Frequently asked questions

• While we understand the value of a formal diagnosis, our assessments and reports take a neuro-affirmative approach, contextualising your individual experiences. A neuro-affirmative report views neurological differences like autism and ADHD as natural variations within human experience, rather than deficits. We focus on your strengths, preferred learning styles, and the support you need, using respectful, person-first language throughout. We acknowledge sensory and processing differences, encourage self-advocacy, and work collaboratively with you and your support network to promote well-being and create inclusive environments. Our approach celebrates neurodiversity and avoids deficit-based models.

Your initial assessment is where your diagnostic journey begins. It's an opportunity for you to meet with our team and for us to understand your individual needs and experiences. This helps us to personalise your diagnostic assessment. Perhaps you have sensory processing challenges? We may then suggest including an Occupational Therapist in your team.

We are committed to responsible healthcare. This initial consultation ensures that pursuing a diagnostic assessment is the most appropriate path for you and provides you with the time to consider and prepare for potential challenges along the way. We aim to empower you throughout this process.

There is no obligation to pursue a full diagnostic assessment with us, even if this is suggested during the initial assessment. All clients will receive an initial assessment feedback report following their initial assessment, provided by a fully qualified clinical psychologist.

• Currently we assess children aged 6 and over for ADHD, and adults.
• We assess school-age children for autism who can communicate verbally (in full sentences) and adults.

There are three possible outcomes to our assessments:

Diagnosis: An official diagnosis of Autism and/or ADHD, based on DSM-5 criteria and founded on a gold-standard assessment that aligns with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.

Differential Diagnosis: There is a clear lack of evidence to support the presence of ASD and/or ADHD. Instead, there is stronger evidence to support an alternative explanation for the experiences described.

Inconclusive: There is a lack of sufficient evidence to support a diagnosis of ASD and/or ADHD. This may be due to difficulties obtaining enough information to confidently determine a positive diagnosis, or to exclude a diagnosis at the time of assessment. Further re-evaluation at an appropriate time in the future may be suggested, or an alternative pathway considered.

Even if your symptoms do not meet the threshold for a formal diagnosis, your report will detail your strengths and concerns to aid self-understanding and communication with others. We may offer a differential diagnosis that better explains your experiences.

• Being clinical psychology-led, our team are expertly positioned to understand the nuances of autism and ADHD presentations in females. All of our assessments are grounded in psychological theory, allowing us to effectively understand clients who may mask traits or compensate for some of their symptoms. We also recognise pathological demand avoidance as a unique presentation of the autism spectrum.

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (2015) states that local authorities cannot reject a professional assessment or diagnostic report from a private source. This means that it is unlawful for a third party to deny services on the basis that the diagnosis was obtained through a private provider.

A third party may, however, refuse to recognise a private diagnosis if the quality or credibility of the assessment process is questionable. Therefore, it is important to select a private provider who meets regulatory standards.

From a quality perspective, our assessments align with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) best practice guidance and conform to the standards set out by NHS England. This represents the gold standard level of assessment. You will receive a comprehensive report that provides a full clinical rationale for your diagnostic outcome and a detailed account of the assessment components undertaken to reach that diagnostic decision. There will be no grounds for challenge based on the quality of the assessment. In the rare event that you find your diagnosis challenged, we would be able to successfully support you in challenging any third party who does not automatically recognise your diagnosis.

Our assessments have the following strengths:

• Qualifications: Our doctors are fully qualified clinical psychologists recognised as appropriately trained and skilled to lead and diagnose ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) within the context of a multidisciplinary service.

• Multi-Disciplinary Approach: Diagnoses are made within a multi-professional team, enabling consultation on complex cases with clinicians from other professional backgrounds.

• ASD Assessment: All autism assessments include a speech and language therapist as part of the clinical team as standard.

Our National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) aligned assessments are routinely recognised by the NHS. You may be asked to provide your full assessment to your GP in some circumstances so they can ensure NICE compliance, however usually our letter of evidence suffices to allow any resulting diagnosis to be added to your medical record. The treatment you receive through the NHS after diagnosis will depend on your individual circumstances. For example, if you are already under the care of a Community Mental Health Team or Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), there is no reason why your diagnosis should not be recognised and this may allow the service to adjust your interventions accordingly. If you are not currently under a secondary care mental health service, you will still need a referral from your GP to psychiatric services, and this may involve a waiting period, regardless of your official diagnosis.

Many non-medical interventions for ADHD and ASD are often provided by charities. We will provide you with information about these organisations, which you can access once you have received your diagnosis.

