Link below provides information about Autism and ADHD assessment services, including support while waiting for an assessment, key updates, and alternative arrangements. The page also includes FAQs, information about private assessments and shared care, and links to other resources.
For information online with additional links to frequently asked questions
Right to Choose: Supporting you while you wait
Download pdf file to read about advice offered by local NHS (ICB)
Right to Choose Supporting You While You Wait For Assessment
Right to Choose: ADHD and Autism (ASD) Assessments
What is Right to Choose?
Under the NHS in England, you have a legal right to choose your mental healthcare provider. This includes choosing where you are assessed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
This is known as the Right to Choose scheme. It allows you to ask your GP to refer you to an alternative NHS‑commissioned provider if local waiting times are long. The service is provided through the NHS and is free of charge.
Why consider Right to Choose?
Waiting times for ADHD and ASD assessments in many areas can be very long, sometimes over a year or more. Right to Choose may allow you to be assessed sooner by an alternative provider that has an NHS contract.
Who can offer Right to Choose assessments?
- Only providers who hold an NHS contract for ADHD and/or ASD assessments in England can offer Right to Choose services.
- Private‑only clinics are not eligible.
- Each provider decides which services they offer, so it is important to check their website carefully before making a choice.
Which providers are available?
The list of providers offering Right to Choose assessments changes over time. There is no single official list, and availability can vary.
Useful resources to help you research providers include:
ADHD and Right to Choose: ADHD UK
Autism and Right to Choose: National Autistic Society
What to consider before choosing a provider
Before selecting a provider, please be aware of the following:
- Some providers offer assessment and diagnosis only.
- Not all providers offer medication titration or ongoing prescribing.
- If medication is required, you may need a further referral to local NHS services.
- Your GP cannot advise you which provider to choose.
Your GP will only prescribe ADHD medication once:
- A specialist has made a diagnosis,
- Medication has been started and stabilised by that service, and
- Shared‑care arrangements meet NHS standards.
When Right to Choose cannot be used
You cannot use Right to Choose if:
- You need urgent or emergency care.
- You are already under specialist care for the same condition.
- The provider you choose cannot meet your clinical needs.
- You are in prison, a secure setting, or detained under the Mental Health Act.
- You are a serving member of the armed forces.
How to request a Right to Choose referral
- You must research and choose an eligible provider yourself
- Send the provider’s details to the surgery via an admin e‑consult or email and
- Contact us to discuss your symptoms or write your observations and submit a summary for your GP to consider referral
- If appropriate, your GP may agree to refer you for assessment or speak with you to provide additional support and assessment
- Your GP will make the referral letter through the NHS referral system.
Please note:
- GPs cannot complete provider‑specific forms.
- Referrals are made by letter, not by completing clinic paperwork.
How long does Right to Choose take?
Assessment times vary by provider:
- Some assessments may take around 12 weeks.
- Others may take up to 12 months.
If further treatment or medication is needed, additional waiting times may apply locally.
Why choose Right to Choose even if medication is uncertain?
Many people find that having a diagnosis alone is helpful. It can:
- Support reasonable adjustments at work or university,
- Help access educational support,
- Improve understanding and self‑management,
- Reduce uncertainty and distress.
Some people do not need medication at all.
Further information and support
ADHD resources
Autism resources
If you have questions
If you have questions about Right to Choose, please contact the surgery. We are happy to explain the process, but please understand that we cannot advise on which provider to select.