Adult diagnosis in north east England (Newcastle)

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Any adult aspies on here from the north east (England) had a diagnosis?

If so how did you go about it, GP, NHS?

What other help/support do you know of in the area?

I believe I have AS as does my GP. Though my GP can't help any further as he's discovered there is no funding for Adult diagnosis of AS in our region.

Have you tried contacting the National Autistic Society for advice?
http://www.autism.org.uk/

Yup.

Asked (repeatedly) my GP to refer me to a private bunch darn sarf.

None. Though that's not to say it doesn't exist.

Yup. Mine helpfully told me AS was "a children's disease", or words to that effect. ^^

Do PM me if you wanna chat. *grins*

I'm currently trying to get a diagnosis - my GP didn't seem to know what Asperger's was so just sent me to the mental health team, as asperger's was suspected in my teens they then passed me straight to the assessment team without having to go through all the hoopla with them exploring the possibility of my having some mental health problem. I had a letter a little while ago stating that diagnosis is not available where I live in Longbenton, but that it is available in Jesmond, however I've got to discuss the next step with my GP.

What you wrote about lack of funding is seriously concerning because to get my assessment in Jesmond it requires £2K funding from the Primary Care Trust - I need my diagnosis asap, so this is a major issue for me too.

As someone already suggested, go through NAS http://www.autism.org.uk for advice on this, hopefully they can help you, and help me if it comes down to it, they are generally the best to go through for local support. The only specific support I know of would be a local buddying group via NAS that meets for social get-together's once a month, or I get support from Newcastle College as I'm a student there and they have an autism team there - not really useful if you're looking for support about this specifically, sorry.

Hey, but as a fellow Geordie feel free to PM me

Thanks for the replies:)

I've emailed the Newcastle branch of NAS to see if they can offer anything. Might also see about the monthly meet-ups to. I'm finding work a bit difficult (socially) at the moment. Might be good to speak to people with similar problems.

Not sure of you find this but I've always had a patten: I start a new job, to begin with things go great, but then my social awkwardness goes from being viewed as an interesting if eccentric quirk to being viewed as Being a bit of a problem. I'm non the wiser as to how this happens. I'm just being me. That's why I really need to speak to a professional I'n this area.

Yep, been there, been burned by that.
My timescale was around 3-4 years before I got 'released' or relocated to a corner where I didn't worry people.
The last job only went as well as it did because I was left to my own devices to implement technical stuff from the get-go, so that one was great.

My pattern is more; start a new job, get overwhelmed by getting to know you exercises or role play in training, but then get into a nice comfortable pattern at work where I outperform my work mates...but then management start to have a problem with my being 'ignorant' or unwillingness to join the team who have little interest in including me, then soon ends in either wrongful dismissal or constructive dismissal.
So, I'd say most of us can struggle at work. You're not alone, and here's hoping you can find some help somewhere.

Oh, I asked around a bit, it seems as though there are still diagnostic services and social work teams for adults on the spectrum - it may just be your doctor is unsure where to go next, it's often not clear for GP's, but NAS should be able to help figure out the next step.

Hi, I am not sure if this is any help but I can tell you what I did, I contacted the National autistic society who sent me an information pack which included information for GP's, you should be able to ask for this - I then took the AQ test online and printed my results, and I armed myself with all of this when I saw my GP. I talked how it was making me anxious and depressed and from that I was refereed to the mental health team who had someone who could assess aspergers.

Apparently there are two ways to do it in adults - to have a parent down as a witness to answer questions about your childhood or if this is not possible, there will be an interview with someone you have not met before in front of a video camera, your responses will then be looked at on the tape afterwards.

Hope something may be of use

diagnosis is pretty standard throughout the UK, first your GP refers you to your local mental health team, where you are questioned by a Psychiatrist, then you are home visited by Community
practice nurses and more questions, as psychiatrists do not put labels on people, they will not give a diagnosis, however CPN's will. They are experienced in dealing with asperger individuals and PDD. If there is doubt about diagnosis, then a clinical psychiatrist will do an diagnosis, in your case it seems your GP as enough training to diagnose your AS, if it's been discussed then it is valid diagnosis. You are the proud owner of Asperger Syndrome. What this means is you can with confidence say you have AS. It's not complicated or mysterious, it's very matter of fact. The fact that your GP say there's no funding, means it's not worth the cost when it's a clear cut case, who knows your GP may have a relative with AS, and knows the symptoms. I hope this helps.

If this is the case then that means I have AS, I have verbally been told it is the case by a psychologist but not given the 'label' and have to go through the assessment to get it in writing. That happens for me in two weeks.

Thanks for all the replies everyone:)

I'm keen not to let this go.

Bloodheart - could you PM me with any info (or any info you may get) from your asking around?

I have a 4 year old son who has been diagnosed ASD. I want to be able to help him as much as I can by learning more about my own AS and by staying in a job for more than 3 year;)

There is so much help for Children but not much for adults.

capneg 6 wrote
If this is the case then that means I have AS, I have verbally been told it is the case by a psychologist but not given the 'label' and have to go through the assessment to get it in writing. That happens for me in two weeks.

I hope it goes well for you, good luck