Where to go for private assessment

[Neveragain85]

I strongly suspect I am ND though not sure if ADHD or Autism as I have signs of both. I'm on the NHS waiting list but I don't want to wait any longer, I want to find out asap

I wanted to ask if there were any recommendations for private assessments? There are so many online...thankyou

Sorry should mention I'm in the UK

connecttoautism.org I used for my autism assessment.

I'm currently also looking for recommendations for an ADHD specialist.

@premicrois thankyou!

Hey all! Just wrote on another thread about this:

So I’ve only been diagnosed with ADHD for 12 weeks, despite having symptoms since I was about 8. But I’ve given lots of advice to friends about this. The first step anywhere is going to your GP and asking to be referred. I say this because when I started this process last September the private waiting list had the same wait time as NHS, so I used “right to choose” to be put through to where I wanted to go.

This is a good link about right to choose:
adhduk.co.uk/diagnosis-pathways/

But my friend has a having her diagnosis this week with this company: www.berkeleypsychiatrists.co.uk/doctors/drcatherinedurkin

She said they’ve been really good.

Any questions just say!

I booked an assessment last night, with Berkeley as well, it's in 2 weeks. I would have to wait years to be seen by the NHS in Scotland.

If you know you're not going down the medication route then you can do a combined autism and ADHD assessment with

rtnmentalhealthsolutions.com

I say that as I'm not sure if the NHS would accept the ADHD assessment from them. But they might so you could ask your GP what they need if you did want to go down the medication route.

Another recommendation for Berkeley Psych here. I'm with Dr Withrana who has been excellent. Throughout my assessment and follow ups he's really understood my issues and I've felt completely validated for the first time ever. I'm on my 3rd month of medication and although I'm still adjusting it's been pretty life changing and worth every penny.

All appointments have been online and appointments have always been available when i#ve needed them.

@Nameofthegamechanger mad isn’t it how life changing the medication is right?!

I keep trying to explain to people that my brain is now INSIDE my head instead of a floaty fog around it but noone gets it!

sorry to jump in on your thread OP, but could I just ask - presumably if you get a private diagnosis then any medication will also be private? Isn’t that extortionate?! And can it be switched to an NHS prescription at some point or is that part of the postcode lottery?

@Upwardtrajectory for us or GP said we’d have to pay for private prescriptions but my friends GP has agreed to pay for them. Complete postcode lottery!

@Nameofthegamechanger I completely get it and feel the same

Thanks @Happylady165

I’ve looked at Berkeley’s website. Not sure if I trust that just a 90 minute assessment will tell if you’re autistic or not, over an online meeting too.

I’ve been involved in a child assessment before and it was face to face, and a few hours over a couple of days, they observed her. Also family members were questioned.

Will the 90 minute assessment be ok and give you the right diagnosis ? I haven’t put much research into this and it might be all you get from an NHS assessment too.

@MumofOne1789

I am dubious too tbh, my assessment took hours. There will be, I would imagine, all the pre assessment stuff and questionnaires filled first though, that doesn't fit into appointment time.

When I did my private assessment elsewhere I have to fill in an early childhood questionnaire, followed by an hours phone call where she concluded that proceeding to full assessment was likely to end in diagnosis. That part was about 3/4 hours long. So 90 mins does seem a bit short.

I am happy with their set up for ADHD though as it's seems on par with others.

Maybe there are pre-appointments too before the official 90 minute assessment. I know there is a questionnaire. Can anyone Clarify the process?

if there are initial assessments but they don’t think you would reach a diagnosis, what are the fees?

I spoke to Berkeley on Friday and they said there were no pre-assessments as such. There are forms sent out but they are part of the diagnostic process and included in the price.
For my daughter, who was seen privately but face-to-face, locally, they sent out a basic screening form for free and decided based on that whether she needed to be assessed. I had obvious doubts about that, but it seems better than no screening at all.