NHS Right to Choose, for ADHD and autism assessment
A legal right most families are never told about — and the age limits nobody mentions until after the referral. Written by an organisation with no stake in which provider you pick.
What the right actually is
In England, when your GP refers you for a first outpatient appointment, you usually have a legal right to choose who carries it out. That includes independent providers holding an NHS contract for the service, not only your local NHS team. It sits in the NHS Choice Framework, and it is NHS-funded — there is no fee to the family.
For ADHD and autism assessment this matters because local waits vary enormously by area. How long any particular route takes changes constantly and providers publish their own current figures — we don't quote numbers here, because the ones circulating online are usually a provider's own marketing and are out of date by the time you read them.
England only
Right to Choose is part of the NHS Choice Framework for England. If you are in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland the arrangements are different — ask your GP about the routes where you live.
Does it apply to children? Yes — but check the provider
The right itself is not restricted by age. What catches families out is that providers set their own age ranges, and several of the best-known Right to Choose names assess adults only. Parents routinely find this out after asking their GP for a referral, having lost weeks.
Below is what each provider currently publishes about who they take. It is their statement, not our assessment of them — and it changes, so confirm before you ask for the referral.
| Provider | Who they take | Notes |
|---|
Information only. Striova does not vet, endorse or have any affiliation with these providers, and this is not a complete list of everyone offering NHS-funded assessment. Confirm age ranges, current availability and CQC registration directly.
How to ask, in order
The order matters. Most of the wasted time in this process comes from doing step one last.
- 1
Check the provider takes your child's age
Do this first, not last. Age limits differ between providers and are the most common reason a Right to Choose referral is rejected after weeks of waiting. The provider's own website is the authority on this.
- 2
Check they hold an NHS contract for that service
Right to Choose only covers providers with an NHS contract for the service you are being referred to. Most publish this plainly, and many have a referral page written for GPs.
- 3
Ask your GP, naming the provider and the service
A specific request is much easier to act on than a general one. Say which provider, which assessment, and that you are asking under Right to Choose. Several providers publish a referral form or letter template you can take with you.
- 4
Take a written summary with you
What you see at home, what school sees, and how long it has been going on. A GP appointment is short, and a written record is easier to act on than a description given from memory under time pressure.
- 5
Confirm the referral was sent, and to whom
Referrals do go astray. Ask the practice to confirm it went to the provider you named, and keep the date. If nothing has been acknowledged after a few weeks, chase both the practice and the provider.
Common questions
What is NHS Right to Choose?
In England, when your GP refers you for a first outpatient appointment you usually have a legal right to choose which provider carries out that appointment, including approved independent providers that hold an NHS contract. It is NHS-funded, so there is no cost to you. The right sits in the NHS Choice Framework.
Does Right to Choose apply to children?
The right itself is not restricted by age. What varies is whether a given provider accepts child referrals — several of the best known Right to Choose providers assess adults only, and others start at age 7. Check the provider's published age range before you ask your GP for the referral.
Does Right to Choose apply outside England?
No. Right to Choose is part of the NHS Choice Framework for England. Families in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different arrangements — speak to your GP about the referral routes where you live.
Does it cost anything?
No. A Right to Choose referral is NHS-funded, so there is no fee to the family. A provider offering the same assessment privately for a fee is a different route — check which one you are being referred to.
Can my GP refuse?
A GP can decline where the right does not apply — for example urgent or emergency care, or where you are already under a service for that condition. Where it does apply, a GP declining is usually a matter of unfamiliarity rather than policy. Asking them to look at the NHS Choice Framework, and naming the provider and the service you are asking for, is often enough.
Does Striova recommend a provider?
No. Striova does not vet, endorse or have any affiliation with any provider listed here. This is information only, and details change — confirm age ranges, current availability and CQC registration with the provider directly.
The written summary your GP asks for
Step four above is the one families find hardest, because it means remembering months of detail on the spot. Striova is a record you and your child's school build as you go, which turns into a summary you can hand over. It is non-diagnostic — it does not diagnose, screen for, or rule out any condition.