UK or Northern Irish people who have had a NHS Assessment done...

[DrownsTheWhiskey]

Hey everyone,

I am looking for people who have had an official Autism Assessment done through the NHS, if you were an adult at the time, even better!

Did you have difficulty getting referred by your GP? What can I expect the process to be like? What was involved in the assessment and how did they evaluate you?

I had an appointment with my GP two weeks ago as I really struggle with the whole emotional and social aspects. I knew someone who had been officially diagnosed with Asperger's and the more I read about it, the more I related with it. I took a few of the online tests and based on the results, I thought it was worth asking my doctor for an assessment referral. I made a list of the key points I struggle with and even noted childhood symptoms I related to myself and my scores from the online test.

He looked over my list and took notes and referred me to mental health, he told me to show them the list and they would be able to refer me through to the assessment phase. The problem is mental health triaged me to a charity who offer counselling and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy... don't get me wrong, I can definitely benefit from that and I plan on sticking with that.

What I am concerned about is will they be able to refer me through to assessment themselves if they see fit or will I have to go back to my doctor and try to start the process again

 

[Quart]

I never had one done - I wouldn't have remembered anyway, I was much too young. Is this a modern thing? I was assessed, but I only very vaguely remember (and I remember lots of things!).

NI people are UK people, but their NHS called Health and Social Care. The three Great Britain countries have national NHS's.

 

[NothingToSeeHere]

When I went to my GP looking for a referral to assessment it went really well. I took a list of my 'symptoms' and the dr was happy to refer me himself. I had deliberately chosen to see the youngest dr in the surgery in the hopes that he might be more educated/ up to date on autism. Before going I had done my research and referral pathways in my area and so was able to tell him how to refer me for assessment when he confessed that he wasn't sure where to send an adult to get assessed.

 

[Starfire]

Hey everyone,

I am looking for people who have had an official Autism Assessment done through the NHS, if you were an adult at the time, even better!

Did you have difficulty getting referred by your GP? What can I expect the process to be like? What was involved in the assessment and how did they evaluate you?

I had an appointment with my GP two weeks ago as I really struggle with the whole emotional and social aspects. I knew someone who had been officially diagnosed with Asperger's and the more I read about it, the more I related with it. I took a few of the online tests and based on the results, I thought it was worth asking my doctor for an assessment referral. I made a list of the key points I struggle with and even noted childhood symptoms I related to myself and my scores from the online test.

He looked over my list and took notes and referred me to mental health, he told me to show them the list and they would be able to refer me through to the assessment phase. The problem is mental health triaged me to a charity who offer counselling and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy... don't get me wrong, I can definitely benefit from that and I plan on sticking with that.

What I am concerned about is will they be able to refer me through to assessment themselves if they see fit or will I have to go back to my doctor and try to start the process again

I bypassed my GP and went straight to the Health Authority diagnostic team to request I be put on the waiting list. They sent me a form with a questionnaire which I filled in and sent back. Based on that they contacted me to let me know due to my answers they had put me on the list. 6 months later I had to go with my mother who they interviewed at length despite my being nearly 50, and I had a lengthy interview etc. In all just over half a day of tests, questions and interviews by the team. They told me straight away they didn’t need any further tests I was without doubt on the spectrum. My diagnosis was ASD and they said it would have been Aspergers the year previous, but that had gone with the previous DSM.

It sounds like you are being fobbed off with counselling. From what I understand your GP practice pays the bill out of their budget for an assessment, which is expensive so they do generally try to sidetrack you into something cheaper. That’s why I bypassed my GP practice and they weren’t happy about it, they also got my assessment bill from the diagnostic team. I pay a lot of tax and have done for years despite never really needing the NHS, so I felt quite justified about going around things as I did, I’ve put far more into the pot than I’ve ever taken out.

 

[DrownsTheWhiskey]

NI people are UK people, but their NHS called Health and Social Care.

Yes, I am actually from Northern Ireland but I know the process would be quite similar here as I imagine it would be in the mainland so I thought anyone with experience to share in relation to assessment and the NHS would be useful.

When I went to my GP looking for a referral to assessment it went really well. I took a list of my 'symptoms' and the dr was happy to refer me himself. I had deliberately chosen to see the youngest dr in the surgery in the hopes that he might be more educated/ up to date on autism.

This is something similar to what I did too. I wrote out a list to help me explain why I thought I was eligible for proceeding through to the assessment phase and to make sure I wouldn't forget to mention anything if/when I got overwhelmed. We had a new Doctor join our practise and he is the youngest member of the Doctor team now. He was very understanding and didn't make me feel like it was all in my head or that I could just get on with it like other Doctors have made me feel in the past.

It sounds like you are being fobbed off with counselling.

That's the thing, I told he would have to refer me for the assessment phase itself and I stupidly never thought to bring the information or form I received from Autism NI as I thought they would be able to do that in the GP's Office. He didn't quite know the route to take for assessment and appointments are so short now that he referred me through to Mental Health and told me to tell them exactly what I had told him, to bring my notes and scores of the online tests and they would refer me on through to the assessment phase and offer me CBT in the meantime to help with my more severe symptoms.

The problem seems to stem from the referral Mental Health received. The waiting list is quite long as there is a high demand for the services in Northern Ireland and Stormont has set up a new Well Mind Hub. I assume in an effort to cut down the waiting list for referrals I was informed that I had been triaged into this pathway and a week later received a letter informing me that I had been referred on through and to make an appointment with Praxis Care who offer CBT and counselling.

I think this will actually be beneficial to me so I am going to stick with it. I guess I'll just have to wait for my first session and explain the situation and see if they can put me through to the assessment phase whilst still treating me or will I have to go back to my GP and start the process again with the Autism NI information and form I have.

Thank you for all the replies and help though guys, I appreciate your input!