Did you know NHS patients now have a legal right to choose their mental healthcare provider? This important right means that, for instance, should you decide the waiting time for your ADHD or ASD assessment is too long, then you can choose an alternative provider to suit you and your family.

Right to Choose within mental health is a relatively new scheme (since 2018) and as such, many patients are not aware of the options. We have put together this information sheet for you, to help assist you with your Right to Choose journey.

There are a number of clinics throughout the UK that can offer Right to Choose ADHD and/or ASD assessments for adults and under 18s. To become a Right to Choose clinic provider, the clinic must supply the same service to the NHS somewhere in England, they cannot be a private only clinic.

The provider’s website is usually a good place to start to find out if they offer the service you need – this website is useful to view some of the choices you may wish to consider Right to Choose - ADHD UK

For all Right to Choose referrals, the patient, or their family/carers if under 18, will need to research and select a clinic themselves, it is not something the GP can advise on. Once you have chosen which clinic you would like to have your assessment with, and you have received the relevant forms, please return these to the surgery along with any patient sections completed, so that the GP can complete their sections. Should you require an appointment, please either book this in, or await further instruction from the surgery.

Please note there will be questionnaires required for all of these services and depending on which provider, will dictate which form you require. Please make sure these are returned along with the referral form.

The list of providers is constantly changing but this website provides an up to date list of providers Right to Choose - ADHD UK

This list is non-exhaustive and there may be other clinics you may want to research too.

It is important to note that many of the clinics mentioned on Right to Choose - ADHD UK can offer diagnosis but are rarely able to offer medication titration.

This means that you may be able to obtain a diagnosis with the named clinics, but often you will need a local NHS referral should they find that you need to start medication to control your symptoms.

There are some restrictions on which patients are eligible for a Right to Choose assessment and the below is a list of the reasons you would not be eligible (please note some of these are not relevant to children):

• You need urgent or emergency treatment - this is often not relevant as there are rarely times when this type of referral is considered urgent, but is still worth noting here
• You already receive care and treatment for the condition you are seeking an assessment for
• You have already had a neurodevelopmental assessment before, whether that be privately or through the NHS, including ADHD or Autism assessments.
• The organisation or clinical team you’ve chosen does not provide the right care for the condition or cannot see under 18s
• You are a prisoner or on temporary release from prison
• You are detained in prescribed accommodation such as a court, secure training centre, immigration removal centre or young offender’s institute
• You are detained in a secure hospital setting
• You are detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended in 2007)
• You are a serving member of the armed forces

If you have received a private diagnosis of Autism and / or ADHD, you would still be eligible for a Right to Choose referral providing:

• You are not still under the care of a private clinic for the same condition.
• There is no provision in place for the prescribing of medication for the same condition.

Talk to your GP, have an open and frank conversation about why you think you have ADHD and/or ASD. Talk about any and all mental health concerns you might have. The goal is to help you with your issues and the conversation often will be wider than just the query of ADHD / ASD.

Following that conversation your GP may suggest a referral for an official assessment. The current waiting list in Kent for an over 18s ADHD assessment, over 18s ASD assessment, paediatric waiting time for ADHD / ASD assessments is around 2 years are available on this website - Adult Neurodevelopmental Service (Autism and ADHD) | Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust .

That depends on which clinic you choose and whether they can offer medication titration, should you need it. Currently, the local waiting times are up to 5 years for over 18s and up to 2 years for under 18s. A general guide for Right to Choose referrals is that assessments can be in as little as 12 weeks and as long as 12 months, which is much quicker than the NHS alternatives!

If a clinic offers diagnosis but not medication titration, then you will need a further referral for post-diagnostic support. The local over 18s waiting list in Kent for this service is around 24 months and around 6–9 months for under 18s.

Unfortunately, this is not something that can be easily avoided as most medications suggested for these conditions are ones that GPs are not allowed to prescribe without the support of a specialist clinic under a Shared Care Agreement.

Many patients feel a diagnosis would be enough to request further support / considerations from school or employers and some patients may not require medication for these conditions at all.

Your GP is a great place to start, or the Medical Secretary. Often questions can be answered with a simple phone call to the surgery but if you cannot wait or you would like to look into this further yourself first, please see below a list of websites and resources, to help you on your Right to Choose journey:

Information on ADHD:

• ADHD UK: A charity offering free advice and information on ADHD and Right to Choose referrals
• ADHD Foundation: The UK’s leading neurodiversity charity, offering services for those who live with ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, DCD, Dyscalculia, OCD, Tourette’s Syndrome and more
• NHS Website
• Mind: ADHD and mental health

Information on ASD:

• National Autistic Society: offer support and advise for autistic people in the UK and their families
• Autism Speaks: Autism Speaks is dedicated to creating an inclusive world for all individuals with autism throughout their lifespan
• NHS Website
• Mind: Autism and mental health

More information on Kent counselling and support services