Right to Choose information for GPs
This is information for patients. If you're a GP or a referrer, you can find out more about Right to Choose for your patients and make a referral.
Information for Right to Choose patients
Under the NHS Choice framework, if your GP refers you for specialist treatment such as an autism or ADHD assessment, or ADHD medication services, you have the legal right to choose an appropriate provider.
On this page
- Our Right to Choose services
- How does our Right to Choose referral process work?
- Download our questionnaires
- Why choose Clinical Partners?
- What are the current wait times?
- Update on NHS funding and Right to Choose
- Our ADHD medication service
- What’s our assessment process?
- How our online assessments work
- What happens in the feedback session?
- FAQs
Our Right to Choose services
We offer expert autism and ADHD assessments, as well as ADHD medication services, for adults, young people, and children aged five and above.
- Autism assessments for adults
- ADHD assessments for adults
- ADHD medication service for adults
- Autism assessments for children & young people
- ADHD assessments for children & young people
- ADHD medication service for children and young people
Our Right to Choose assessments are conducted through secure video call, offering accessibility, comfort, and high clinical standards in the familiarity of your home.
1
Complete the relevant self-report questionnaire
Complete the most relevant self-referral questionnaire of the options below:
2
Visit your GP
Bring your completed form to your GP appointment. Your GP will talk through your experiences, including your developmental history, current concerns, and how these impact different areas of your life.
3
Ask to be referred
If your GP thinks an assessment is appropriate, ask to be referred to Clinical Partners under Right to Choose.
4
Your GP completes a referral
Ask your GP to complete our online referral form. All information is secure and only used for clinical purposes.
Your GP will need to share your contact details with us to complete the referral. Please make sure your GP has your up to date details, including your preferred email address.
Once the referral is submitted, your GP will receive a referral form number (RF number). This number helps us find your details more easily, so we can support you faster if you or your GP get in touch.
5
We add you to our waiting list
We review your referral and if you meet our criteria, you will be added to our waiting list and we will contact you to arrange an appointment as soon as possible.
Why choose Clinical Partners?
As a leading provider of ADHD and autism assessments, choosing to seek support with us means:
- We have over 200 autism and ADHD specialist clinicians and a dedicated patient support team to guide you through your journey
- A CQC and NHS registered provider that you can refer directly to under the NHS Patient Choice Framework
- NICE compliant assessments
- Secure, online appointments for accessibility
- In-depth and detailed diagnosis and reports complete with personalised recommendations
- Accessible medication services
Update on NHS funding and Right to Choose
There has been ongoing discussion about how the NHS funds Right to Choose services. Right to Choose remains in place, and your care is not affected. We are continuing to provide autism and ADHD assessments and support as normal.
The NHS has now completed two national consultations. Earlier proposals to limit access have been withdrawn, and further clarification has been provided on how services will be managed going forward.
We’re working closely with all 42 NHS Integrated Care Boards to support future planning and sustainable service delivery. Patient care remains at the heart of everything we do, and we will provide clear updates here as further information becomes available. Thank you for your continued patience.
Understanding our wait times
We’re committed to delivering efficient, effective, and personalised care and currently have capacity to offer over 2,000 ADHD and autism assessments each month.
Since January 2025, we’ve seen a much higher number of referrals than anticipated. This significant month-on-month increase means that wait times for new referrals have grown beyond our earlier estimates.
Wait times are based on the current NHS Right to Choose framework, but they may change if future NHS funding arrangements are revised. We’ll share any updates as soon as possible.
For a clear explanation of how our wait times work and why they may vary by condition and age group, please visit:
These wait times apply to referrals received after 6 June 2025.
Children and young people
- Autism assessments: approximately 8 to 10 months
- ADHD assessments: approximately 6 to 8 months
- ADHD medication services: approximately 12 to 18 months
Adults
- Autism assessments: approximately 6 to 8 months
- ADHD assessments: approximately 5 to 7 months
- ADHD medication services: approximately 12 to 18 months
Last updated: 6 June 2025
Update for patients in Coventry and Warwickshire ICB area
If you're 25 or over and live in Coventry and Warwickshire ICB area, please check our service update before requesting an ADHD referral through Right to Choose.
Our ADHD medication service
We understand how important it is to have easy access to ADHD medication support. Our experienced specialist clinicians provide online appointments to help you find the right medication and dosage through titration.
Once stabilised, your ongoing care can continue through shared care with your GP or monthly appointments with us. Children and young people receive six-monthly specialist reviews, and adults have annual specialist reviews to ensure long-term support.
How our online assessments work
Our Right to Choose assessments are conducted online via secure video call, ensuring accessibility, comfort, and high clinical standards for patients across England.
- Remote assessments eliminate the need for travel, allowing you to complete them from the privacy of your own home without interruption.
- Observing your home environment provides valuable insights into your or your child's preferences, challenges, and family interactions.
- Remote assessments are as robust as face-to-face, and are conducted by trained clinicians using evidence-based tools.
