How to prepare and what to expect – before, during and after your autism assessment.
Step One
Pre-Assessment Stage
Once you’re set up on our MedQare patient portal, you’ll need to complete your pre-assessment checklist.
This means:
- Completing your portal profile: Click on ‘My Profile’ in your dashboard to complete all details.
- Verifying your identity: Upload photo ID and proof of address to your portal. This is a mandatory requirement for an online assessment.
- Completing your pre-assessment questionnaires: You’ll find these under ‘Pending Forms’ in the ‘Forms’ section of your portal.
You’ll find three forms under the ‘Pending Forms’ tab in the ‘Forms’ section of your portal:
- ASD Self-Report Questionnaire (Parts 1 & 2)
- AQ-10 (Autism Quotient-10)
- ASD Informant Report Questionnaire
These forms are designed to draw out detailed information about your symptoms and their impact on areas such as your daily routines, relationships, and school or workplace productivity. They’ll help your consultant build a detailed picture of your current circumstances, as well as your early development, family history and medical history.
School Reports: If you have retained any of your school reports, it’s helpful to upload these to your notes.
The assessment process involves gathering as much information and documentation as possible for your clinician to match against the ‘core’ characteristics of autism outlined in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition).
Standardised pre-assessment questionnaires are a structured way to start collecting this information and are instrumental in helping your clinician reach an accurate diagnosis.
We recommend putting aside some quiet time to gather your evidence and complete your forms, giving as much information as possible to help your consultant start building a picture of your life, your symptoms and the challenges they present.
The Informant Report must be completed by someone who has known you since childhood (before the age of 12). If this is not possible, please ask the person who knows you the best and for the longest period of time, for example, a close friend, family member or support worker.
Why this matters: This information is crucial for an accurate assessment outcome. Without significant childhood information, it may be more difficult to provide you with an outcome/diagnosis from your assessment appointment. If you do not have a suitable informant, please let us know.
If you need any help completing your forms, we can arrange a one-to-one appointment with a member of our patient support team. Please click on the ‘Request Support’ button in the ‘Forms’ section of your portal or within the Self-Report Questionnaire itself.
Step Two
You will need to complete your pre-assessment checklist before you can book your assessment.
Please ensure that you have:
- Uploaded your photo ID and proof of address to the portal
- Submitted your three completed pre-assessment forms
As soon as your checklist has been completed, we’ll send you a booking link via email and SMS. Clicking on this link will allow you to search for a convenient appointment date and time. Each appointment slot shows the name of the consultant and you can click to view their profile.
Payment in full is required at the time of booking, so please have your payment card ready when you book.
Appointments are available 7 days a week, between the hours of 6am and 11pm.
You’ll be required to pay in full at the time of booking, so please have your payment card with you. Our fee is £2,195. There are no hidden or additional costs.
To attend your consultation, you will need a laptop, desktop computer or tablet with a webcam (either internal or external) and a microphone.
Most up-to-date computers and laptops will already have a camera and microphone installed. The only other special instruction will be for you to test these to make sure they are working.
How to test your equipment
Click on the Test Your Device tab in the dark blue band at the top of the Psychiatry UK website. You may be prompted to click ‘allow’ to grant permission to access the camera and microphone. This is required for your meeting to go ahead.
We do advise that you install the Microsoft Teams app to ensure the best experience in joining and attending your meeting. You do not need to create a Microsoft account.
If you do not wish to install the Teams app, please use the most recent version of the Microsoft Edge browser, then click on your appointment link.
If you need to rearrange or cancel your appointment, please create a note on your portal for our medical secretary team.
For full information about our cancellation/refund policy, please read our Booking, Cancellations and Non-Attendance (DNA) Policy
Your assessment will be carried out by a specialist psychiatrist. They will introduce themselves and explain the purpose of the session before they start asking you questions and gathering information about you, based on the information given in your forms.
You can request any reasonable adjustments to accommodate your needs, such as identifying any communication preferences or sensory needs to make the consultation more accessible.
