NHS Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) has commissioned new specialist providers to deliver Autism and ADHD assessments for children and young people across Essex.
This expansion gives families more choice over care providers and will help to reduce waiting times for assessment and treatment.
All providers listed on this page have been quality assured by NHS Essex ICB and meet NHS standards for safety, clinical effectiveness and care.
Additional providers for adult Autism and ADHD services have also recently been approved.
More choice for providers of Autism and ADHD assessments in Essex
A network of locally commissioned providers is now available to support children and young people residing in Essex to receive timely assessment and treatment.
Alongside existing services delivered by:
- Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT)
- North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT)
- Provide Community Interest Company (Provide CIC)
GPs can now refer patients to additional providers through the NHS Right to Choose.
Approved providers include:
These providers work alongside existing services to ensure more children can be assessed sooner.
They offer:
- Autism and ADHD assessments
- diagnosis and care planning
- ADHD medication prescribing (where clinically appropriate)
- shared care arrangements with GPs and GP Federations
This means that, where appropriate, prescriptions and follow-up care can be managed locally.
Additional providers have been commissioned and are expected to begin accepting referrals later this spring. This page will be updated when they go live.
How to get a referral
Referrals to these providers must be made by your GP, in line with national Right to Choose guidelines.
Schools are not able to refer children to these services under the NHS Right to Choose. guidelines.
Schools can continue to refer children to the Community Collaborative using My Care Bridge, as they currently do.
For children and young people living in the former NHS Mid and South Essex area, work is underway to support those who have been waiting over one year for an Autism or ADHD assessment to move to one of the new providers listed above. This includes young people preparing to transition to adult services.
Your right to choose your provider
Under the NHS Right to Choose, families have the legal right to choose who provides their child’s Autism or ADHD care.
NHS Essex ICB encourages families to choose providers within the locally approved network, as these services:
- meet NHS quality and safety standards
- are fully quality assured
- are connected to local NHS services
- support continuity of care
Choosing a locally commissioned provider helps ensure care is safe, coordinated and aligned with wider local services.
Choosing a provider outside the local network
Families can choose another provider under the NHS Right to Choose. However, it is important to:
- check what services the provider offers
- confirm whether treatment (such as medication) is included
- check if the provider will enter into shared care agreements with GPs and GP Federations
Some providers offer assessment and diagnosis only, which may require a further referral for NHS treatment, or for patients to pay privately for prescriptions.
Find out more about patient choice (Right to Choose)