- Assessments must be conducted on a computer, not a mobile phone, to ensure clear visuals and sound quality which are essential for a thorough assessment.
- If a remote assessment presents challenges for you or your child due to specific access needs, we will work with you to explore possible adjustments.
- Find out more about preparing for your assessment.
1.
Confirm your referral: You will receive an email to confirm that your GP has submitted a referral. This will include a referral number, which helps us find your details more easily.
2.
Arranging an appointment: Our team will reach out to arrange an appointment as soon as we can.
3.
Pre-assessment questionnaires: Once your appointment is confirmed, we’ll send you pre-assessment questionnaires that must be completed at least 48 hours before your appointment.
You’ll also need to share a questionnaire with someone who knows you well (your informant) or, if the assessment is for your child, with their school. Find out more details about preparing for your assessment.
4.
Assessment with our clinicians: Our specialist clinicians will guide you through the relevant clinical interviews to understand your unique situation.
5.
Feedback appointment: You will then have a feedback session, where the clinician will talk you through their conclusions and share tailored, personalised recommendations.
6.
Detailed report: Within six weeks of your feedback session, you will receive a complete and detailed report to help you best understand your needs, which can be shared with your GP with your consent.
What happens in the feedback session?
Your clinician will make tailored, personalised recommendations for you, which you will discuss in your feedback session. This session is focused on the best treatment or support options to suit your personal needs.
If you receive an ADHD diagnosis and if clinically appropriate, your clinician may recommend medication to help manage your symptoms, and you will be invited to join our medication waitlist.
For more information about lifestyle changes and possible treatment options, take a look at our blog.
FAQs
Our process
You can find details of our wait times here.
We manage separate waiting lists for each condition and age group — for example, adult ADHD assessments or children’s autism assessments. Patients are seen in the order their referral was received within that group.
However, recent changes in how the NHS manages Right to Choose referrals have added complexity, and some patients are waiting longer than originally expected. We are tracking every referral carefully and will contact you as soon as we are able to offer an appointment.
We’ve written a clear explanation of how our wait times work and why they can vary.
Yes, in most areas you can still ask your GP to make a Right to Choose referral, and we continue to accept referrals for autism and ADHD assessments.
However, if you are aged 25 or over and registered with a GP in Coventry or Warwickshire, please check the update below before requesting an ADHD referral:
Adult ADHD referrals in Coventry and Warwickshire
We remain in active discussions with ICBs and NHS leaders to support patients and shape future services. If anything changes, we’ll update this page with clear guidance.
Your place on the waiting list is secure, and we are continuing to process referrals as normal.
We are working in partnership with ICBs and NHS decision-makers to ensure that any future changes are managed in a way that prioritises patient care. If anything changes, we will update you, ensuring you have the information you need to feel confident about your next steps.
No—your care will continue as normal, and there are no immediate changes to your assessments, titration, or ongoing support.
Patient care is at the heart of everything we do, and we are actively working with ICBs and NHS leaders to support a smooth transition and ensure continuity of care. If anything changes in the future, we will update you with clear and timely information.
Yes. However, we encourage everyone to use our online form to submit referrals. The form is secure and has been carefully designed to ensure your referral information is recorded accurately and can be processed efficiently.
While we can accept referrals by email, using our online system will help ensure your referral is processed accurately and efficiently, which could help reduce your assessment waiting time.
We take the security of your personal data very seriously. Your information is used solely for clinical purposes and is accessed only by authorised professionals. We manage all data in line with NHS security and data protection standards. You can read more about how we handle your data in our privacy and data policies.
When your GP submits your Right to Choose referral, you will receive an email to confirm.
- If you haven't recieved the email, please check your junk folder.
- If it's been over four weeks since your GP appointment and you haven't heard from us, please reach out to your surgery to check that the referral was made with up to date details.
When your GP makes an online referral to Clinical Partners, they’ll receive a referral form number (sometimes called an RF number).
This number is linked to your individual referral – it helps us find your details quickly if you or your GP contact us. You’ll receive your RF number in your confirmation email once the referral has been submitted.
Referral form numbers are unique to each person and don’t reflect your referral route or your place in a queue. Please don’t worry if your number looks different from someone else’s.
If you need to get in touch, having your RF number to hand means we can support you more quickly.
You will have a feedback appointment where your clinician will discuss the assessment outcome and their clinical decisions. You will then receive your clinical report, which can also be sent to your GP.
Yes. If you receive an ADHD diagnosis and medication is clinically recommended for you, we offer medication services.
Yes, we can support all children and young people in every ICB across England with ADHD medication care through the Right to Choose pathway.
Medication services for children and young people
If your child was assessed by Clinical Partners, diagnosed with ADHD, and medication was recommended, they will be invited to join our medication titration waitlist.
If your child was diagnosed by another provider, we can still help, as long as your GP refers your child to us under Right to Choose for ADHD medication care. The GP will need to:
- Confirm the diagnostic report meets NHS standards, and
- Send it to [email protected] with a request to join the waitlist.
