how to see an autism specialist?

[geekgrrl]

I was wondering whether someone can offer advice to a friend of mine.
Her little boy is 5 years old and has autism. He is under the care of a paediatrician at the local hospital but my friend feels that the hospital is not exactly at the forefront of knowledge when it comes to autism and would like for her son to be seen by the specialists at the autism clinic in Nottingham. However, the consultants there only accept new patients with a paediatrician's referral, and her paediatrician is refusing to refer him, as they feel that they are doing a very good job indeed at the local hospital.
Isn't there something about patients having a right to choose where they want to be seen? What can she do?

The leaflets we get from the local CDC all have a note on them somewhere stating that you have the right to ask for a second opinion. Perhaps the Paed needs to be reminded of this?

I don't know exactly what the rules are, but I'm pretty sure you are entitled to ask for a second opinion.

If the specialist clinic are prepared to accept the referral, the paed may be on shaky ground in refusing. It probably comes down to money in the end, they may not want to pay for her to go to the other clinic.

What is she hoping to get from the other clinic that she's not getting from current paed?

no it's not for statementing, I think she wants to be seen by someone who takes a primary interest in autism and is up-to-date on the latest research, possible drug treatments etc. Her local hospital is just a small place.

Perhaps she should ask paed to put reasons for not referring her in writing.

We have had this problem....our Pead refused to refer to Gillian Baird on the grounds that a DX will not be helpful to our son....he has a special school placement and a statement therefore a dx will not help him with anything else!!!!
We are in the process now of asking for a second opinion via the PCT.....but they do not have to refer you to a specific person or assessment centre.....it can be to another Pead within your LHA and if this person agrees with your first port of call....then basically you are buggered!!!

From December 05 the Patients Charter is changing and you will be able to then request a second opinion from the person of your choice and this can be from an independent professional if you wish....this will be funded through the NHS!!!!

I doubt if she will get much out of seeing another Paediatrician if she already has a dx. She'd be better off to contact the NAS or other local group or joining some ASD web groups. There are no drug treatments or anything.

oh she's had a diagnosis for a long time (4 years I think), her ds is severely autistic. I think she feels that she knows much more about autism by now than her ds's paed and feels that the CDC doesn't give very good or up-to-date information - e.g. they couldn't give her a good explanation for her ds's distressing self-harming problems, and eventually she came across something about self-harming increasing endorphine levels in a book on autism.

I don't think she'll get that sort of info from a Paed or CDC. That's why books, the internet and places like the NAS are more useful.