NHS funded RTC autism assessments in Devon

NHS RTC autism assessments for children in Devon

We offer NHS RTC autism assessments children in Devon

Our current waiting time is 14 weeks from your referral being received
All our assessments are carried out to NICE-compliant standards
One in-person appointment will take place in our Exeter or Plymouth clinic
We are a clinically led service with a multidisciplinary team
Our reports are accepted by the NHS, schools, employers and Local Authorities.

What is Right to Choose?

If your GP agrees that your child should be assessed for autism, you have a legal right to choose who carries out that assessment. This is called Right to Choose, and it is part of the NHS Choice framework.

Before you start

You can use this route if your child:

Is aged 2 to the day they reach 18
Is registered with a GP practice in England
Does not already have an autism diagnosis
Can come to our clinic in Exeter or Plymouth for an in-person appointment

We cannot accept referrals for children and young people who need urgent help with their mental health, or who have ongoing substance misuse. Your GP can advise on the right support first.

How to get referred

Download form

Step 1

Book a GP appointment.

Tell the GP what you have noticed and how it affects your child at home, at school and with friends. Notes from school or nursery are helpful to bring.

Step 2

Ask to be referred to The Autism Service under Right to Choose. If your GP agrees an assessment is appropriate, the choice of provider is yours.

Step 3

Share our referral form with your GP. Download our referral form and share it with your GP, who will complete it to refer you.

Step 4

Your GP sends the referral to us. You do not need to do anything else at this stage.

Download Referral Form

What happens next?

Below, we explain what happens at each step after we receive your referral, how long things take, and when you and your child need to be involved. The observational assessment (ADOS-2) takes place in person at our Exeter or Plymouth clinic. Your other appointments are by video call.

1. We review your referral

We check it against the criteria for the service and may contact you for more information. We write to you and your GP, usually within 48 hours, to confirm whether it has been accepted.

2. We book your appointments

We talk you through each stage so you can prepare your child.

3. Clinical Interview

A clinician talks with you about your child’s early development and how things are now. This can take up to three hours.

4. Clinical assessment in clinic (ADOS-2)

Your child meets a clinician for structured play and activities suited to their age. A parent is sometimes in the room.

5. Multi-disciplinary team diagnostic meeting

After your child’s assessments, our multidisciplinary team reviews everything gathered against the DSM-V criteria to decide whether you meet the criteria for an autism diagnosis.

6. Feedback and written report

We share the outcome with you at a feedback appointment and send a full written report with recommendations for home and school.

How long it takes

We can usually offer a first appointment within 14 weeks of your referral being received. Most assessments are complete within four to six weeks of the start date.

Still of The Autism Service YouTube video

Play Video

How your autism assessment works

Every assessment we carry out follows NICE guidelines, so you can trust the outcome. In this short video, we explain how it works.

    
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Ian Harris 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. All the staff and clinicians were very friendly and put you at your ease. The whole process was so reassuring and you were made to feel comfortable at all times.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jugana Nowak 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I would highly recommend The Autism Service. Everyone we had contact with was incredibly kind, understanding, empathetic and very helpful. They responded to emails almost immediately, which made the whole process much less stressful for us.

My daughter usually does not like talking on the phone or online, but she felt comfortable and opened up during the appointments. She was happy to answer questions, which shows that the staff truly know how to approach and support their patients.

Even after the assessment was completed, they continued to be helpful and supportive. We are very grateful for their professionalism and care. I highly recommend this service.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Nicola Loasby 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Such a positive experience from start to finish.  We had been waiting three years for an NHS Assessment and decided to go private for our daughter.  From the start, there was a detailed plan in place.  I knew what was going on at every stage and the whole process was quick and well informed.  We have finally been listened to and have a report that helps us to provide the help and guidance our daughter deserves.  Thank you!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   graham hussey 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Very good service and very supportive
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jasmine Glanville 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. For a long time we struggled with our son and just knew there was something different about him. After being told NHS waiting times were over 24 months, we felt we had no choice but to go private for the sake of our 9-year-old. At that point, he would have been starting secondary school before we even received a diagnosis, and he was already struggling.

As parents, we felt it was our duty to get answers sooner rather than later.

Choosing The Autism Service was honestly the best decision we could have made. From start to finish the whole process was smooth, professional, and well communicated. We felt listened to, supported, and reassured every step of the way.

I would highly recommend this service to any parent in a similar position.

Live outside Devon?

You can still ask your GP to refer your child to us. Your local NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) will need to agree to fund the assessment first, and you will need to travel to Devon for at least one appointment. Our team can tell you whether this is likely to be possible based on where you live and any current restrictions in place with your local ICB.

Want to be seen sooner?

If Right to Choose waiting times don’t work for you or your child, a private assessment may help you get clarity and support sooner, for adults and children.

Learn more

Why choose The Autism Service?

A specialist team: Your assessment is carried out by experienced clinicians, including psychologists, psychiatrists, paediatricians, specialist nurses, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists.

Time to understand you: We listen to your experiences, your concerns and the support you might need. Every assessment is thorough, compassionate and follows NICE guidance.

Reports that open doors: You receive a clear, detailed report with practical recommendations for school, university, work or everyday life. Our reports are accepted by the NHS, schools, employers and local authorities.

Seen in person: We don’t cut corners. Our assessment pathway is the same today as when we started, and we hold firm that being seen in person when clinica guidance matters to getting an autism assessment right.

FAQs

No. If your GP refers you under Right to Choose, the NHS pays for your assessment.

Children and adults who are registered with a GP practice in England, whose GP agrees an autism assessment is appropriate, and who do not already have an autism diagnosis.

No. The referral must come from your GP. You can contact us first and we will send you the form to take to your appointment. Alternatively we offer private assessments within 4 weeks for both adults and children.

Possibly. Your local Integrated Care Board (ICB) would need to agree to fund the assessment, and you would need to travel to Devon for at least one appointment. Contact us and we will tell you whether it is likely to be possible.

Yes, for one appointment. The observational assessment (ADOS-2) takes place in person at our clinic in Exeter or Plymouth. Your other appointments are by video call.

We can usually offer a first appointment within 14 weeks of your GP’s referral being received. Most assessments are complete four to six weeks after they start.

There are two main parts. The first is a detailed developmental history, taken in an interview of up to three hours with someone who knows you well, or with parents for a child. We use the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). The second is the ADOS-2, an observation carried out one-to-one with a clinician.

No. The clinical team reviews everything first, then shares the outcome with you at a feedback appointment. There are three possible outcomes: a diagnosis, no diagnosis, or inconclusive. Fewer than 1% of assessments are inconclusive, and if that happens a clinician will advise you on what is needed to reach a clear outcome.

Yes. Our reports are accepted by the NHS, schools, employers and local authorities.

We write to you and your GP to explain why, so you can discuss other options.

Not with us in Devon; this contract covers autism only. Our sister company, The ADHD Service, offers NHS-funded ADHD assessments in some areas.

Yes. You can ask your GP to refer you to us under Right to Choose even if you’re already on an NHS waiting list for an autism assessment. If you do, you’ll need to let the provider whose waiting list you’re on know, so they can take you off it.