OUR AUTISM & ADHD SERVICES
A Guide to NHS Right to Choose for Autism & ADHD
If you or your child/young person may need an Autism, ADHD or combined assessment, you may hear the term “NHS Right to Choose”. This page explains what Right to Choose is, how it works, and why it can sometimes feel confusing.
These services are available via:
NHS
What is NHS Right to Choose?
If you are registered with a GP in England, you have a legal NHS Right to Choose which organisation provides certain types of NHS-funded care.
This includes:
- Neurodevelopmental services, such as Autism (ASD), ADHD and combined assessments
This means that when your GP agrees an assessment is needed, you can ask to be referred to an NHS-approved provider, rather than being limited to your local NHS service.
What Right to Choose does and does not mean
Right to Choose does mean:
- Your care is fully funded by the NHS
- You do not pay for assessments or NHS-funded treatment
- You can ask to be referred to an approved provider, where contracts allow
Right to Choose does not mean:
- That every provider can accept referrals at all times, as it depends on live contracts and Indicative activity plans (IAP)
- That services are identical everywhere
- That GPs can refer before NHS contracts are live
Right to Choose only applies when a provider holds a qualifying NHS contract.
How Right to Choose works in practice
The process usually follows these steps:
1. You speak to your GP
Your GP agrees that an Autism, ADHD or combined assessment is appropriate.
2. You ask to use your Right to Choose
You can say:
“I’d like to use my NHS Right to Choose for this assessment.”
3. Your GP checks eligibility
Your GP confirms whether the provider you’ve chosen:
- holds the correct NHS contract, and
- can accept Right to Choose referrals at that time.
4. Referral is made
If eligible, your GP sends the referral and required questionnaires, and the service is NHS-funded.
Completing questionnaires and referral forms
As part of the Right to Choose process, patients are required to complete a set of clinical questionnaires and forms before an assessment can take place.
These are an essential part of the assessment process and allow clinical teams to:
- understand needs and history
- determine the most appropriate assessment pathway
- ensure assessments meet NHS and NICE standards
Please note assessments cannot proceed until all required questionnaires and forms have been completed and sent back to us. These will be made available to complete on our website, with downloadable versions provided. Any forms that need to be taken to your GP for referral will also be available to download from our website.
Providing complete information helps avoid delays and ensures your assessment can go ahead as planned.
Why Right to Choose isn’t always available
A provider can only accept Right to Choose referrals if:
- the NHS contract is fully signed
- the service has launched and is open to referrals
- referral systems are live and approved
Being listed on a framework, approved in principle, or described as “coming soon” does not mean referrals can start.
This protects patients, GPs, and the NHS from:
- rejected referrals
- long delays
- confusion about eligibility
NHS activity limits
Although NHS Right to Choose is a national legal right, services are delivered within agreed NHS capacity, funding, and waiting time arrangements.
These arrangements are known as Indicative Activity Plans (IAPs).
IAPs help the NHS ensure that services are:
- delivered safely
- kept within agreed waiting time standards
- managed sustainably across different areas
In practice, this means that even when a provider is approved for Right to Choose:
- there may be limits on how many assessments can be delivered within a given period
- availability can change depending on NHS capacity and funding agreements
- referrals may need to pause once agreed limits are reached
Indicative Activity Plans apply to all NHS-commissioned services, including both local NHS pathways and Right to Choose services. They are often most noticeable within Right to Choose because services may be accessed across different areas.
We will provide information on any activity limits on our website and when you use our service.
You can also read more about how NHS activity limits work here:
How NHS Activity Limits Work (Indicative Activity Plans)
Right to Choose and local NHS contracts
Although Right to Choose is a national legal right, services are delivered through local NHS contracts.
Each Integrated Care Board (ICB) decides:
- who the service is for (children, adults, or both)
- what is included (assessment only, or assessment plus medication)
- how referrals, prescribing, and follow-ups are managed
Because of this:
- Right to Choose services can look slightly different in different areas
- Two providers may both offer Right to Choose, but include different elements
This is normal within the NHS system.
How this differs from local NHS pathways
It’s common to hear Right to Choose mentioned alongside local NHS pathways, but they are not the same.
- Right to Choose
- A national NHS right
- Applies when contracts qualify
- Can allow referrals outside your local area
- Local NHS pathways
- Commissioned by a specific ICB
- Only open to patients with GPs in that area
- Currenly lives in the area where the contract is live
- Not part of Right to Choose
Both routes are NHS-funded, but they work differently.
Right to Choose and Autism / ADHD assessments
Right to Choose can apply to:
- Autism assessments
- ADHD assessments
- Combined Autism and ADHD assessments
To qualify, the provider must:
- Deliver assessments in line with NICE guidance
- Use recognised diagnostic standards
- Work within NHS safeguarding, prescribing, and information-sharing rules
This ensures NHS-funded care is safe, consistent, and clinically robust.
What to do next
If you’re considering Right to Choose, you may find it helpful to:
- Check which assessment pathways are currently available
- Understand how local NHS pathways work
- Speak to your GP about whether Right to Choose applies in your situation
Availability can change over time, so it’s always best to check current status before asking your GP to refer.
TALK TO US TODAY ABOUT
Neurodevelopmental Services
Call 0300 303 9966, email
provide.wellbeing@nhs.net
or complete the form below…
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Our team provides actionable insights, no matter where you are on your journey, and offers expert advice to help you or a family member on your road to a diagnosis. Our ASD and ADHD services are suitable for children and young people seeking a diagnosis.
