To get a private diagnosis

[SnowFairyWaxMelt]

DD7 is clearly neurodivergent. Her sisters 13&14 both have ADHD/ASD. Seeing as the waiting lists are now dire I’m wondering if a private one is worth it? I’m lucky enough a family member has agreed to pay for it, the thing I’m worried about is, will school and NHS accept it?

We had our 9 year old privately assessed in September. School have accepted the clinic’s report (although we were already in discussions with the SENCO over managing DD’s school related anxieties). I’ve got an appointment with our GP to discuss how we access NHS services in the future should DD need them. If we need an NHS diagnosis to do that then I guess we wait two years but in the meantime have more practical support and help from school than we might otherwise have had so the £1,500 was worth it for us for now.

There shouldn’t be any problems having private diagnosis accepted. In my area many of the NHS developmental paeds also have private practices.

If there are many recommendations the school may push back due to costs but if needed you then apply for an EHCP.

Private dx are less reliable as they will simply give you what you want because you're paying for it.

Even the NHS are outsourcing assessments at the moment as CAMHS has such a backlog. Go private if you can.

We got a private diagnosis of asd for my son, and had an nhs paediatrician sign it off to say she was in agreement with it.

We got his ehcp and SEN funding and referrals on nhs for various therapists so having the private diagnosis didn't cause any delays or difficulties.

If you do get a private diagnosis your GP can add it to the referral, you may then get a letter from the NHS clinic stating diagnosis.

Not true.

@twentythousand that’s not true.

This is mad. The doctors who are private almost always also work for the NHS. Their reputation is still of critical importance. They don’t dish out diagnoses as per the patients’ preferences and bank balances.

I paid for something privately and then was bounced back into the NHS for aftercare. Everyone wins. I got my treatment rapidly, freed up a spot on the waiting list and was able to access aftercare as required on the NHS. In fact, I often choose this path, including for the birth of my child.

Oh shut up, most NHS Doctors work privately on the side for extra money. The NHS has contracts with private Psychs to reduce waiting lists.

We went private, I spoke with the SENCO prior and asked them to recommend a supplier based on what they would accept.

I was diagnosed privately at the Lorna Wing Centre after DD was diagnosed there on the NHS.

Are you saying the most reputable assessment in the country will give results based on who pays?

Thanks everyone. Because I’ve done it via the NHS so many times I know how long the waiting times are, it’s clearly genetic in my family, having school recognise the diagnosis is so important, I just didn’t want to wait years and years for it because she’s desperate for the help now, not in 3/4yrs, and so am I quite frankly lol.

There are a lot of dodgy private ASD/ADHD diagnosis clinics. Schools/hospitals are aware of them.

Private dx are less reliable as they will simply give you what you want because you're paying for it.

You pay for an assessment, not a diagnosis.

@twentythousand

There are a lot of dodgy private ASD/ADHD diagnosis clinics. Schools/hospitals are aware of them.

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don't talk shit.

Just because there may be some dodgy clinics it doesn't mean that is the standard of all private clinics and you certainly can't pay for a diagnosis, just an assessment.

Private diagnoses are not unreliable. The doctors are still held to the same standards.

We did this for our eldest and it was absolutely worth it.

Sorry NHS mental health Trust here and we do not necessarily respect a private diagnosis. Well, we tend to accept the diagnosis but not the predicted needs iyswim. Basically, as you can guess, because we cannot afford to fund needs. And not everyone with a diagnosis of say autism, 'needs' anything. Though most would certainly benefit from intervention, its the threshold for intervention that is the sticking point.

Use one that follows NICE guidelines.

We took DD to a clinical psychologist privately who did not do a full assessment but who wrote a letter, after a consultation of an hour or two saying that, in her opinion, DD appeared to be showing ASD traits and that she recommended that school refer her for a formal NHS assessment. This cost us around £300, from memory. The private clinical psychologist had previously held a senior post in CAHMS locally and the letter was very helpful. In terms of school, the school should be responding to the child's needs in any case ie without a formal diagnosis being required.(Or, at least, that is the case where we are in Scotland, although having the letter certainly helped.) We were able to get a Child's Plan involving school and the Council educational psychologist prepared long before the NHS assessment took place.

We paid for a private assessment by a consultant who had previously worked for our local CAMHS specifically so the diagnosis would be by someone they recognised.

paid for the gold standard QB test, first medication consultation and prescription and then asked to be referred into local services for continuing care

8 weeks from initial consultation to being taken over by nhs services . Best £1400 we ever spent

Well, I know which aspect of that scenario I would describe as corrupt and unethical...

@twentythousand the only conclusion I can come to as to the motivation for the absolute nonsense you’ve posted here, is that you’re piqued that you can’t afford private treatment. Because you’re definitely not talking from experience or a place of knowledge.

The doctor who headed up our private ASD assessment is also the lead for ASD in our local NHS Trust so I’m pretty happy that he and his private clinic are not dodgy…