GP Refferal

Happy_Hoppy said:

Sorry I should of added - it was the SENCO who advised me to go to the GP rather than being referred via school as it's us as parents that see it more so than school....

I can see why the SENCO has passed responsibility to the GP here. Normally the SENCO can start the ball rolling (but clearly has no evidence to do it)

However, the GP knows your daughter far less than the school - so passing the matter to the GP isn't really solving the issue. It is more a case of the school not wanting to take responsibility. 

The thing is, neither school or GP have evidence of ADHD with which to make a referral.  In these circumstances, I'd go back to the GP and explain the predicament and ask to be referred to CAMHS instead, if the GP wont alter their position.  Of course you retain the right to pursue a private assessment. 

1. Sorry I should of added - it was the SENCO who advised me to go to the GP rather than being referred via school as it's us as parents that see it more so than school....

In short, I'd be calling the school this morning & making an appointment to see the SENCO.   It has long been said that many children exhibit one behaviour at home and another at school, and I am sure they are aware of this, but you need to register your concerns here.

As far as I am aware, you'll be needing the support of the school to approach the GP.  I'd not be thinking about right-to-choose at this moment, because, in simple terms, you've yet to get anywhere near that point.   Once the GP has accepted the ADHD request, you can then start thinking about timescales & right-to-choose dependent on waiting times & how outcomes would be recorded on the patient record. 

If you want to go the private route, that's a whole different matter - but be aware, they'll want to gather evidence in making a diagnosis and that can require educational co-operation too.  You are correct, however, to surmise that private diagnoses don't necessarily find their way onto a patient record though. 

I realise this may be frustrating, but having the support of the GP and SENCO would be advantageous here.  The school may have seen similar cases, and could potentially offer pointers to aid your case. 

Some GP Practice csn be more reluctant about ADHD than Autism assessments.  This can be rooted in the different funding models involved ...no expert but I know that from reading a news item on our GP Practice Patient webpage.

The ADHD UK.website hss two good pages about all of this.  Even though you are seeking a child assessment, do still also click the box "Adult Diagnosis Pathway" to read the procedural tips about the adult assessment process as it talks about reluctant GPs etc.

On the below page, right down the bottom, there is a comment box describing how common it is the meet GP reluctance - they even have a template letter to get people started with tackling the matter.

https://adhduk.co.uk/right-to-choose/

Diagnosis Pathways For Children:

https://adhduk.co.uk/adhd-diagnosis-pathways-children/

ADHD UK support groups information:

https://adhduk.co.uk/support/

Happy_Hoppy said:

Has a GP got to agree a referral is needed in the first place before right to choose comes into the equation?

I don't know if this is a rule but I understand that the school should be the one making the request for assessment through your GP

According to:

https://www.kids.org.uk/guides/adhd/

If you think your child has ADHD and needs extra support, a GP or the school can help with a referral to a specialist for diagnosis.

So I would ge in touch with the schools special educational needs co-ordinator and ask them how they can go about assessing if this needs to be escallated. They should be clued up enough to be able to explain the whole process to you but if you are unhappy with what you hear then ask them who they report to so you can escalate if you think it needs it.

It is worth knowing that a lot of autists also have ADHD symptoms (I certainly do) but we don't reach the level where it is a separate diagnoisis. The symptoms have a lot of overlap (autistic ADHD and full ADHD) so it could be this you are seeing in your daughter. The SENCO should be able to explain this based on their observations so don't be afraid to ask them about it.

Happy_Hoppy said:

If I chose to access a private diagnosis that I funded, does anyone know if this would be recognised the same if she was diagnosed?

It would be worth checking with your GP to find which suppliers they would accept the diagnosis from to add to her NHS record. By using their approved suppliers then it should be simple to present the diagnosis to the GP to be added.

Good luck