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Anyone in the UK know how long it takes to get a referral?

LikeyouToMe

LikeyouToMe

Well-Known Member
Hey peoples,

I was referred to the Tavistock centre in Swiss Cottage, Noth London over 2 months ago now and I am still awaiting any kind of contact from them. My doctor said it shouldn't take more than a month but has already been about double this. Is this normal? Does anyone have any experience with them and their refferals?

Please lemme know because the only thing I can do is to go back to my Doctor's to get them to re-submit but that means knowing I have to wait at least a month or longer again... just lost at the mo.
 
My experience of the NHS is to wait a month ... then wait another one! After that, settle down into waiting properly, and when you've totally forgotten what you are waiting for, then they will send you a letter.

That, or things arrive way before you expect them to!!

Tbh, if you get concerned, I'd go to the doctors to ask them to prod the system. But some services to take a long time. I've waited for six months for referral to cbt for example.
 
As far as I can tell, unless you're.a child, you'll be waiting a while to be seen.

As an adult, I ended up going private.
 
I got a letter the other day asking me if I could go on the 30th Oct (this upcoming Tuesday) and actually went for a quick chat on Thursday so they can let me know what is gonna happen :-) Thanks anyways guys
 
Divrom said:
As far as I can tell, unless you're.a child, you'll be waiting a while to be seen.

As an adult, I ended up going private.
Click to expand...

My experience has been the opposite, from first referral to diagnosis I think it was 4 months for me, I first told the children's mental health team that I suspected my little girl has Asperger's back in May, it's now October nearly November and we still haven't been seen by someone trained in ASD's. From what I've read as well from referral to diagnosis with kids it tends to be years rather then months.

Hope you're alright Divrom haven't seen you around for a while.
 
The UK is generally known as pretty slow on referral/assessment times although it does vary depending on which area you live in. For me, the wait has been officially 14mths and still no date for assessment but unofficially I have been waiting decades. In cities you may get a quicker referral than if in a rural area.

The assessments also vary from one region to another, children's and adults differ also. Very complex system and works very much on a post code lottery. Don't expect the first assessment to give any answers, very often you need to return to the clinician for multiple appointments depending on where you live. Anyone embarking on a diagnostic pathway in the UK needs an iron will and determination by the bucket load.

Hope that helps.
 
I've just got diagnosed officially after an 18month wait. Really, it was a six month wait, but they'd lost my referral letter from my GP for 12 months, so I wasn't on any list at all until six months ago.

It took the person diagnosing me only ten minutes to know I was an aspie (though our interview was a hour long).
 
I couldn't get diagnosed on the NHS. The local Mental Health Team refuse to see any adults with suspected Asperger's unless we are suicidal...

My GP is great and did research to find a Consultant Psychiatrist I could see privately. It cost me £300 for the hour
 
!!! A week!!! That is money well spent! I've been waiting for so long, and I won't get that time back.
 
It was months of paperwork, and years of assessments... In the end, all I needed was closure and an explanation. I now receive some support and adjusted college work to suit my learning curves. Although, it took me some time to tell them personally about the problems I face with my coursework, and the isolation from others that I somehow induce.

Don't worry! You will get yours too, things like these take time, and diagnosticians sometimes goes to lengths to get people into your college to assess you in secret. However, don't dwell on this. I found this out from the clinical psychologist that diagnosed me. - They certainly monitor your behavior patterns at college, and look at your history, hobbies, and intense interests. I noticed that they actually monitored me in college as they make referrals to the tutors. But don't fret about this, just act inconspicuous! - However, I only found out after they made a diagnosis. Well, at least how they actually had a reference to college and school in there. :)
 
It took me 1/2 - 1 year to see a child psychiatrist then another year and a half to get on top of the waiting list for an assessment. The assessment took me roughly 2 hours and they told me my diagnosis straight away
 
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