Once referred, your child will be supported by our specialist clinicians through a safe, structured titration process.
Yes, if medication was clinically recommended, your child can now be referred back to us for ADHD medication care through the Right to Choose pathway.
Since 1 December 2024, Clinical Partners has held an eligible contract to provide ADHD medication support, including titration, to children and young people in all 42 ICBs across England.
If your child was assessed and diagnosed with ADHD before this date, they may have been discharged without access to medication support due to specific ICB instructions. We can now offer this care to children and young people through Patient Choice.
What to do next
Ask your child’s GP to refer them to Clinical Partners under Right to Choose for ADHD medication care. The GP will need to:
- Confirm your child was diagnosed with ADHD and that medication was recommended
- Send the diagnostic report to [email protected] with a referral request
Once received, your child will be added to our waitlist and supported by our specialist clinicians through a safe, structured titration process.
Our Right to Choose assessments are conducted online via secure video call, ensuring accessibility, comfort, and high clinical standards for patients across England.
Find out more about how our online assessments work.
Preparing for your assessment
Because autism and ADHD are neurodevelopmental conditions, it is important we gather information about your experiences and development in childhood and as an adult. We do this through someone who has known you from an early age, referred to as an 'informant'.
That’s why, where possible, we recommend that people choose a parent to be their informant. If that’s not possible, another family member, former teacher or long-time friend could be suitable.
Adult autism assessments
- 3 questionnaires for you - in your portal for you to complete
- 1 questionnaire for your informant - link sent by email, for you to send to your informant
Adult ADHD assessments
- 3 questionnaires for you - in your portal for you to complete
- 1 questionnaire for your informant - link sent by email, for you to send to your informant
For children aged five to ten
- 1 questionnaire for your child - in your portal for your child to complete
- 4 questionnaire for you about your child - in your portal for you to complete
- 2 questionnaires for your child's teacher - link sent by email, for you to send to your informant
For children aged 11 and above
- 2 questionaires for your child - in your portal for your child to complete
- 4 questionnaires for you about your child - in your portal for you to complete
- 2 questionnaires for your child's teacher - link sent by email, for you to send to the school
For children aged five to ten
- 1 questionnaire for your child - in your portal for your child to complete
- 3 questionnaires for you about your child - in your portal for you to complete
- 2 questionnaires for your child's teacher - link sent by email, for you to send to the school
For children aged 11 and above
- 2 questionnaires for your child - in your portal for your child to complete
- 3 questionnaires for you about your child - in your portal for you to complete
- 2 questionnaires for your child's teacher - link sent by email, for you to send to the school
About Right to Choose
Yes, we hold NHS standard contracts across England to provide NHS Right to Choose autism and ADHD assessments for adults, children (aged five and above), and young people.
Yes, you can request a Right to Choose referral by speaking with your GP about updating your existing NHS referral. If you're considering this, your GP can help you explore whether it's the right choice for you.
You are also able to change between Right to Choose providers, but you will need to ask your GP to update the referral, and notify your previous provider to be removed from their wait list.
If your GP refers you for specialist treatment such as an autism or ADHD assessment, or ADHD medication, you have the legal right to choose an appropriate provider.
In some situations, you may not be eligible to choose your provider. The NHS has guidance on who this applies to.
Not all GPs are familiar with the Right to Choose pathway yet, which is why sharing helpful resources can be a good starting point. The NHS has published a detailed Choice Framework that explains what choices are available to you in your NHS care.
Right to Choose is a legal right, so if you haven’t been offered this option, consider asking your GP for more information and letting them know you'd like to explore it further.
For more detailed information about your rights and choices within the NHS, please visit the NHS website: Your Choices in the NHS.
If you have further questions or need additional information about your Right to Choose, you can email the Your Choice Team at [email protected]. They are available to help you understand your options and guide you through the process.
Your local ICB can also provide further information and assistance. They oversee the planning and commissioning of healthcare services in your area and can help ensure you receive the care you need. Click here to find the contact details for your local ICB.
Coventry and Warwickshire ICB has introduced a temporary policy that allows NHS ADHD referrals only for patients under the age of 25. This means they are not currently funding ADHD assessments for adults aged 25 and over through Right to Choose.
In line with this policy, Clinical Partners has temporarily paused new adult ADHD referrals for patients aged 25 and over who are registered with a GP in Coventry or Warwickshire ICB area.
Clinical Partners is currently reviewing the implications of the ICB’s policy to fully understand how it may affect patients.
At this time, we are continuing to accept ADHD referrals for children and young people under 25 in the area. However, we are monitoring the situation closely and will update this page if anything changes.
Yes. The temporary policy introduced by Coventry and Warwickshire ICB only affects adults aged 25 and over currently. If a patient is under 25 at the time of referral and meets the usual Right to Choose criteria, we are still able to accept the referral for an ADHD assessment.
We are seeking further clarification and monitoring the situation closely. We will update this page if anything changes.