Autism & ADHD assessments: your routes

Route 1 — The NHS (GP referral)

1. Talk to your GP. Share your concerns with examples of what you've noticed. In England, ask about Right to Choose at this point — your GP should offer it (see below).
2. Referral. Your GP refers your child to the local NHS service — usually a community paediatric team (often best for younger children) or CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) for older children and for ADHD.
3. Assessment. A specialist team (paediatrician, psychiatrist, psychologist or specialist nurse) gathers information from you, school and other professionals, and observes or assesses your child. This may involve multiple appointments.
4. Feedback & report. You'll be told the outcome and given a report. The NHS route is free, and an NHS diagnosis is usually accepted everywhere.

Route 2 — NHS Right to Choose (England)

In England, you have a legal right to choose which NHS provider carries out your child's first outpatient appointment — including autism and ADHD assessments. That means you can ask your GP to refer your child to an alternative provider (like the ones below that offer Right to Choose) with shorter waiting lists, free of charge.

• Ask your GP: "I'd like to use my Right to Choose — please refer my child to [provider]."
• Providers such as Psychiatry-UK, ADHD 360 and Clinical Partners are commissioned to deliver NHS assessments this way.
• Right to Choose applies to England only — Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different arrangements.

Route 3 — Private assessment providers

Paying privately means faster assessments, your choice of clinician, and often a more detailed report. The downsides: cost (typically £1,000–£3,000+), and no guarantee that the NHS, school or local authority will accept the diagnosis automatically — though a good report is strong evidence for school support and an EHCP. Prices below were checked August 2026 — always confirm current fees and whether assessment is online or in person.

After a private diagnosis

• Share the report with the school's SENCO — a good diagnostic report can unlock SEN support quickly, even without an EHCP.
• A private diagnosis doesn't guarantee an EHCP, but the local authority must consider it as evidence in an EHC needs assessment.
• Talk to your GP about shared-care arrangements for any prescribed medication — the NHS isn't obliged to take over private prescriptions.