OUR AUTISM & ADHD SERVICES
NHS Essex Local Pathway for Children and Young People
Provide Wellbeing is an approved provider on the NHS Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) Framework for neurodevelopmental assessments across Essex. Through this NHS-funded pathway, we provide autism, ADHD and combined assessments for children and young people aged 6–18.
Referrals to this pathway are made through your GP. Once a referral has been received and accepted, our team will guide you through the next steps of the assessment process.
These services are available via:
NHS
What this pathway includes
Under the NHS Essex ICB Framework, we provide:
- Autism (ASD) assessments
- ADHD assessments
- Combined Autism and ADHD assessments
- ADHD medication and titration support, where clinically appropriate
All assessments are:
- Delivered in line with NICE guidance (CG128 for Autism, NG87 for ADHD)
- Carried out by appropriately qualified multidisciplinary clinical team
- Designed to be child- and family-centred, with reasonable adjustments where needed
- Focused on understanding each child or young person’s individual strengths, needs and experiences
Our aim is to provide a supportive, clear and compassionate assessment process for children, young people and their families.
Please note: this pathway is not part of the national Right to Choose scheme. If you are looking to access an assessment through Right to Choose, we also provide NHS Right to Choose assessments for children and young people.
Who can access this pathway
This pathway is available if all of the following apply:
- The child or young person is aged 6–18 years
- They are registered with a GP in Essex
- Their home address is currently in Essex
- Their GP makes a direct referral to Provide Wellbeing under the NHS Essex ICB framework
Self-referrals are not accepted under this pathway.
Detailed information on how GPs can refer into this pathway, including referral requirements and processes, is available on our GP guidance page.
You can also download the referral forms and questionnaires for this pathway below:
Parent/Education Questionnaire
GP Referral Form – Children/Young People
Looking for adult autism assessments? Please click here.
Current position
For our NHS Essex ICB local pathway:
- The service operates with a maximum waiting list of three months. Please note: if our waiting list exceeds 3 months, we may need to pause accepting referrals. We will update the website with our position.
- This means we are currently able to manage referrals through waiting lists, while ensuring waiting time standards are met
This approach allows us to continue accepting referrals while maintaining safe and timely access to assessments.
Assessment Pathway
How the referral process works
1. Speak to your GP
Discuss your concerns and ask whether a referral for an Autism and/or ADHD assessment is appropriate.
2. GP referral
If agreed, your GP submits an electronic referral under the Mid & South Essex local NHS pathway.
3. Initial contact
Once we receive the referral, our team will contact you, usually within four weeks, to begin the assessment process.
4. Questionnaires and information gathering
You will be asked to complete questionnaires and provide information from parents/carers, schools, and others involved in your child’s care.
5. Clinical triage
Our clinical team reviews the information to confirm the most appropriate assessment pathway.
1. Speak to your GP
Discuss your concerns and ask whether a referral for an autism and/or ADHD assessment is appropriate.
2. GP referral
If agreed, your GP submits an electronic referral under the NHS Essex ICB local pathway. Detailed information on how GPs can refer into this pathway is available on our GP guidance page.
3. Initial contact
Once we receive the referral, our team will contact you, usually within four weeks, to begin the assessment process.
4. Questionnaires and information gathering
You will be asked to complete questionnaires and provide information from parents/carers, schools, and others involved in your child’s care.
5. Clinical triage
Our clinical team reviews the information to confirm the most appropriate assessment pathway.
Depending on your child’s needs, the assessment may include:
- A detailed developmental and medical history
- Standardised questionnaires and rating scales
- A face-to-face clinical assessment
- In-person observations (including school observations and ADOS assessments where required)
Assessments are delivered by a multidisciplinary team, which may include clinicians from psychiatry, paediatrics, psychology, speech and language therapy and occupational therapists.
You can read more about what to expect from each type of assessment – ASD, ADHD or Combined – on our dedicated assessment pages.
After the assessment:
- The outcome or diagnosis is shared with you clearly and sensitively
- You will receive guided information and advice about next steps
- If a diagnosis of autism or ADHD is confirmed, further signposting through psychoeducation will be offered
- A written diagnostic report is provided, usually within eight weeks
Reports are written in clear, accessible language and include:
- The assessment findings
- Any diagnosis given
- Recommendations and signposting for support
With your consent, information is shared with your GP.
If an ADHD diagnosis is confirmed and medication is clinically recommended:
- Psychoeducation and non-medication support is required first, in line with NICE guidance
- Medication initiation and monitoring may be provided where this is included in the NHS Essex framework
- Medication is carefully monitored through scheduled reviews
- Once treatment is stable, we work with your GP to request a shared care agreement, where appropriate
If shared care is not immediately accepted, we continue to work with the GP and ICB to ensure safe ongoing support.
If your GP is based outside Essex:
- Your GP will not be able to refer you through this pathway
- You may wish to explore our self-pay assessments, the national Right to Choose pathway, or other NHS pathways available in your area
As part of our commitment to transparency, we want to explain how this local NHS pathway is managed within agreed NHS capacity arrangements.
Like all NHS-commissioned services, the NHS Essex local pathway operates within an Indicative Activity Plan (IAP) agreed with the Integrated Care Board (ICB). Click here to find out more.
In the future, the ICB may introduce a financial or activity cap for this pathway.
If this happens:
- The agreed funding would be translated into a defined number of assessments
- Once that limit is reached, referrals may need to pause until further activity is agreed
- Any such limits would be clearly communicated on our website
We believe it is important to be open about how NHS services are planned and delivered, so families understand how access is managed. You can read more about how Indicative Activity Plans work across NHS services
Need help or more information?
If you have questions about whether this pathway applies to your child, you can:
- Speak to your GP, or
- Contact our team for general information about the service
