ADHD/Autism referral pathways
ADHD wait times
On this website you can input your post code and check the waitlist information for the area you have been referred into.
ADHD referral Pathway for Blackpool Children
GPs cannot refer directly for assessment of suspected ADHD or ASD as GPs are not the right professionals to assess and refer patients into this service.
Current referral process requires in fact assessment and background information from a professional who knows the child or young person well and who is able to supply all the information needed to enable effective triage. This will include paediatricians, child and adolescent psychiatrists, SENCO’s, educational psychologists, clinical psychologists, therapists, school nurses and CAMHS Practitioners.
All Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinators (SENCOs) in schools are aware of the new referral pathway and what supporting evidence is needed. Therefore, if you wish your child to be referred for ADHD/Autism assessment please contact the school directly and they will make the referral.
Private referral pathway
For an adult/child requesting a private referral to ADHD/Autism assessment services via right to choose, you will need to research the various offers and clinics available, make your choice and then let us know where you would like to be referred. Please book a routine consultation with your GP/ACP if you would like to discuss your suspected diagnosis further before venturing down the private referral pathway .
Clinics and Services usually have a form/questionnaire to be completed before we can make the referral. Please email/bring this into the Practice For the attention of the medical secretaries. They will pass the forms on to your GP/ACP. Please ensure you have completed any sections of the forms that you as the patient should complete.
If you do not wish to carry out your own research into available clinics, then we will send your referral direct to secondary care adult/child mental health services locally although there is a very long waiting list for all referrals.
Right to Choose ADHD Pathways
If you are based in England under the NHS you now have a legal right to choose your mental healthcare provider and your choice of mental healthcare team. This important right means that, for instance, should you decide the waiting time for your ADHD assessment is too long, then you can choose alternative providers. The provider must supply the service to the NHS somewhere in England. The providers we are aware of are listed here
More information about ADHD/ASD is available on the following links:
The rapidly growing waiting lists for autism and ADHD assessments – Healthwatch Blackpool
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
It is important to note that many of the clinics mentioned 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/continue medication to control your symptoms.
You should be aware that the Practice does not provide NHS prescriptions under shared care arrangements with private providers. We can refer you on to NHS services for ongoing prescribing however, the current wait in Blackpool is 134-145 weeks or 68-70 weeks with Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust – Modality LLP.
Should you need ongoing medication until such time as you can be seen by an NHS provider, this will be on a private prescription basis from your chosen private provider. The reason for this is that shared care as a process is between NHS commissioned providers and primary care. The Integrated Care Board do not have a mechanism to oversee governance for prescribing on a private basis (as would be the case for commissioned providers), and subsequently there is also no governance to manage cost, alongside safety, such that prescribing costs under shared care relationships are covered by the ICB.
When can you not use Right to Choose?
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:
- 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
- The organisation or clinical team you’ve chosen does not provide the right care for your condition
- 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
Process for requesting a Right to Choose referral from your GP
For all Right to Choose referrals, the patient, or their family if a child, will need to research and select a clinic themselves, it is not something the GP can advise on.
You may wish to 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 Blackpool for ADHD/ASD assessment is 134-145 weeks. Right to Choose will allow you to consider alternative options to avoid waiting so long for a diagnosis and post-diagnostic support.
What happens when I have chosen my clinic?
Once you have chosen which clinic you would like to have your assessment with and obtained the relevant forms, email/bring this into the Practice For the attention of the medical secretaries. They will pass the forms on to your GP. Please ensure you have completed any sections of the forms that you as the patient should complete. This will enable us to process the referral efficiently.
How much quicker will Right to Choose be?
That depends on which clinic you choose and whether they can offer medication titration, should you need it. 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. 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.
Why would I choose a Right to Choose referral if I cannot easily obtain medication that way?
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
What if I have more questions not answered in this leaflet?
If you would like to look into this further yourself, please see below a list of websites and resources, to help you on your Right to Choose journey: Information on ADHD:
- AHD UKD: 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
