? )
many thanks in advance
I was recently diagnosed, though it took quite some time. And it was my second attempt at getting properly diagnosed.
This attempt started near the start of 2012. After several weeks, I saw a psychiatrist for what I could describe as a preliminary assessment, to see whether or not to refer me for a full assessment with a clinical psychologist. It was my GP who referred me to the psychiatrist. The psychiatrist, in turn, referred me to a clinical psychologist for a full assessment. So far, that had all occurred within three months.
Over a year later, I finally saw the clinical psychologist. After a few appointments over no more than a few weeks, she told me she would be giving a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and that Asperger's Syndrome was a good description in my case. Nearly a year later, having recently received a summary of the assessment and diagnosis, I am still waiting for the full diagnostic report.
I don't know if this means the diagnostic assessment started within three months in my case, or not, though I suspect it does.
At first, about two and a half years ago now, my GP wanted to refer me to some sort of speech and language therapy team, or something like that. This was despite the fact that I didn't really have speech and language problems as such. It turned out that such a referral wouldn't be possible in my case, since that team only dealt with children. So, instead, I was referred to a psychiatrist - which is what I'd been quite insistent upon in the first place, as it happens.
The speech and language team would have been the first step on the diagnostic pathway that my GP seemed to be trying to follow. So, since I was referred to a psychiatrist instead, I suspect that that referral may count as the start of the assessment. That would mean it started within three months in my case, even though I then had to wait over a year more for the full assessment itself!
As for who you should contact, I don't know. Perhaps you could ask your GP? If it's your GP you're supposed to contact, you'll already be there. If not, I would imagine your GP ought to be able to tell you who you do need to contact.
I hope you do manage to get a quicker assessment than I did!
I was recently diagnosed, though it took quite some time. And it was my second attempt at getting properly diagnosed.
This attempt started near the start of 2012. After several weeks, I saw a psychiatrist for what I could describe as a preliminary assessment, to see whether or not to refer me for a full assessment with a clinical psychologist. It was my GP who referred me to the psychiatrist. The psychiatrist, in turn, referred me to a clinical psychologist for a full assessment. So far, that had all occurred within three months.
Over a year later, I finally saw the clinical psychologist. After a few appointments over no more than a few weeks, she told me she would be giving a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and that Asperger's Syndrome was a good description in my case. Nearly a year later, having recently received a summary of the assessment and diagnosis, I am still waiting for the full diagnostic report.
I don't know if this means the diagnostic assessment started within three months in my case, or not, though I suspect it does.
At first, about two and a half years ago now, my GP wanted to refer me to some sort of speech and language therapy team, or something like that. This was despite the fact that I didn't really have speech and language problems as such. It turned out that such a referral wouldn't be possible in my case, since that team only dealt with children. So, instead, I was referred to a psychiatrist - which is what I'd been quite insistent upon in the first place, as it happens.
The speech and language team would have been the first step on the diagnostic pathway that my GP seemed to be trying to follow. So, since I was referred to a psychiatrist instead, I suspect that that referral may count as the start of the assessment. That would mean it started within three months in my case, even though I then had to wait over a year more for the full assessment itself!
As for who you should contact, I don't know. Perhaps you could ask your GP? If it's your GP you're supposed to contact, you'll already be there. If not, I would imagine your GP ought to be able to tell you who you do need to contact.
I hope you do manage to get a quicker assessment than I did!