You may be able to access medication privately after you receive an ADHD diagnosis. Sometimes, NHS GPs may agree to continue prescribing medication regularly through a shared-care agreement with your private doctor. It's important to discuss this with your GP to determine if this is an option for you. Please see next FAQ for further information. 

As a clinical psychology led team, our main priority is helping you to understand your own unique experiences, however they show up for you. By building a shared understanding we can then create a bespoke plan to support you with the concerns that led you to our service. For some clients with ADHD, medicine may be one recommendation, however this should always be prescribed as part of a comprehensive plan of support that additionally considers factors such as psychological wellbeing, environment (e.g home, school, workplace), support system, adaptive function and social aspects.

An ADHD diagnosis does not automatically determine whether medication is suitable for you and not everyone with ADHD will wish to pursue medical treatment. 

Following a diagnosis of ADHD, you may wish to seek out further advice regarding your suitability and the benefits of medication for ADHD.  A physical assessment will be carried out by a specialist prescriber. Depending on your age and the complexity of your medical history a specialist prescriber can be a specialist nurse, pharmacist, psychiatrist or paediatrician. GP's will rarely be trained to prescribe ADHD medication, however they can refer you onto an appropriate pathway. 

This physical assessment may include:

• Review of your medical history
• Blood pressure check 
• Weight and height declaration
• Additional blood tests (only if necessary)
• ECG (only if necessary)

There are a number of options to consider following your diagnosis with WMAAAS:

1. You can take your official diagnostic report to your NHS GP to discuss the options that are available to you from the NHS.  The GP may wish to review your report in order to establish that the diagnostic process adheres to NICE guidelines. 

2. You may wish to expedite the medication process by consulting a private provider. You will be responsible for paying for your consultations and medication when selecting this rouite. Some private providers may be happy to initiate a "Shared Care Agreement". This is the term for a collaborative arrangement where your care is shared with the NHS (usually your GP) who may take on issuing your regular prescriptions. As NHS Trust policies and individual GP practices vary, we strongly recommend also discussing this possibility with your GP.

3. WMAAAS has a shared pathway agreement with an independent prescribing service that you may wish to access in the event that you are considering medication through a private provider.  A shared pathway agreement means that the service operates as a separate entity to WMAAAS but has agreed to accept referrals from our service at the ‘starting medication’ phase of treatment, as they are satisfied with the quality of our assessment reports.  There is no obligation to utilise this service but provides access to a medication pathway should it be required. 

Once you have started medication, monthly titration appointments and blood pressure submissions may be required to monitor and optimise treatment until it is stable. 

A private diagnosis does not guarantee immediate treatment through the NHS, so you may need to be prepared to manage the ongoing monthly prescription costs. If you would like information about the cost of medications through the shared pathway please contact us.

• Streamlined medical assessment and prescription services through a shared pathway.
• A comprehensive diagnostic report with tailored recommendations that considers biological, social, environmental and psychological factors.
• Post-diagnostic support sessions tailored to your unique needs
• Signposting/referral
• Psychological Therapies
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Occupational Therapy Sensory Assessment and Support
• Guidance about working with schools and the local authority for getting education, health and care needs recognised in a formal capacity
• Certification of your diagnosis and recommendations for adjustments to third-party organisations (e.g. Higher education (Universities), schools, the local authority, NHS, the department of work and pensions e.g. disability allowance/PIP applications).

• This will depend on the type of assessment. For more information please contact us for our assessment leaflets.

• Once all components of your assessment have been completed we aim to write the report and feedback this to you in 6 weeks.
• In some cases at the feedback meeting we may need to request to extend your assessment, or seek further information from you if we have been unable to formally conclude on your diagnostic outcome.

• Information from childhood is an important part of your developmental history, however we appreciate that adults may not always have access to a person from their childhood or items such as school reports. 
• It is not essential to have a childhood informant, however providing a good childhood history will help to avoid an inconclusive outcome to your diagnostic assessment. It may also be helpful to have a partner or close confidant take part in your assessment so that perspectives can be gained from other parties.
• Sometimes parents can contribute to the assessment through questionnaires if this is a suitable option for you.

• Unfortunately we do not offer payment plans.

• We are based in Sutton Coldfield. Upon request some appointments can take place over video, however some parts of the assessment may require you to travel to clinic. This will depend on the type of assessment you are undertaking. 

• No we do not operate a waiting list. Once you have decided to pursue an assessment with us we are usually able to schedule your appointments without a delay.