All our Autism and ADHD assessments are tailored to the individual. We use a blended assessment model and have clinics in Harrogate, Halifax and Horsforth, which clients may be required attend at least once where we recognise a need for a face to face appointment.
A diagnosis can play a significant role in self-identity and helping others to understand an individual’s differences. It can also mark the beginning of a journey benefitting from specialised support and services. Following an assessment, Oakdale will collaborate with you to identify recommendations and provide information about suitable specialist services, empowering you to thrive.
To find out more about our adult assessment process, please view our adult client guide here.
To find out more about our children and young people’s assessment process, please view our children and young people’s client guide here.
Children’s Autism assessment (suitable for age 2-18yrs): £2299
Children’s ADHD assessment (suitable for age 6-18yrs): £2299
Children’s Combined Autism and ADHD assessment (suitable for age 6-18yrs): £2995
Adult 18+yrs Autism assessment: £2395
Adult 18+yrs ADHD assessment £2395
Adult Combined Autism and ADHD assessment (suitable for age 6-18yrs): £2995
Cognitive Assessment: £950
If you would like to make a referral for a self-funded assessment please click below.
I want to refer myself.
I want to refer another person.
If you are unable to use the above forms, please call 01423 503080 and press option 1.
For more about our NHS-funded services please view the sections further down on this page
Please note that you cannot self-refer to our NHS-funded assessment service. Referrals must come from your GP.
If you feel you or your child requires an Autism and/or ADHD assessment and you would like this to be funded by the NHS and delivered by Oakdale, please follow the steps below:
Important things to consider
The GP will need to check they are following any guidance provided by your local Integrated Care Board about Right to Choose referrals before referring.
If you are referring from outside of West Yorkshire, you may need to allow a little extra time for your Integrated Care Board (who would be funding the assessment) to carry out extra checks with Oakdale, if these are needed.
In the interest of fairness, referrals will be processed in the order they are received.
Booking and attending an assessment does not guarantee a diagnosis of Autism and / or ADHD. Our specialist assessments are designed to interpret the information provided and whilst some people will meet diagnostic thresholds, others will not.
Oakdale will get in touch with you via email or telephone once you are on our waiting list, so please look out for Oakdale emails and check your spam / junk mail regularly.
Oakdale delivers Autism and ADHD assessments under the Right to Choose/ NHS Patient Choice framework. However, referring GPs must check with their local ICB that they are following relevant local guidelines on NHS Right to Choose / Patient Choice before submitting this referral.
This form is only for requesting an Autism and / or ADHD assessment.
The link below is only to be used by GP Surgeries.
This step is required to enable the ND Assessments team to verify the referral has originated from an NHS registered GP surgery / email address.
Oakdale delivers Autism and ADHD assessments under the Right to Choose/ NHS Patient Choice framework. We currently hold a contract with thw West Yorkshire ICB for these services.
The NHS has been working hard in recent years to give people more control over their healthcare requirements.
In many areas of physical and mental health care and assessment, at the point of referral, people have the right to choose the provider that delivers the service they need.
People can choose another NHS service or a private organisation that has an NHS contract for the service you are being referred for as long as they have a contract with an Integrated Care Board (ICB) somewhere in England to deliver the same service.
Right to Choose / Patient Choice applies if:
Your Right to Choose is a legal right but there are some exceptions (for example: if you are a serving member of the armed forces, a prisoner / on temporary release from prison, or already accessing care and treatment for the condition you are being referred for).
*If you are asking your GP to refer you to Oakdale under Right to Choose, you will need to be removed from any other NHS / Right to Choose waiting lists you are on for the same assessment or treatment.
Different local Integrated Care Boards also often have their own guidance for referring GPs and your GP would need to check this for your area.
You can find more information in the following links:
What is included in an RTC assessment?
Please go to our What does an Autism and / or ADHD assessment involve? section, which details the assessment process.
Is there an age criteria for assessments?
There is no upper age limit for our service.
If my GP does not agree to the referral, can I self-refer?
You can self-refer if you wish to pay privately.
Please read our ‘Self-funded Assessments’ information page which details how to pay privately for an assessment.
Does Oakdale offer medication for ADHD?
Oakdale offers both a self-funded & NHS Right To Choose ADHD Medication Service. Click here for more information.
Does Right to Choose cover Scotland / Wales / Northern Ireland?
Unfortunately, not. You must be registered with a GP in England to be eligible for these services.
Can I pay for the initial assessment and then get refunded if I am referred later?
Unfortunately not. However, if you decide to access an assessment privately, you can then contact your GP for a referral for NHS funded treatment should you wish.
My child is asking about their upcoming assessment, what shall I say to them?
