Call us: 01843 663116
e-mail: info@essexautismservice.com
FAQ

Please find answers to some frequently asked questions. If you are still unsure about whether an assessment is right for you or your child, please contact us via email or telephone.

Unfortunately, we are not in the Right to Choose scheme. As a private service, it is really important that we have availability for our clients to be seen within weeks of being referred, so are not planning to join the scheme at this time.

No, as a private service we accept self-referrals. Please call or email to start the process.  

Of course! It can be particularly difficult if someone else, such as a school teacher or counsellor has suggested an assessment and it isn’t something you had considered. In the first instance, you can speak to one of our knowledgeable administrators, but if you wish to speak to one of our clinicians, we will arrange a telephone call with you.

Our waiting times do vary at different times of the year, but usually we will be able to see you within 4-6 weeks. The assessment takes around 1-2 weeks to complete and you receive the written report within 2-3 weeks of the final face-to-face appointment.

Yes, you can use ClearPay to pay some of the fees over a six week period following your assessment. Please speak to our administrators for more information.

Yes, we often provide assessments that are funded by insurers such as Bupa and Healix. Please speak to our administrators for further information. If we aren’t registered with your particular insurer, you may be able to pay for the assessment and claim the funds back.

Sorry, but we are not registered with this system.

Our assessments meet NHS standards and so are accepted by the NHS and other statutory services. We have been assessing privately for nearly 10 years and have never had a diagnosis refused by another organisation. We have also been commissioned by NHS services, social services and schools to conduct assessments.

We do offer individual therapy but we have limited capacity so there may be a wait for this (approximately 3 months). We also provide regular online Q&A sessions for parents of children diagnosed with autism and/or ADHD, so you are welcome to come along at any time. There are some fantastic local private, statutory and non-statutory services that we will signpost you to, and our clinicians work hard to create links with these services and be aware of what is currently available. If you need any further advice or support that you cannot find elsewhere, we will try and help as much as possible. For example, some parents or adults benefit from a follow up session post-diagnosis, and we are more than happy to provide this. In general, our door is open, so we encourage our clients to stay in touch and ask if they have any questions or concerns.

We provide a comprehensive assessment of ADHD that meets NHS guidelines. We do not provide medication or advice about medication but we can refer you to a psychiatry service for medication review. There will be additional costs for this service. Access to medication on the NHS varies according to your local service, and waiting list times and requirements for additional assessment will also vary.

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