Right to Choose information for GPs

Under the NHS Choice Framework, patients in England can ask their GP to refer them to The Owl for an autism or ADHD assessment.

Patients must:

be registered with a GP in England
not be on another autism or ADHD waiting list or receiving treatment elsewhere
provide consent for you to make the referral and share their information.

Why patients choose The Owl

We’re known for our warm and positive approach, clear communication and flexible service. When your patients use their right to choose The Owl, they’ll receive expert care from specialist healthcare professionals.

Our multi-disciplinary teams follow strict clinical governance protocols and comply with NHS and CQC regulations and NICE guidelines.

Services we offer under Right to Choose

We offer the services listed below. However, some ICBs may not fund them all.

Online and in-person autism assessments for adults

Autism assessments for people aged 18 and over.

We offer a flexible mix of in-person and online assessments in line with the needs of the patient and ICB requirements.

We also work closely with local services so that after their assessment we can help your patients access the best available support.

Online and in-person autism assessments for children and young people

Autism assessments for children and young people aged from 6 to 17.

We offer a flexible mix of in-person and online assessments in line with the needs of the child and ICB requirements.

We also work closely with local services so that after their assessment we can help children and their families access the best available support.

Online and in-person ADHD assessments for adults

ADHD assessments for people aged 18 and over.

We offer a flexible mix of in-person and online assessments in line with the needs of the patient and ICB requirements.

If we diagnose a patient with ADHD, we’ll talk to them about how medication may help. If they decide to try medication, we’ll provide titration.

When your patient’s dose is stable, we’ll write to you and ask to set up a shared care arrangement. However, we have a full medication service that supports NHS E prescribing, so if you don’t offer shared care, we can issue repeat prescriptions and carry out annual reviews.

We also work closely with local services so that after your patient’s assessment we can help them access the best available support.

Online and in-person ADHD assessments for children and young people

ADHD assessments for children and young people aged from 6 to 17.

We offer a flexible mix of in-person and online assessments in line with the needs of the child and ICB requirements.

If we diagnose a child with ADHD, we’ll talk to them and their family about how medication may help. If they decide to try medication, we’ll provide titration.

We also work closely with local services so that after your patient’s assessment we can help them and their family access the best available support.

Eligibility criteria

We carry out a high proportion of assessments online. While there are many benefits to online assessments, they’re not suitable for everyone.

Before you refer a patient to us, we recommend you check that an online assessment will be right for them. If any of the following apply, we’ll be unable to see your patient online but will see them in person.

Adults aged 18 and over

An online autism or ADHD assessment is not right for your patient if they:

Communication and mental ability

are non-verbal or selectively mute
are unable to communicate at a conversational level in English
have an IQ below 70, severe developmental delay or have experienced a traumatic or acquired brain injury.

Sensory needs

have a significant visual or hearing impairment that prevents them from engaging online.

Mental health and medical risk

are experiencing a mental illness (such as psychosis, major depression or an eating disorder) that is affecting their daily life and for which they are receiving treatment and support
were discharged from a specialist mental health hospital within the last six months and are receiving treatment and support
pose a current risk to themself or others or have made a suicide plan or attempt within the past three months
are actively self-harming and regularly require medical treatment for their injuries
are detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983 or are subject to a Community Treatment Order
have a physical illness or condition that would prevent them from taking part in an online assessment.

Substance misuse

are currently receiving treatment for substance misuse
are misusing substances and this misuse is significantly impacting their daily life.

Previous assessment

have been assessed for autism or ADHD by another provider within the last two years.

Legal, criminal justice and safeguarding

are currently serving a prison sentence, are on probation or are on temporary release
are undergoing a safeguarding investigation, have a child protection plan in place or are involved in an ongoing police or criminal investigation.

Armed forces

are a serving member of the armed forces (they will be treated under the Defence Medical Services so should speak to their local team or GP. However, dependants of people serving in the armed forces can be seen under Right to Choose).

Computer equipment and access to data

do not have access to a laptop or desktop computer with a microphone and web camera (mobile phones cannot be used as the screen is too small)
do not have access to a private and reliable internet connection
are unwilling to have their camera turned on throughout the assessment
are unwilling to confirm their identity via an online video call
are unwilling to provide the contact details of their UK-based NHS GP.

Children and young people aged 6 to 17

An online autism or ADHD assessment is not right for a child or young person who:

Communication and mental ability

is non-verbal or selectively mute
is unable to communicate at a conversational level in English
has an IQ below 70, severe developmental delay or has experienced a traumatic or acquired brain injury.

Sensory needs

has a significant visual or hearing impairment that prevents them from engaging online.

Mental health and medical risk

is experiencing a mental illness (such as psychosis, major depression or an eating disorder) that is affecting their daily life and for which they are receiving treatment and support
was discharged from a specialist mental health hospital within the last six months and is receiving treatment and support
poses a current risk to themself or others or has made a suicide plan or attempt within the past three months
is actively self-harming and regularly requires medical treatment for your injuries
is detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983 or is subject to a Community Treatment Order
has a physical illness or condition that would prevent them from taking part in an online assessment.

Substance misuse

is currently receiving treatment for substance misuse
is misusing substances and this misuse is significantly impacting their daily life.

Previous assessment

has been assessed for autism or ADHD by another provider within the last two years.

Legal, criminal justice and safeguarding

is currently serving a detention or training order, a youth rehabilitation order or a referral order
is undergoing a safeguarding investigation, has a child protection plan in place or is involved in an ongoing police or criminal investigation.

Armed forces

is a serving member of the armed forces (they will be treated under the Defence Medical Services, so please speak to their local team or GP. However, dependants of people serving in the armed forces can be seen under Right to Choose).

Computer equipment and access to data

does not have access to a laptop or desktop computer with a microphone and web camera (mobile phones cannot be used)
does not have access to a private and reliable internet connection
is unwilling (or their parent or carer is unwilling) to have their camera turned on throughout the assessment
is unwilling (or their parent or carer is unwilling) to confirm their identity via an online video call
is unwilling (or their parent or carer is unwilling) to provide the contact details of their UK-based NHS GP.

How to refer a patient to The Owl

Complete our online referral form and attach:

the GP referral letter your patient completed (the template is on our website)
the screening tool your patient completed (the template is on our website)
your patient’s medical care summary
any other information you feel is relevant, such as CAMHS or SLT reports.

We’ll email you to confirm we’ve received the referral.

What we do after we receive the referral

When we’ve received the referral, we’ll email your patient and ask them to complete a consent form and a suitability questionnaire.

We’ll review their information and if we can accept them, we’ll add them to our waiting list. We’ll contact you and the patient to confirm that we’ve done this.

If we cannot accept the referral, we’ll contact you and the patient to explain why.

The assessment

Before the assessment, we’ll send the patient some pre-assessment questionnaires to complete and return. These help us understand their history, strengths and challenges. We’ll also ask them to send us the contact details of someone who knows them well who we can learn more from.

After the assessment

We’ll send you a copy of the patient’s assessment report. This will include our recommendations for support and treatment and, if applicable, a titration plan.

What to do if your patient needs urgent mental health care while waiting for their assessment

If your patient needs urgent mental health care while waiting for their assessment, please follow your usual local safeguarding and crisis referral pathways.

Our service is not a crisis service. However, we assess clinical risk when we review the referral and will contact you if we have any concerns.

You remain your patient’s primary point of contact for urgent care.