You know your child and how much information they are likely to want or need about the assessment. As a starting point, when assessments are booked, we recommend explaining to your child/young person that the appointment is to find out what kind of brain they have. Different brains need different things to grow well. It’s important to know what type of brain they have so they can take care of it properly.
When will I hear from you following referral for an NHS Right to Choose assessment?
NHS or NHS Right to Choose should hear from us within approximately 2 weeks of referral, though this can take a little longer at busier times. If you have not heard from us within this time, please check the date your referral was sent by your GP before making contact with us for an update.
We provide Autism and ADHD assessments for children, young people and adults through both our NHS and self-funded options.
Oakdale understands that people may worry about the assessment process and we want to support you to feel as comfortable as possible throughout. Our top priority is to maintain a flexible approach that allows time to ensure clients accessing our service feel secure and well-informed throughout the assessment.
At Oakdale, we have an experienced, multidisciplinary team and each assessment is carefully conducted by qualified practitioners in accordance with NICE guidelines.
Our team of clinicians includes Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Clinical Nurse Specialists and Senior Mental Health Practitioners, who work collaboratively to provide comprehensive assessment and support. An Assistant Psychologist also supports the assessment with observation or information gathering and acts as the ‘case coordinator’, as recommended in 1.5.3 within NICE Guideline [CG128]
Each assessment is unique because we tailor to the individual client.
As a minimum, a typical assessment for Autism and / or ADHD will include:
Some cases require more appointments and observations such as school observations, cognitive assessments or a Qb check.
The QbCheck is the only CE marked and FDA approved aid for assessing and evaluating ADHD in individuals aged 6 to 60 years old, providing objective and unbiased information to clinicians, enhancing their reliability in assessing ADHD.
Going to an unfamiliar place, meeting a new person and doing something different can make some people feel worried or anxious. We are happy to support you / your child with visual prompts or social stories beforehand. Please let us know if this is something that would help.
The assessment process takes information from clinical interview, behavioural observation, developmental and corroborative information and the team gives consideration to possible differential and co-occurring diagnoses not already identified.
Alongside appointments, Oakdale uses a range of questionnaires, diagnostic tools and measures to collect information relating to the DSM-V criteria. All of the tools and measures used by Oakdale are widely recognised to support conclusions in Autism and/or ADHD assessments.
When the team meet to decide whether someone meets the DSM-V criteria they will consider all the information available to them alongside the criteria.
More information coming soon.
We can assess from two years of age.
Before this age, children can change significantly in their areas of strength and differences. We need some stability in their presentation to be able to complete an accurate assessment.
For children under the age of three, please contact your health visitor or local NHS child development team for advice and support.
We can assess from six years of age.
Regardless of risk, urgency, complexity or presentation we do not expedite or prioritise assessment appointments.
We use a blended assessment model. If we recognise a need for a face to face appointment, you will be required to attend one of our clinics in Harrogate, Halifax or Leeds (Horsforth) at least once.
You can find out about our centres HERE
We are confident that our assessment process is robust enough and that our clinicians have the right skills to detect masking.
Our assessment appointments are carried out by highly experienced and qualified clinicians, who are specialists in diagnosing Autism and ADHD. They have attended relevant courses, have clinical experience and expertise and receive ongoing supervision of their work. We use the best assessment tools available to us and collect information from a range of sources.
We assess an equal split of male-to-female clients each year.
On a daily basis we see firsthand the many different ways autistic females and males can present. Our clinicians are all registered with statutory professional bodies, meaning that they must by law work within their field of competence and engage in continued professional development (CPD), ensuring they are up-to-date with the latest research relevant to assessing and diagnosing Autism and ADHD.
It is not unusual for us to assess children / young people who are not attending an education setting.
Being autistic or having ADHD can make attending school very difficult for some young people. We can gather observations from other professionals and people who know them well, for example coaches, or leaders from extra-curricular clubs, tutors or health and social care professionals.
When assessments happen we recommend explaining that we are finding out what kind of brain they have.
Different brains need different things to grow well. It’s important to know what type of brain they have so they can take care of it properly.
You know your child / young person best and may want to explain the process in a bit more detail.
We are also mindful that for some children/young people going to a place they have never visited before and meeting a new person can make them feel very anxious.
On request, we can provide a visual guide to help prepare them for the appointment. This will include detail about what the assessment involves, what resources are used and a photo of the building and room as well as the clinician who they will meet.
Self funding clients should hear from us within approximately 1 week of referral. If you have not heard from us within this time, please contact us by email or telephone.
NHS or NHS Right to Choose should hear from us within approximately 2 weeks of referral, though this can take a little longer at busier times. If you have not heard from us within this time, please check the date your referral was sent by your GP before making contact with us for an update.
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