Hi, I was put on a waiting list of an autism diagnosis however it’s a year long waiting list I was looking to go private spoke to my GP and he said to just google somewhere however I can’t find any private referrals in the greater Manchester area
Does anyone know of anyone I can contact regarding a private Referal around Manchester
Thankyou 
Hello,
I’ve had a very similar situation, also in the Greater Manchester area.
Found a couple of significant changes at work exasperated issues for me so went to GP about it and asked for an autism assessment. GP wasn’t particularly helpful and advised that the waiting list would be 12-18 months as a minimum and asked if there was any benefit to getting assessed but I pushed and was referred.
Personal situation continued to deteriorate so made the decision to go privately.
I got a private assessment through a group called The Owl Therapy Centre - very professionally conducted over teams due to Covid, which resulted in an ASD diagnosis.
I was contacted by the company that the GP referred me to a month later (3 month wait from referral) so sent them the reports and they effectively rubber stamped the private diagnosis (which surprised my GP).
If I’d have known that it would only be 3 months for an NHS appointment, I’d have waited.
I have found its really difficult to get any kind of specific support off the back of the private diagnosis. NHS provider has put me on a waiting list for coaching and support but has advised its very long.
Everyone directs me to generalised support and websites but it’s been difficult to find someone to assist with specific issues to myself.
On the flipside, it has helped me personally with starting to understand myself and with work making adjustments and changes to support.
Hope that helps!
Thankyou!! Yeah I’m in a similar situation had concerns I might have asd and my anxiety was getting worse went to the GP and I was in and out the room in about 2 mins flat no help at all contacted the physiologist I was referred to to see how long the wait would be and she said your on a 12 month waiting list so don’t even be expected to be contacted until December. I’m starting uni in September ( at 22😬) and I would just like a bit of an answer before I start really I spoke to my GP again about going private and he just said “google it” I feel like there’s no help or info that’s easy to access
I saw my GP to get a referral April 21. I've had part 1 of assessment, but part 2 is yet more waiting, expected to be Autumn before I get this. Its so frustrating as I can't afford to go private but am struggling with work at the moment
that’s horrible, they don’t make it easy to get a diagnosis I understand they may be understaffed due to covid but nearly 12 months is awful. If your struggling with work maybe speak to your employer see if there’s anything they can do to support you? Hope you get things sorted
Hi Georgia_sophie, it was actually 3 years on the waiting list for my daughter but, we were given support at school before a diagnosis. Are you at college at the moment and do you have any support there? It can help by getting tutors or support staff to write supporting letters for when you go to university. I hope that The Owl Therapy Centre can help with a private assessment for you.
Hi, 3years !! That’s awful did you end up going private or ? I’m currently doing an access to HE course so I can go to uni (I’ve been working full time for the past 3 years) but it’s mainly online. I think they have a place at my chosen uni where you can get an assessment for asd,adhd etc but again there’s a waiting list. I’ve contacted the the owl therapy centre so hopefully I get a reply and can go from there
It may not be the case for Bee-bop, but aside from cost being a factor for some families, some councils won’t accept a private diagnosis: they won’t provide any support to children and families without an NHS diagnosis, meaning that even if you pay for private assessment, it’s not recognised and there’s still no help for school or anything else. We were in that situation with our old council, meaning it took me 2 years to get my daughter referred for an assessment, and then we had to wait a further 4 years to get seen and get a diagnosis. With other diagnosed kids in the wider family, and having worked with ALN myself, I’d first said I thought she was on the spectrum at the age of 18 months, but she didn’t actually get her diagnosis until she was 10, and although she’s academically very able, she’s hardly high functioning or age appropriate in terms of day to day behaviour and social skills. Anyone that knows anything about autism would only need to spend 5 minutes with her to recognise it, which is why the wait and difficulty to get her assessed was so frustrating. We weren’t entitled to any support at all until we had a piece of paper from the NHS, and I often wonder what difference early intervention services might have made to the issues we’ve had over the years.
I have been trying to get diagnosis for my son since he was 2, he is now 9 and still not had an assessment, it is only recently that i have got anywhere by being quite stern with them and not accepting that they are casting me off yet again after years of just accepting that they will not help. In my area there is another 3 years waiting list to be seen face to face for assessment but assessment can be done sooner by a company called Healios, this is done online. Do not accept being fobbed off, insist and complain to yout MP if it helps.
If you have been given a waiting time of 1 year, you should be doing cartwheels with joy. The average waiting time for diagnosis in most of the country is aroun 3+ years. Manchester seems to have put some considerable effort in developed its autism services through the Greater Manchester Autism Consotrtium (GMAC) and cooperative work with local NHS.
Whilst a year may seem to be a long time, it is really quick for what most of the population has to endure to get referral, nevermind an initial assessment appointment. You can go private, but you should be aware that there are many NHS services who will not recognise a private diagnosis. Even before the pandemic, there were instances of NHS services refusing to recognise private diagnoses from providers they use themselves to accomodate their overflow. This included diagnosis from the Lorna Wing Centre, unfortunately.
The choice is yours, but if you have only a year to wait, it may be worth the time, however, this is a personal choice and every time a private diagnosis is sought, the waiting lists for the NHS reduce and their services are often reduced accordingly. This can include access to post diagnostic support and referral through the NHS following your private diagnosis.
i’ve been waiting 20 months so far! every time i call and ask how long, they say it could be another year!
Hi,
I'm also in the Greater Manchester area and have just recieved my autism diagnosis. My referral for my assessment was sent to my GP on 23/12/21, I was contacted by The Owl Therapy Centre on 18/02/22 who had been asked by the NHS to carry out my assessment. I recieved my diagnosis on 25/03/22. I honestly recommend that you ask your GP to put forward your referral for an assessment and then go private if you don't hear back from them in three months.
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