Autism Assessments
Navigating the pathway to support can be complex. At Paloma Health, we provide the expert, NICE-compliant assessments your family needs to unlock the right support.
As an NHS-commissioned service, any NHS GP in England can refer your child to us. Speak with your NHS GP today about requesting a referral to Paloma Health.
How our service works
Paloma Health is only available in England, and only NHS GPs in England can refer into our service
NHS GP referral
To begin the process, your NHS GP will need to refer your child to us.
- For our Remote or Hybrid Exeter pathway, your GP can complete our online referral form.
- For our Hybrid Norwich pathway, your GP will need to contact us directly.
We’re happy to support your GP with any questions they may have.
The assessment
Our autism assessments follow NICE and NHS guidelines and are carried out by two qualified assessors.
The process includes:
- Parent and school questionnaires
- Parent interview
- A child observation
We’ll keep you informed at each stage so you always know what to expect.
The outcome
At the end of the assessment, you will receive a clear, easy-to-understand outcome report, including a diagnosis if appropriate.
As an NHS provider, we will also securely share the report with you and your GP, ensuring continuity of care and next steps.
Compassionate experts
You may have been waiting a long time for an assessment, and it’s normal if you feel nervous or anxious about this important moment. Rest assured, you can expect the highest quality care. We work with a variety of experienced professionals who will guide you and your family toward the clarity you need.
Maria
I'm a Clinical Psychologist with over a decade of experience in Autism and ADHD assessments. I love what I do, and for me, assessments aren’t just about ticking boxes—they’re about really understanding each child and making sure families get the support they need.
Nichola
I’m a qualified and registered Social Worker with the SSSC. Over the years, I have worked with people of different ages, from infants to the elderly, in various contexts. I am passionate about helping neurodivergent people feel validated and listened to. I have a keen interest in masking behaviours and the more subtle autism presentations.
Shona
Exploring, identifying and supporting understanding of autism has been part of my Speech and Language Therapy role since I qualified in 2013. I believe strongly in individuals having the opportunity to understand themselves and their life experiences at the right time for them, and - regardless of the outcome - they should come out of assessment feeling heard, understood, validated and ultimately empowered.
What to expect during the assessment
If you suspect your child might have autism, we understand how emotional and overwhelming this time can be. Here's what you can expect during the assessment.
Once you start the assessment, you will have access to our an Paloma Portal with valuable autism-related information and support, curated by our clinicians.
Online questionnaires
Parent interview
Child observation
Outcome meeting
Autism assessment wait times
We understand that waiting for an NHS autism assessment can be an uncertain time for families, and we want to give you as much information as possible.
Our current wait times from referral to first appointment for an NHS autism assessment by pathway are:
● Remote pathway (8-18 years): 16 weeks
● Hybrid Norwich Pathway (6-18 years): 7 weeks
● Hybrid Exeter Pathway (2-4 years): 17 weeks
● Hybrid Exeter Pathway (5-18 years): 16 weeks
These are averages, and your family's specific wait can be shorter or longer. This is because each assessment is unique and depends on many factors, such as how quickly we receive the necessary information from schools or nurseries and the availability of our specialist assessors.
In general, we book children in order, based on the date of GP referral. However, some NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) have placed restrictions that may affect when you receive your appointment.
The following ICBs have placed funding limits on the number of patients we can see before 31st March 2027. While we are still able to accept referrals for these areas, we have had to pause the delivery of assessments until after the 1st April 2027.
● Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB
● Greater Manchester ICB
● North East and North Cumbria ICB
● Thames Valley ICB
The following ICBs have imposed a 14 week minimum waiting time between referral and first appointment. We are still able to accept referrals and deliver assessments for these areas.
● Devon ICB
● Dorset ICB
● Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB
Our top priority is always to provide a high-quality, thorough assessment for your child to help them receive the support they need.
Assessment Pathway Options
Wait time from NHS GP referral to first appointment is approximatley 12 weeks.
Ask your GP for a referral to the "Remote Pathway”.
Wait time from NHS GP referral to first appointment is approximatley 14 weeks.
Ask your GP for a referral to the "Hybrid Exeter Pathway".
Children aged between 2-4 must first be assessed by a community paediatrician who recommends them for an autism assessment prior to referral.
Wait time from NHS GP referral to first appointment is approximately 15 weeks
Wait time from NHS GP referral to first appointment is approximately 12 weeks.
Ask your GP for a referral to the "Hybrid Norwich Pathway".
*Not all children are able to have a fully remote assessment. If your child has a diagnosed or suspected learning disability, speech and language condition or selective mutism, they must be seen in either our Exeter or Norwich clinics.
** Children aged between their 2nd and 5th birthday must be assessed by a community paediatrician who recommends an autism assessment before being referred to Paloma Health for an autism assessment. This ensures that any medical conditions are appropriately checked for before beginning the autism assessment process.
Which pathway is right for your child?
Why parents choose Paloma Health
100% NHS-Funded Care
As an official NHS Right to Choose provider, our high-quality Autism and ADHD services come at no cost to your family.
Timely Access to Care
Our remote pathway provides first appointments approximately 12 weeks after NHS GP referral.
Expert & Safe Clinical Care
Assessments are conducted by highly-qualified, multidisciplinary specialists, and neurodevelopmental assessors.
Trusted, NHS-Approved Reports
Your child's outcome report will be
recognised and accepted by schools, local authorities and other NHS services.
Clear, Supportive Communication
We provide you with regular updates , ensuring you always know the next steps in your child's assessment journey.
Requesting a Right to Choose referral
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Preparing for your GP appointment
We recommend checking the NICE guidance Appendix: features suggesting possible autism to help you feel more confident in speaking to your GP about an autism assessment for your child.
To help you navigate this process, we have created a comprehensive referral document. This step-by-step guide is designed to make your preparation as smooth as possible and gives you clear, actionable advice on what to do if your GP refuses to make a referral.
For individuals aged 16 and older, The Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) is a self-report that measures social camouflaging or "masking" behaviours (the effort to hide autistic traits). Because this significant effort to mask can obscure typical autistic signs, the CAT-Q helps identify individuals whose autism is not immediately apparent.
The CAT-Q assesses the extent to which camouflaging strategies are used and is particularly relevant for identifying autism in females and gender-diverse people, who may be under diagnosed or misdiagnosed due to their ability to mask autistic traits.
The ranges for the total CAT-Q score are as follows:
- Extremely Low (total score of 25 to 51)
- Low (total score of 52 to 75)
- Moderate (total score of 76 to 112)
- High (total score of 113 to 136)
- Extremely High (total score of 137 to 175)
The AQ-10 is another useful screening tool which is focused on male presentation of autism but can also be used for females:
Children aged between 2 to their 5th birthday must be assessed by a community paediatrician who recommends an autism assessment before being referred to Paloma Health for an autism assessment.
This ensures that any medical conditions are appropriately checked for before beginning the autism assessment process.
Know your right to choose
We have also provided a downloadable letter template that you can customise and send directly to your GP practice to request your childs autism assessment referral under the NHS Right to Choose pathway to Paloma Health
Expertise you can trust, care you can feel
With a 4.9/5 rating on both Google and Trustpilot, Paloma Health is proud to be one of the highest-rated NHS Right to Choose autism services in the country, dedicated to providing a warm and thorough experience for every family.
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