Cheshire Psychological Well-Being Service offers a comprehensive autism diagnostic assessment using gold standard measures (ADOS-2 & ADI-R), clinical consultation, multidisciplinary working and feedback. Working in partnership with speech and language therapists, Therapists trained in gold standard assessments and psychiatry.

Assessments are bespoke within the confines of NICE guidelines practice, appropriate clinicians identified for assessment following initial consultation. Clients will have an assessment co-ordinator identified from point of referral.

We have a person-centred approach, always putting the needs of clients and their family and carers first. Our team has extensive experience working with autistic children and adults. We are trained in the relevant and recognised gold standard diagnostic assessment tools, in accordance with NICE (National Institute of Care Excellence) Guidelines.

Assessments are bespoke with the intention of tailoring the assessment to meet the individual’s needs.

Assessment is adherent to National Institute of Clinical Excellence Guidance (NICE) 

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them.

Our service uses the term ‘autism’ but recognises other labels and is in line with NICE Guidance and Quality Standards. Approximately 1-1.5 per cent of the general population are autistic. The exact causes are unknown. There is no cure, or medication for autism.

To receive a diagnosis of autism, difficulties must be present in the following areas: social interaction, social communication, social imagination and flexibility of thinking. Many autistic people also have sensory differences which can affect them in various ways. These difficulties must be present across a person’s lifespan.

There are many benefits to providing a diagnosis for individuals who is show signs of an ASC. They include:

• Being able to offer clarity and a sense of understanding for the individual
• Allowing the patient to make sense of their history, which is often marked by difficult experiences and misunderstanding from others
• Allowing them the chance to gain ‘adaptations’ throughout life under the Equality Act
• Being able to offer support for families, friends and carers, to help them to better understand and cope with their loved one’s needs and behaviour
• Providing access to appropriate services and support networks
• Being able to enable the patient to access support at work, school, etc., as well as with social and housing services, benefits agencies and other organisations

Adults and children can be referred to our service by their GP, school or another healthcare professional. Self-referring Adults will also be able to access our service.

Once we receive your referral and it is screened by Dr Diab (Clinical Psychologist), you will be contacted by a member of the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT). A working partnership, which includes Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Psychiatrists, Speech & Language therapists and Occupational Therapists.

We currently have enough capacity to avoid waiting lists. Prior to the initial consultation we will send you some questionnaires by email to be completed and returned prior to your consultation. The consultation will establish whether an autism assessment is appropriate and who are the best suited professionals to carry the assessment. An opportunity to discuss the reasons for the referral and what individuals would like to achieve from the assessment process is what enables us to provide person-centred care. Although the assessment measures we use are structured, we will endeavour to work around the needs of the individual to ensure that they are comfortable throughout the assessment process. Our work will remain transparent and honest, we will let clients and families know what to expect and clients will have one identified clinician from the point of referral that will co-ordinate their assessment.

You can send an enquiry online here.

Our comprehensive specialist diagnostic assessment process uses validated specialist assessment tools recognised by NICE. It starts with you filling in our questionnaires as explained above and attending an initial consultation, so we can get to know you better. Initial interviews usually place via phone call or video call on Microsoft Teams or Zoom. We now have some limited face-to-face appointments, and we will discuss your individual needs beforehand.

We will then also conduct an interview with someone who can give us information about your early developmental history (preferably a carer or someone that knows you well). If this is not possible for whatever reason, please discuss this with us.

If it becomes apparent you do not have traits of autism, we will discuss this with you and signpost you elsewhere for support more suitable. Our team of Psychologists and Psychiatrists are able to consider alternative assessment and treatment options at an additional cost.

If we proceed, we will then carry out a further appointment via video call or face-to-face to complete an assessment using a specialist diagnostic tools.

If we can confidently give you a diagnosis after this assessment, we will write your autism report within 2 weeks of the assessment. Alternatively, we may need to gather more information, so we are able to give an accurate diagnosis.

You then may have a feedback appointment and you will have an opportunity to ask any questions you may have. If you receive an autism diagnosis you will be offered a post diagnostic appointment and will receive a post-diagnostic pack, which will include psychoeducation about the facets of autism.

You and will then receive our comprehensive assessment report on how we came to our outcome including our recommendations.

The whole process can take several weeks. Every person we see is different which is why we use a person-centred approach, taking into consideration personal circumstances. If you have any questions or worries about the process, you will have a person that will act as your point of contact regarding your assessment.

A recorded psychoeducation autism webinar will be in place for individuals that have accessed our service and for families to understand their autism diagnosis (available from June 2023).