Our service
We are a specialist multidisciplinary NHS team comprising of Psychologists, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Music Therapists and Administrators. We offer diagnostic and post-diagnostic services to adults aged 18 and over.
What is autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition where a person has difficulties in social communication and interaction and restrictive and repetitive patterns of behaviours and interests. The differences associated with autism are present throughout a person’s life, however it may not always be detected in childhood. This could be for several reasons, including masking/camouflaging of symptoms, symptoms not been picked up, or the child receiving another related diagnosis, whilst the underlying autism goes undiagnosed.
It is estimated that more than one in 100 people are autistic, an estimated 1.1% of the population. There are at least 700,000 adults and children with autism in the UK.
Referral and acceptance criteria for a diagnostic assessment
We review referral information in accordance with the DSM-5 criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (i.e. persistent deficits in social interaction and social communication, and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours and interests). We are only able to accept referrals made by a GP or healthcare professionals.
Copies of our referral form can be found as a download from here. Our referral forms contain two parts which need completing for an autism diagnostic assessment. Part one is for completion by your GP or another healthcare professional. Part two is for completion by the person being referred and asks about possible autism related traits that have been identified. Both parts should be submitted to us by your GP or another healthcare professional in order for us to review.
All referrals received from a GP or a healthcare professional are reviewed by the team to decide whether there are sufficient indicators of probable autism traits (across DSM-5 criteria) to warrant an autism diagnostic assessment. This process of review takes time meaning we ask for your patience between your referral being submitted and an outcome letter being sent to you.
Waiting for an assessment
Waiting times for assessment currently exceed 40 months. Due to many variables, waiting times are subject to continual change and we are unable to predict these fluctuations. We update the information on this webpage to accurately reflect the people we are currently assessing. Your acceptance letter will tell you when you were added to the waiting list.
We are unable to respond to enquiries about individual wait times to begin an assessment. We are currently assessing people who were accepted onto our diagnostic waiting list in October 2022.
Waiting Well
The following services may be of help to you while you are waiting for an Autism Assessment:
- Open Mental Health
- Talking Therapies
- Village Agents
- Somerset’s Local Offer
Please refer to the information and resources page to explore support opportunities that may be available to you.
Assessment for autism
We offer assessments in line with the guidelines provided by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
The assessment process may differ between individuals, dependent on the evidence available to the clinician. Generally, the assessment commences with a clinical interview that allows us to get to know you and understand more about your strengths and differences. As autism is a lifelong and pervasive condition, we may ask to speak to someone who knew you in childhood (parents/ carers or similar) to gain a comprehensive developmental history. Conversely, if evidence of autism is not present currently, then an outcome may be offered without further meetings being needed. Each case is individual and as an adults’ service we appreciate some evidence may not be available from parents etc., as well as the additional complexities of an individual’s life experiences impacting on the diagnostic decision-making process.
It is important that individuals consenting to the assessment process do so with the understanding that the outcome may be that there is not enough evidence to support a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, so a diagnosis of autism may not be given. We appreciate the difficulty for some with this outcome, as some individuals may identify with the idea of being autistic, to then discover that they do not meet diagnostic criteria. Please consider the implications of this before consenting to the diagnostic assessment process.
When you have completed an assessment, we will offer feedback, talk through the assessment, and signpost you to other services where appropriate. If you are given a diagnosis, we will offer a follow up appointment approximately 6 months after your diagnosis, as we recognise that it can take time to process and make sense of this information.
Post diagnostic support
We are primarily an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnostic service. However, we do offer several post diagnostic support options, including groups, individual signposting and resources. Please see our post-diagnostic support page for more information.
Information for staff
We are able to offer some liaison and advice to staff members working with individuals who have an Autism diagnosis or are waiting for an assessment. To request further information about what we can offer, please email us.