Proudly providing NHS servicesOne Referral. Both Conditions.
ADHD and autism traits often sit side by side, and looking at one in isolation makes it easy to miss the other. When your child is referred to us for both conditions, you go through one referral conversation with your GP, join one waiting list, give school information once, and receive one report covering both assessments.
who is this for
This page is for families who recognise their child in both ADHD and autism, and who would like both conditions looked at rather than choosing one and coming back for the other. You can check if your child is eligible for an assessment here.
We assess children for both conditions from their 8th birthday up to their 18th birthday.
Paloma Health is only available in England, and only NHS GPs in England can refer into our service. There is no cost to your family.
If you are unsure which explains what you are seeing at home and at school, that is a good reason to ask about both.
If your child has a diagnosed or suspected learning disability, speech and language condition or selective mutism, they will need to be seen at our Exeter or Norwich clinic rather than assessed remotely.
One Referral. Both Conditions.
Each condition is assessed in its own right, against NICE and NHS guidelines, by qualified assessors. What changes is how much your family has to repeat.
Once your child has been referred to our service by your GP, we will ask you to complete some forms to provide our assessors with background information.
Our assessments follow NICE guidelines and are carried out by two qualified assessors. The assessment includes a 60-minute parent interview, and a seperate 60-minute observation session with your child.
Once the assessment is complete, we'll book an outcome feedback session where a clinician will explain the outcome of your child's assessment. You'll also receive a report outlining the full diagnostic decision and recommendations. We will share this report with you and your GP, ensuring continuity of care and next steps.
Difficulty focusing, sensory sensitivity and trouble with change can point to either condition, or to both. If your child is only referred for one, the other can go unrecognised for years. Referring for both means each is considered properly, and you get a full picture rather than half an answer.
talking to your gp
If you would like your child referred for both conditions, we kindly ask your GP to provide relevant context for each condition in their referral. We're happy to support your GP with any questions they may have.
Use our eligibility checker to confirm you can be referred to us under Right to Choose.
Book a GP appointment and ask to be referred to Paloma Health under Right to Choose. Our GP letter explains everything they need.
Your GP completes our referral form. We'll confirm we've received it and let you know what happens next.
We'll book your assessment, keep you informed at each stage and send you and your GP a clear, easy-to-read report.
We've created a step-by-step referral guide to help you prepare for your GP appointment. It explains what to bring and what to ask for.
It also includes a letter template you can download and edit. Send it to your GP practice to request an assessment referral to Paloma Health under the NHS Right to Choose pathway.
assessment pathway options
Remote pathway
Your child is assessed from home, with no travel needed. Appointments are held online at times arranged with you.
Ask your GP for a referral to the "Remote Pathway" for both ADHD and autism.
Check Our Current Wait →Hybrid Exeter Or norwich pathway
Your child's observation appointment takes place in person at our Exeter or Norwich clinic. The remaining appointments are held online.
Ask your GP for a referral to the "Hybrid Exeter / Norwich Pathway" for both ADHD and autism.
Check Our Current Wait →our locations
You may have been waiting a long time for an assessment, and it's normal if you feel nervous about this important moment. Our assessors are experienced clinical psychologists, social workers and speech and language therapists. Scroll to meet them.
Maria
Senior Assessor
Nichola
Senior Assessor
Dr Rachel Sarr
Clinical Psychologist
Dr Hannah Brown
Clinical Psychologist
Dr Shweta Sardesai
Consultant Paediatrician
Accredited and regulated
what to look out for
Both are lifelong differences in how the brain works. Neither is caused by parenting, and neither is something a child grows out of. What follows is a plain description of what each can look like in childhood.
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Autism affects how a child experiences the world around them, and how they communicate and relate to other people. Traits are present from early childhood, though they are often noticed later, particularly in children who mask well at school.
What parents often notice
ADHD affects attention, activity levels and impulse control. It is not only the visibly restless child. Many children, particularly girls, present as inattentive and quietly overwhelmed rather than disruptive.
What parents often notice
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Some traits belong to both, and can be read either way depending on who is looking. This is why families are often told to pick one condition, then find themselves back at the start.
Traits that can point either way
This is general information to help you decide whether to speak to your GP. It is not a diagnosis, and no list of traits can replace an assessment by a qualified clinician.
frequently asked questions
You can find answers below to some of the questions we get asked the most. If you can't find what you're looking for, you can find more on our FAQs page.
Any NHS GP in England can refer your child to us under NHS Right to Choose. We are only able to accept referrals from NHS GPs in England, and we cannot accept referrals directly from families or schools.
Your GP completes a referral for each condition, and can do both at the same appointment. For your family it is one conversation and one set of paperwork to chase. We kindly ask your GP to include relevant context for each condition.
We assess for both ADHD and autism from your child's 8th birthday up to their 18th birthday. Autism-only assessments are available from your child's 2nd birthday.
No. As an official NHS Right to Choose provider, our assessments come at no cost to your family.
Yes. We ask school for information about how your child is at school, and we ask once. The same information is used for both assessments, so teachers are not asked to repeat it.
On our Remote pathway, yes. If your child has a diagnosed or suspected learning disability, speech and language condition or selective mutism, they will need to be seen at our Exeter or Norwich clinic on the Hybrid pathway.
You still receive a full outcome report. It explains what we found, what it means, and what support we recommend, whether or not a diagnosis is given for either condition.
If medication may help, your child moves into our ADHD prescribing pathway for further assessment and treatment if appropriate. This is led by specialist prescribers.
Yes. Our reports are recognised and accepted by schools, local authorities and other NHS services, and we share the report securely with you and your GP.
Trustpilot reviews
Choosing the right provider brings peace of mind. 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 and ADHD services in the country, dedicated to providing a warm and thorough experience for every family.
Excellent — 4.9/5
