NHS Right to Choose for children: ADHD and autism assessment, explained
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.
Last reviewed 19 October 2026 against the NHS Choice Framework. England only.
What is NHS Right to Choose?
Right to Choose (often shortened to RTC) is a legal right to choose who carries out your child's first outpatient appointment. In England, when your GP refers your child to a consultant-led service, or to a mental health professional, you can choose the provider. That includes independent providers holding an NHS contract for the service, not only your local NHS team. It is NHS-funded — there is no fee to the family.
The legal basis
The right is set out in the NHS Choice Framework, which applies to people of all ages in England. The provider has to hold an NHS contract for the service, and for mental health the service has to be led by a consultant or a mental health professional. The framework lists where the right does not apply, including urgent, emergency or crisis care, and an onward referral for a condition you are already receiving care for.
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— we don't quote numbers here, because the ones circulating online are usually a provider's own marketing and are out of date by the time you read them.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 Right to Choose 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.
List of Right to Choose providers for ADHD and autism, and the ages they take
| Provider | Who they take | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ADHD 360Their site | Children & adults (confirm age directly) | NHS Right to Choose ADHD assessment and titration. ADHD only — they signpost autism elsewhere. No age limit is published, so confirm they take your child's age before asking for a referral. |
| HealiosTheir site | Children 7+ and young people | NHS-funded autism assessments for children and young people from age 7, including via Right to Choose, delivered online. Confirm current referral routes for your area. |
| ProblemSharedTheir site | Children 7–17, and adults | NHS Right to Choose ADHD AND autism assessments, online. Children from age 7 — under-7s are not suitable for their online format. Some areas vary: in Coventry & Warwickshire the ADHD route is ages 7–24. |
| Psychiatry-UKTheir site | Right to Choose: adults 18+ only | NHS Right to Choose ADHD and autism assessments for adults aged 18 and over. Their own site states they cannot assess under-18s under Right to Choose — children are seen privately only, for a fee. |
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 does Right to Choose work? 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.
GP referral letter for Right to Choose: a template to adapt
A GP appointment is short, and a specific written request is easier to act on than a general one. Many providers also publish their own referral form for GPs — check the provider's website first, and use this letter alongside it or in its place. Fill in the brackets in your own words; the letter is yours, so change anything that does not fit.
Subject: Request for a referral under NHS Right to Choose — [child's full name], date of birth [date] Dear Dr [GP's surname], I would like to ask you to refer my child, [child's full name], to [provider's name] for an assessment for [ADHD / autism / both] under NHS Right to Choose. I have checked on the provider's website that [provider's name] accepts children of [child's age] and holds an NHS contract for this service. [Their referral form is attached / their referral form is on their website at [address].] In my own words, this is what I have noticed, where, and for roughly how long: [write a few lines about home, and about school if the school has seen it too, and what has been tried]. I have attached a written summary with more detail. Please could you: - send the referral to [provider's name]; - tell me the date it was sent, and who it was sent to; - let me know if you need anything else from me. If you are unable to make this referral, please tell me the reason in writing. Thank you. Yours sincerely, [your name] [your phone number] [date]
Information only: this is a template, not medical or legal advice, and it does not say anything about whether your child has any condition.
What if my GP says no to a Right to Choose referral?
First check whether the right applies: it does not cover urgent, emergency or crisis care, or an onward referral for a condition your child is already receiving care for. If it does apply, the NHS Choice Framework sets out what to do, in this order:
- Speak to your GP again, name the provider and the service, and ask for the reason in writing.
- If it is still refused, complain to your local integrated care board (ICB). The framework says ICBs must ensure that choice is offered.
- You can also raise concerns with NHS England, which can give advice on patient choice.
- If the ICB and NHS England cannot resolve it, you can take it to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
Source: NHS Choice Framework, section 3 (last updated 23 October 2024).
After a Right to Choose assessment: medication and shared care
What happens next depends on the provider. Some carry out the assessment only, and ongoing care — including any medication — goes back to the NHS. Whether a GP practice agrees to a shared care arrangement is the practice's own decision. Before you choose, ask the provider whether it offers any follow-up for children and what it expects of the GP.
Are some areas restricting Right to Choose referrals?
Some providers say that some ICBs have limited or paused Right to Choose referrals for ADHD. We do not list areas, because it changes often and the provider's own page is the one kept up to date. Ask the provider whether it is currently accepting referrals from your ICB, and ask your GP practice for the local position.
Common questions
What is NHS Right to Choose (RTC)?
In England, when your GP refers your child to a consultant-led or mental health professional-led service, you have a legal right to choose which provider carries out the first outpatient appointment, including independent providers that hold an NHS contract for that service. The right is set out in the NHS Choice Framework, which applies to people of all ages in England. It is NHS-funded, so there is no cost to you.
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.
Can I refer my child myself?
Usually not. Right to Choose is a GP referral, so the first step is your child's GP, who sends it to the provider you name — often on the provider's own referral form or in a letter. A provider that lets you book directly is usually offering a private assessment, which you pay for and which is a different route. Check which one you are on before you book.
Is Right to Choose for ADHD available across the UK, or only in England?
Only in England. 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.
Which Right to Choose providers accept children for ADHD or autism?
It differs by provider and changes over time, so check each provider's own published age range and which conditions it assesses before you ask your GP. The list further down this page shows the Right to Choose providers we hold details for, with the ages they say they see. Striova does not rank them or recommend one.
Is Right to Choose for ADHD and autism free?
Yes. 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 Right to Choose referral?
A GP can decline where the right does not apply — for example urgent or emergency care, or where your child is already receiving care for that condition and this would be an onward referral. A GP can also say a provider does not take your child's age or does not hold an NHS contract for the service. If none of that applies, ask them to look at the NHS Choice Framework and name the provider and the service you are asking for. If it is still refused, ask for the reason in writing and follow the steps under "What if my GP says no?" on this page.
Are some areas restricting Right to Choose referrals?
Some providers say that some integrated care boards (ICBs) — the NHS bodies that fund care in each area — have limited or paused Right to Choose referrals for ADHD. We do not list areas, because it changes often. Ask the provider whether it is currently accepting referrals from your ICB, and ask your GP practice, which will know the local position.
What happens after a Right to Choose assessment — medication and shared care?
That depends on the provider. Some providers carry out the assessment only, and ongoing care, including any medication, goes back to the NHS. Whether your GP practice agrees to a shared care arrangement is the practice's decision. Before you choose a provider, ask whether it offers any follow-up for children and what it expects of the GP.
What about adults?
The same legal right applies to adults in England, but the providers, forms and age limits are different. This page is written for parents of children and young people. For an adult referral, check the provider's adult service and the age range it publishes.
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.
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