ADHD and ASD assessment – Right To Choose

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 includes for referrals relating to Autism and ADHD assessments. This service is offered through the NHS and is free.

Right to Choose within mental health is a relatively new scheme (since 2018) and as such, many patients are not aware of the options.

Q&A

Who can offer Right to Choose assessments?

There are a number of clinics throughout the UK that can offer Right to Choose ADHD/ASD assessments. 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 and we have compiled a list in this leaflet of some of the choices for you to consider.

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

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. Please check this with your chosen clinic.

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.

 

Process for requesting a Right to Choose referral from your GP

Talk to your GP, have an open and frank conversation about why you think you may have ADHD/ASD.  Following that conversation your GP may suggest a referral for an official assessment.

The ADHD UK website also offers information for both ADHD and ASD providers.

ADHD/ASD – Right to choose

Which providers offer Right to Choose assessments?

This list of providers is constantly changing but currently the below clinics are some of the choices available as at the time of printing this leaflet. This list is non-exhaustive and there may be other clinics you may want to research too.

 

ADHD Assessment Providers (Over 18s)

For more information on ADHD & Right to Choose referrals, the ADHD UK website has some useful information

 

ADHD Assessment Providers (Under 18s)

  • Psicon(based in Canterbury, Kent) offer face-to-face ADHD assessments for patients aged 6 to 18. Please note you may have to travel to Basingstoke for an assessment; Psicon will triage the referral and decide if Canterbury is suitable for your child’s case.
  • ADHD360 offer remote ADHD assessments for patients aged 14 and over.
  • Clinical Partnersoffer remote ADHD and ASD assessments for all patients aged 5+
  • RTN Diagnostics

For more information on ADHD & Right to Choose referrals, the ADHD UK website has some useful information

 

ASD / ASC / Autism Assessment Providers (Over 18s)

 

For more information on ASD & Right to Choose referrals, the National Autistic Society website has some useful information

 

ASD / ASC / Autism Assessment Providers (Under 18s)

  • Psicon(New Dover Road, Canterbury) offer face-to-face ASD assessments for patients aged 3 to 18. Please note you will have to travel to Basingstoke for an assessment of suspected ASD.
  • Clinical Partnersoffer remote ASD assessments for all patients aged 4+
  • Wellbeing ASDoffer face-to-face ASD assessments for patients aged 18 and under in Chelmsford, Essex
  • RTN Diagnostics

For more information on ASD & Right to Choose referrals, the National Autistic Society website has some useful information

 

Things to consider about Right to Choose

It is important to note that many of the clinics mentioned in this leaflet 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. Post-diagnostic support in Kent has a waiting list of around two years, correct at time of printing.

 

What happens when I have chosen my clinic?

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.

It is important to consider choosing a provider who is able to prescribe medication and titration service. Should you choose a provider who does not offer this service and at a later date you require medication, you will need to start the process again finding an alternative provider who is able to prescribe.

Once you have chosen a clinic, please inform us by sending an email to Memorial Medical Centre

 

Additional information

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;

More information on Kent counselling and support services

Date published: 21st March, 2024
Date last updated: 14th April, 2026