Question for people in the UK who have a diagnosis.

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Did anybody here get assessed in Sheffield? This is where I have been referred and I would like to know what to expect so I can prepare myself.
What happened while you were there? Did you have to go more than one time? (This concerns me because I live quite far away from Sheffield). Did you have to talk to many different people? How long did you have to wait for your assessment? And then, afterwards, how long did you have to wait for the result?


PS: If you didn't get assessed in Sheffield, but elsewhere in the UK, I'd love to hear your experiences too.

Hi Guineapigged,
I got assessed in Winchester, by an autism/Aspergers specialist. I saw him for an hour and a half and we chatted about all sorts of things - family, school, friends, hobbies, problems; and then he asked me if anyone else had mentioned Aspergers to me, because I have many of the Aspergers features. He explained about Aspergers to me and said I was definetly on the spectrum. It was quite relaxed and easy.
I'm lucky enough to be able to continue seeing him regularly and he is helping me loads, because he understands Aspergers and how it affects me, as well as understanding that I have some non-Aspergers related problems that need resolving too. However, this specialist who
I saw is a private consultant, who no longer works for the NHS.

My experience of the NHS is not very good. I was referred to the local Community Mental Health team because of panic attacks and depression. I had to wait 15 weeks to see anybody. First I had to see a psychiatrist who asked the same sort of questions as the private consultant asked me, but then ruled out a diagnosis of Aspergers and referred me to a psychotherapist. The psychotherapist asked me the same questions as the psychiatrist did, and then referred me to another psychotherpist who asked the same questions again the first time I met her. She then just did CBT with me and then discharged me.

Hi, I've not been diagnosed yet, I'm going to visit my GP soon though to discuss this situation.

ECJ - I hope you don't mind me asking a few questions?

I have Anxiety and Depression and have been seen by the NHS in the past for these issues.

What type of questions did the NHS people ask you? were they Autism/Aspergers related? did they give you a diagnosis of anything?

Does the NHS Accept the Private diagnosis?

I received a diagnosis in adulthood. It wasn't in Sheffield however as I live miles away. I was diagnosed both privately and through the NHS. The way it came about was as follows:

Private Diagnosis

I received a home visit from a consultant clinical and forensic psychologist on behalf of The Rookery (part of The Priory Group). The appointment lasted about an hour with a family member present for some of it. He took details of my written account, spoke to the family member and noted his own observations. A couple of weeks later I received the final report. The diagnosis was supported by The Gilliam Asperger's Disorder Scale and the Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale (both prorated for my age)

NHS Diagnosis

I attended my GP who referred me to a local CPN (community psychiatric nurse) through the regional NHS Foundation Trust. I was triaged initially and subsequently referred by the CPN to the Autism Spectrum Conditions Service that serves my area. Whilst waiting for an appointment I would regularly attend one to one sessions with the CPN and occasionally the doctor that works alongside the CPN to take care of any medication needs etc.

Fast forward about 6 months and I finally received an appointment. I was mailed through EQ and AQ questionnaires to complete prior to the appointment. I attended the assessment appointment which was conducted by an Autism Spectrum Conditions Service specialist practitioner. Along with the completed questionnaires I took along with me my own written account which she helped elucidate and explain things more effectively than one to one verbal communication. The appointment lasted approximately an hour and I was asked the expected questions relating to development, friendships, relationships, special interests, school and work life etc. She later contacted a parent to gain further knowledge of developmental history and childhood.

After the appointment I received a draft report which I annotated and send back for final completion. I received the final report a few days later in which it included everything previously mentioned including her observations of in the assessment, useful information and a clinical diagnosis. All in all the procedure from referral to discharge took about 6-7 months.

I hope the above helps you gain some anticipatory insight.

Hi MrJosh,
No, I don't mid questions. I'll try and answer as well as I can.

What type of questions did the NHS ask me?
These are the questions I remember: my relationships with my family members, my grades at school, when the anxiety and depression started, how school was for me, if I had any major childhood illnesses, what I was interested in, what jobs my parents had, how often I socialised, how much time I spent on my interests, what I was scared of, what I was depressed about....

Were they autism/Aspergers related? Not really. The psychiatrist spoke to my mum after he spoke to me and asked her about my childhood etc. I think the questions he asked her were more autism/Aspergers related than the questions he asked me.

Did they give me a diagnosis of anything? I think they diagnosed social phobia.
Now I know about Aspergers, I'm surprised they didn't diagnose it, as I have so many of the features.

Did the NHS accept the private diagnosis? I've only seen my GP about it, as I have no plans on going back to NHS mental health services, if I can avoid it. My GP accepts the diagnosis.

Hope that helps. Good luck with discussing your situation with your GP.

Yep I got diagnosed there a few months ago, I live in Leeds and only had to visit once, once I got there we had to wait about ten minutes then we went through to a small room and talked for a while mainly about what I had said to my doctor (what shows do I like, what fears,what is a normal day like etc...) after about an hour and a half she went to talk to someone else,they came back about ten minutes later and told me I have aspergers. It took me about 6 years of talking to doctors etc... until I got referred there

I hope this helps a little, and other questions just ask