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Right to Choose information for patients, parents and carers

Why choose The Owl

We’re known for our warm and positive approach, clear communication and flexible service.

We understand that an autism or ADHD diagnosis can be life changing. You may have spent years feeling different, misunderstood and as if you were somehow ‘wrong’. A diagnosis can help you:

  • recognise your strengths
  • manage your challenges
  • get the right support.

Each of our clinicians does hundreds of autism and ADHD assessments every year. However, for you it’s probably your only one. We’ll do all we can to make sure it’s a turning point – not just a report, but a moment of understanding and empowerment that will help you thrive for the rest of your life.

Excellent clinical care

We provide the same high quality, safe and evidenced-based care that you’d expect from the NHS.

We’re registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and comply with all relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance.

All our clinicians are registered with their relevant regulatory body, such as the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) or the General Medical Council (GMC).

We have robust systems in place to make sure we maintain high standards of safety and clinical care.

Services we offer under Right to Choose

We offer the services listed below. However, they may not all be available in your area due to the way NHS services are planned and funded (you can find out more about this on our waiting times page).

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 your needs and your local NHS requirements.

An online assessment means we can see you from the place where you feel most comfortable, and you can avoid the stress and cost of travelling to an appointment.

We work closely with local services so that after your assessment we can help you 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 your child and your local NHS requirements.

An online assessment means we can see your child from the place where they feel most comfortable, and you can avoid the stress and cost of travelling to an appointment.

We work closely with local services so that after your child’s assessment we can help you 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 your needs and your local NHS requirements.

An online assessment means we can see you from the place where you feel most comfortable, and you can avoid the stress and cost of travelling to an appointment.

If we diagnose you with ADHD and medication is a suitable treatment option for you, we’ll talk to you about how it may help. If you do decide to take medication, we’ll help you do this safely. We’ll carry out regular reviews to see how you’re getting on and will adjust your dose to find the level that works best for you.

When your dose is stable, we’ll write to your GP and ask to set up shared care. Under a shared care arrangement your GP issues your repeat prescriptions and either we or a local NHS service carry out annual reviews.

Not all GPs provide shared care. If yours does not, we can issue your prescriptions and carry out your annual reviews.

We work closely with local services so that after your assessment we can help you 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 your child and your local NHS requirements.

An online assessment means we can see your child from the place where they feel most comfortable, and you can avoid the stress and cost of travelling to an appointment.

If we diagnose your child with ADHD and medication is a suitable treatment option for them, we’ll talk to you about how it may help. If you do decide that your child will take medication, we’ll help them do this safely. We’ll carry out regular reviews to see how they’re getting on and will adjust their dose to find the level that works best for them.

When your child’s dose is stable, we’ll write to your GP and ask to set up shared care. Under a shared care arrangement your GP issues the repeat prescriptions and either we or a local NHS service carry out annual reviews.

Not all GPs provide shared care. If yours does not, we can issue your child’s prescriptions and carry out their annual reviews.

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

Find out if an online assessment is right for you

There are lots of benefits to online assessments. These include:

  • being in a place where you feel safe and comfortable
  • limited change to your usual routine
  • no need to travel or pay travel costs.

If you feel you’d find it hard to engage in an online session, we’ll do all we can to help you. For example, you’ll be welcome to have someone with you and to take a movement break whenever you need one.

However, online assessments are not right for everyone. If any of the following apply to you, we’ll be unable to see you online but will see you in person.

Adults aged 18 and over

An online autism or ADHD assessment is not right for you if you:

  1. 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.
  1. Sensory needs
  • have a significant visual or hearing impairment that prevents you from engaging online.
  1. Mental health and medical risk
  • are experiencing a mental illness (such as psychosis, major depression or an eating disorder) that is affecting your daily life and for which you 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 yourself 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 your 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 you from taking part in an online assessment.
  1. Substance misuse
  • are currently receiving treatment for substance misuse
  • are misusing substances and this misuse is significantly impacting your daily life.
  1. Previous assessment
  • have been assessed for autism or ADHD by another provider within the last two years.
  1. 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.
  1. Armed forces
  • are a serving member of the armed forces (you will be treated under the Defence Medical Services, so please speak to your local team or GP. However, dependants of people serving in the armed forces can be seen under Right to Choose).
  1. 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 because the screen is too small)
  • do not have access to a private and reliable internet connection
  • are unwilling to have your camera turned on throughout the assessment
  • are unwilling to confirm your identity via an online video call
  • are unwilling to provide the contact details of your 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:

  1. 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.
  1. Sensory needs
  • has a significant visual or hearing impairment that prevents them from engaging online.
  1. 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 their injuries
  • is detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983 or is subject to a Community Treatment Order.
  1. Substance misuse
  • is currently receiving treatment for substance misuse
  • is misusing substances and this misuse is significantly impacting their daily life.
  1. Previous assessment
  • has been assessed for autism or ADHD by another provider within the last two years.
  1. 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.
  1. 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).
  1. 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 because the screen is too small)
  • 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 get a referral

Step 1: Complete a screening tool

Step 2: Complete a GP referral request letter

To help make the referral process easier, we’ve created template letters you can send to your GP. Complete the referral request letter that’s right for you or the person you’re referring.

Then send the letter and the completed screening tool from step 1 above to your GP.

ADHD

Adult ADHD assessment referral request letter

Child ADHD assessment referral request letter

Autism

Adult autism assessment referral request letter

Child autism assessment referral request letter

Step 3: Your GP makes the referral

If your GP agrees you’d benefit from an assessment, they’ll send us a referral. They’ll also send us your completed screening tool and a summary of your medical care record.

Step 4: We confirm we've received your referral

We’ll send your GP an email to confirm that we’ve received your referral.

Step 5: We review your referral

After we receive your referral, we’ll get in touch and ask you to complete a consent form and a questionnaire to confirm that you’re suitable for our service.

When you’ve sent all the information back to us, we’ll review it to see if we can accept your referral.

If we can, we’ll add you to our waiting list. If we cannot, we’ll contact you and your GP to explain why.

Step 6: You're on our waiting list

When you reach the top of the list, we’ll get in touch to book an appointment to carry out your assessment.

The assessment process: what to expect

Before your assessment

A few weeks before your assessment, we’ll send you some questionnaires to complete and return to us. These questionnaires will help us understand your history, strengths and challenges.

We’ll also ask you to send us the contact details for someone who knows you well so we can ask them for some information too. This person could be a relative, partner or close friend.

Your assessment

We’ll send you detailed information about your assessment when we book your appointment. There are differences in the process for children and adults, and for autism and ADHD. However, all assessments include:

  • Your developmental, medical, psychiatric and education histories. You may find it helpful if someone who knew you during your early childhood (such as a parent, carer, brother or sister) joins you for this part of the assessment as they’ll be able to give us more information about your early life.
  • Questions about your daily life. The clinician will ask about things such as your sleep, mental health and behaviour.
  • Observation of how you present during the session.

You’re welcome to have someone with you for most of the assessment. However, there will be some time where we need to see you on your own.

After your assessment

Around 1 – 2 weeks after your assessment, we’ll send you and your GP a detailed report. We’ll write the report in clear language to help make it easy to understand.

The report will explain what we learned during your assessment, confirm the outcome and list information, resources and actions that may help you.

When you’ve had a chance to read the report, we’ll have another appointment online. The purpose of this appointment is to go over the report with you and answer any questions you have.

See waiting times in your area

On our waiting times page there’s a link to a tool you can use to find out which NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) area you come under. You can then look on the waiting times page to see current Right to Choose waiting times in your area.

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