Can I use Right to Choose for my child’s ASD / ADHD assessment?

[SwearyBeary]

Hi I hope this is the right section for this.

I'd like to exercise my legal right (NHS Right To Choose which also applies to children) to choose a private provider for my child's ASD and ADHD assessment. My GP is saying we have to go on the waiting list for CAMHS (several years). Or pay many hundreds which we don't have for private assessment.

Does anyone have any experience of doing this? And any suggestions for providers which accept NHS referrals for children (aged 9).

Yes you can use right to choose. Your gp is either ill informed or trying to fob you off. Research the providers, pick one and tell your gp to refer you there.

What area are you in? As some like mine (Manchester) have paused rtc due to lack of funding

Thanks for the reply. I'm South London, I've just looked and my area hasn't paused it, thankfully.

I definitely sensed a fob off because she started saying stuff about the CAMHS assessments being much higher quality. Obviously I'd like a high quality assessment but given we live in a system which requires diagnosis in order to meet a child's needs, a poor quality immediate assessment is worth more to me currently than a high quality assessment that comes far too late, with puberty and secondary transfer being just around the corner.

If your ICB hasn’t paused RTC, I would speak to the practice manager.

In case you aren’t aware, support in schools is based on needs rather than diagnosis. Similar for things like DLA.

Thanks. Yes the school has said this but implied that there is other help available in the borough with a diagnosis. I suppose I also just want/need to know, with the ASD. So I can help us all move forward accordingly, after a difficult time.

The ADHD is a dead cert. I'm less concerned about it (much of the family have it).