Our commitment to accessible assessments for the deaf and hard of hearing community
We are committed to ensuring that all our patients have a smooth and supportive experience. We want you to feel confident that your communication needs will be met.
A longer appointment
To ensure there’s enough time for clear communication and discussion, we offer 90-minute appointments for our deaf and hard of hearing patients instead of the usual 1-hour appointment.
Interpreters to fit your needs
We’ll arrange for a qualified interpreter to support you during your appointment.
You will have the option to meet your interpreter 10-15 minutes before your appointment to make introductions and ensure a smooth experience.
If needed, we can provide a second interpreter to further support the conversation.
Your choice of sign language
We understand that sign language varies from person to person. Whether you prefer British Sign Language (BSL), Signed English, or another form of sign language, we’ll ensure you’re matched with an interpreter who aligns with your communication style.
Live transcription
In your appointment via Microsoft Teams we’ll enable the live transcription, allowing you to read along in real-time if you choose to. Please do ask your consultant and/or interpreter if you would like any clarification on any of the live transcription which comes out, this can help reduce any misunderstandings or errors in transcription.
How to let us know what works best for you
We want to make this process as easy as possible. If you have any preferences or specific requests, please reach out via your patient portal, and we’ll do our best to accommodate them.
We work with a trusted organisation that specialises in supporting the deaf community, and we are committed to providing a service that meets your needs.
Step Three
Your Online Consultation
- Your appointment will last approximately 1 hour and will take place over a Microsoft Teams video call. We recommend finding a quiet, secure place where you feel comfortable and can talk in confidence. You’re welcome to have a family member join you.
- At the start of the assessment, your consultant will ask whether you’re happy for the consultation to be recorded. If you do not wish for it to be recorded, you must ensure you convey this clearly. To meet statutory requirements, however, your psychiatrist is required to maintain accurate records of the discussions held, which will inform your Psychiatry UK patient record.
- You’ll be asked to show photo ID at the start of the session to verify your identity, so please have this ready.
- Observation is an important part of the process, to supplement the information in your pre-assessment questionnaires and to identify evidence of the core characteristics of autism. We therefore request that you keep your camera on throughout the appointment.
- Your appointment will follow a structure to ensure all diagnostic criteria are covered within the appointment time.
- Your consultant will carefully assess your mental health and gather a complete psychiatric history, considering other conditions that may be related to autism.
- They’ll ask you about the symptoms you described in your pre-assessment forms and about your past experiences. Please let your consultant know if any questions make you feel uncomfortable. They will not pressure you to share anything you are not comfortable with.
- If you wish to share more information at the end of your assessment, please tell your consultant you will add it to a note in your MedQare portal after the appointment. Ask them to consider it for your diagnosis.
Step Four
At the end of your assessment, your consultant will discuss their findings and provide a diagnosis (if indicated), a personalised treatment plan* and some helpful resources to support you in your onward journey. A written assessment report will be sent to you within 5 working days.
* Your treatment plan will recommend options for non-pharmacological treatments, such as therapy or coaching, and advice on where to seek ongoing support and guidance. While there are no specific medications for people with autism, these are available for associated conditions, such as depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, alcohol or drug misuse.
Your consultant may recommend non-pharmacological treatment(s) which may be beneficial in helping to reduce the challenges of your condition.
There are a number of therapies that can help:
- Relationship therapy
- Family therapy
- Employment advice
- Occupational therapy
- Life skill training
- Coaching
- Reducing sensory sensitivities
- Work adjustments
- Psychotherapy targeting common disorders associated with autism, such as anxiety and depression can be helpful.
Self-help books, websites and online forums can also be helpful. The following websites provide some useful resources:
Please find below some useful resources to download and keep:
What to expect from an autism assessment
You may also find it helpful to browse our Resources area for additional information and support in understanding and managing autism.
- If you need urgent advice or support, please follow the guidance on our website.
- For all general enquiries, please raise a note on your portal to contact our medical secretaries (available Mon to Fri 8am-5pm).
- IT support guides are available under the ‘Information Hub’ tab on our website for help with resetting your password or 2FA (two-factor authentication).