Asperger Support from the UK

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My GP said he would refer me early October. I went to see another GP the other week and my notes said nothing had been done so she suggested I contact the other GP's secretary. I did this and she very helpfully said she would chase him up and would ring me in a couple of days. She didn't. So I rang her again last Friday. She was very sorry and would chase him up again and will ring me today. Nothing so far.

There is a charity in the South East of England called MCCH. They run drop in centres for people with mental health problems, autism and learning difficulties. I go to one in my town but it is specifically for MH issues, which I have, yet the nearest centre they run for autistic people is about 60 miles away. As far as I am aware there is nothing in my town. The local mental health NHS clinic doesn't deal with autism and the nearest place to get a diagnosis is 80 miles away in south London. It is a shame not more is done in this country for AS people.

I believe virtually the whole of the NHS is in contravention of the new NICE guidelines at the moment. It's such a large problem though that no-one seems to tackle it.

I currently have had one visit, pending a second, from a Clinical Nurse Specialist in the AS field, she is brilliant and is going to even liaise with my GP about my meds. However, I don't believe I will get any more visits after my second. I'm not even officially diagnosed yet, but she is going to help support me in getting PALS to send me for an out of area assessment after failed assessment locally over 3 years ago.

She is supporting me through a holistic assessment of mine and my daughters' (both pending AS assessment) needs, and because she knows of the struggle I've had getting diagnosed and basically I just haven't gone away, I've badgered the GP and PALS, and to a degree the Neurobehavioural Clinic, because I want justice. In that time, I have suffered worse and worse anxiety so it's reached the stage, that especially as my physical health is suffering and I have two young children, they are having to help me.

Having said all of that, I don't anticipate that if I get a diagnosis there will be long term support of any kind.

The closest place I know of that will diagnose adults is in Wiltshire. I am in Plymouth. If you're a child, there's the child development centre in Plymouth.