ADHD & Autism Referral Process Via the NHS Right to Choose Pathway
Thank you for your interest in a referral for an ADHD or Autism (ASD) assessment. Please read the process carefully.
PLEASE NOTE: You are not required to speak with a GP in order to commence this process. Please follow the instructions set out below and do not book a GP appointment until you are advised to do so, to ensure that all requirements are in place for your referral to proceed.
Due to high demand, assessment waiting times are currently very long. We are fortunate to still be able to refer via the NHS Right to Choose pathway. This allows you to choose a private provider, funded by the NHS.
If you wish to use this route you must choose a provider yourself. A list of eligible providers can be found on the ADHD UK: Right to Choose website. Please note: We are unable to select a provider for you.
Right to Choose providers and details can be found on the link at the foot of this page ADHD UK: Right to Choose
START YOUR REFERRAL PROCESS
STEP ONE: It is vital that, if selecting a Right to Choose provider, you ensure that:
- You meet their referral criteria
- They can prescribe medication for you (if this is something you would wish to pursue)
- You are aware of their waiting times. We appreciate that you will be keen to be assessed as soon as possible, however, please do not choose a provider simply because it has the shortest waiting time, as this is likely to change depending on demand. Do check that it is the right service for you.
STEP TWO: Once you have chosen a provider, please submit all of their required documents. The requested information will vary for each provider. Return all information to the surgery either via email to: [email protected] or [email protected] in hard copy to reception.
- Details of your selected referral pathway – Right to Choose provider
- Any completed referral form(s) from your chosen provider’s website
Your GP cannot complete this for you. Please again make sure that any form is fully completed by you before sending this on. Incomplete forms may be rejected.
We can only process your referral once all the above documents are received.
If any documentation is missing, we will send you a reminder. You will have 21 days to respond. If we receive no reply, we will assume you no longer wish to proceed, and your request will be closed. This ensures our team can continue to assist other patients promptly.
STEP THREE: Once we receive your full submission, your documents will be reviewed and processed to your medical records along with any required referral forms needed to be completed by a GP.
Once this has all been actioned you will then be contacted and asked to book a pre-bookable routine appointment with any GP. At this appointment the GP will discuss the referral and complete any necessary paperwork required by them.
If you meet the criteria, we will send your referral to your chosen provider and confirm this in a text to you. The provider should then contact you directly.
If you do not meet the criteria, you will be informed and offered guidance on alternative support options.
After referral submission, your GP surgery will no longer be involved in the process. Please direct all future queries to your chosen provider.
PLEASE NOTE AFTER REFERRAL
Please be aware due to current pressures we are unable to expedite referrals or offer referrals to more than one provider, so please choose carefully.
Once you have an assessment with one provider you will need to wait your turn for that provider to prescribe your medication. It is not appropriate for the GP’s to request this from another provider.
ADHD Shared Care Agreements with private providers
Sometimes the care of a patient is shared between two doctors, usually a GP and a specialist, and there is a formalised written ‘shared care agreement’ setting out the position of each, to which both parties have willingly agreed. Where these arrangements are in place, GP providers can arrange the prescriptions and appropriate investigations, and the results are fully dealt with by clinicians with the necessary competence under the shared care arrangement. There is NHS guidance available about this.
Shared Care with private providers is not recommended due to the general NHS constitution principle of keeping as clear a separation as possible between private and NHS care. Shared Care is currently set up as an NHS service, and entering into a shared care arrangement may have implications around governance and quality assurance as well as promoting health inequalities.
Shared care may be appropriate where private providers are providing commissioned NHS services, such as ADHD, and where appropriate shared care arrangements will be put in place, however, this is at the discretion of the GP.
All shared care arrangements are voluntary, so even where agreements are in place, practices can decline shared care requests on clinical and capacity grounds. The responsibility for the patient’s care and ongoing prescribing then remains the responsibility of the private provider.
Key Approved Adult ADHD Right to Choose Providers (2025-2026):
- Psychiatry UK: Frequently used for ADHD/Autism assessments.
- ADHD 360: Provides assessment and treatment.
- Clinical Partners: Specializes in mental health assessments.
- Harley Psychiatrists: Offers ADHD assessments.
- Modality LLP: Provides specialist assessments.
- Skylight Psychiatry: Offers specialized neurodevelopmental assessments.
- The Owl Centre: Covers both Autism and ADHD.
- ProblemShared: Specializes in both ADHD and Autism.
