Has anyone experience of adult diagnosis on the NHS?

Post Reply New Topic

Has anyone experience of problems getting a diagnosis on the NHS and how did you manage it/how long did you wait? It's looking increasingly that I need to go private. I have been referred for an assessment for mild Asperger's. I saw a psychiatrist who was unsure one way or the other but said she would refer me to a specialist centre. There is no funding for this assessment from the Primary care trust and they say community mental health services should be supporting me and yet my GP has told me there is nothing he can do for my depression (related to social problems). The psychiatrist has offered for a colleague to see me, but it would be the same again which is just using a developmental questionnaire.
I have access to employment help and I'm going to try a support group. Apart from that I'm not sure what services there might be, if any? Can anyone tell me?

omg, i had same problem. it took forever to find somewhere to get tested cuz private psychologists wouldn't take insurance. But I finally found OHSU, (Oregon health and science university), who tested me for free. It is a research/science type of place. I really had to fight to get in though. They mainly test children, however, they can make exceptions for testing adults. Then I was on waiting list for almost a year >.<. But it was worth it.

Maybe you have a research type of facility in an area near you as well. Keep calling around and don't give up.

I currently have an appointment with a doctor in November, so I'll will just wait and see what happens I would like to get a professional diagnosis, it will finally explain a few things about my behaviour...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Believing oneself to be perfect is often the sign of a delusional mind. (what Data says to the Borg Queen in Star Trek: First Contact)

The UK NHS has a page about diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder at http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Autistic-s ... nosis.aspx and say "If you think you may have a condition on the autistic spectrum, visit your GP and explain why. Ask your GP to refer you to a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist. Read tips on how to present your case in Diagnosis: the process for adults on the National Autistic Society (NAS) website." - the correct link is http://www.autism.org.uk/About-autism/A ... dults.aspx

The next paragraph is helpful, "If you're already seeing a specialist for other reasons, you may want to ask them for a referral instead. Note that some PCTs do not provide NHS funding for diagnosing ASD in adults.", so getting treated as a psychiatric patient (for depression, anxiety etc) can be a shortcut.

Had mine done last Friday. It was pretty easy and she diagnosed me by just talking to me. However the waiting lists can be long. I was lucky because there was a cancellation.

I am currently seeking diagnosis on the NHS in london. It doesn't look promising but the GP and Pdoc are trying to help me.

I think this is where my problem is, there is no funding from the PCT. I'm not suicidal or dangerous, and can function day to day - I'm just unhappy so they've no reason to justify it. I've got a psychiatrist willing to refer me.

I made an enquiry about private assessment and was told it would be £600 and May 2011 before I would be seen so actually considering a second opinion from another psychiatrist.

Good luck to everyone getting an assessment.

This amazes me, and it is not the first time I have heard it. The psychiatrist treating you now will provide more effective, cheaper long-term support by having you assessed. The penny-pinching is so short-sighted.

I received my diagnosis through the psychiatric care route, while being treated for anxiety and depression - it seems to be where most undiagnosed people with Asperger's end up.

Thought I had adhd, went to my gp about that, referral to psychiatry, referal to scottish society for autism people.

Total waiting time : 1 and 1/2 years.

(A large proportion of which was spent wasting my gp's time, as my referal to the autism folks kept getting "lost".)

When you're seeking a diagnosis of AS in UK, ask specifically for a psychologist, explaining that you don't believe your problem is one of mental health, but is neurological in nature - ergo a psychiatrist wouldn't be of much assistance. The waiting times are much, much lower and the support is usually first rate.

It took a total of 5 years before the psych referred me to a specialist. During those 5 years, I was repeatedly told that there was 'nothing we can do' by the psychiatrist. I left his office in tears every three months. I got a 5-10 minute appointment if I was lucky. During the 5 years, I had 3 nervous breakdowns. I was in and out of A+E as my behaviour was suicidal at times. I thought I was a 'freak' as that is what my peers had been telling me for years. The NHS don't care about anything except money. Eventually I was referred to the Maudsley for a diagnosis (aged 19).

After I got diagnosed AS, TS and OCD, came more problems. Now the psychiatrist said there: 'is nothing we can do because we don't deal with AS' which drove my Mum into her second or third (I stopped counting) nervous breakdown. My mental health was suffering due to the length of time it had taken to get the correct diagnosis and I was barely functioning. The next step was to move me into residential as my Mum couldn't cope with me (actually my behaviour) any more. The NHS immediately refused to fund anything (not even a few hours of respite) and I had to go to a college for the blind as it was LSC (learning and skills council) funded. Needless to say they couldn't handle my behaviour and I ended up getting kicked out of there.

I am in care now (still not happy though... I think that's just me) but the NHS only admitted I needed care after I tried to swallow a bunch of pills and ended up in a psych hospital.

Basically the NHS suck but I wish you all the luck in the world trying to get a diagnosis.