I have been referred for an autism assessment

After you have been referred to the Service you will receive a letter informing you that CLASS has received your referral. In addition, you will receive a pack of questionnaires which will include:

• Some questionnaires to be completed by you about your personal details and a range of signs and behaviours associated with autism
• CLASS consent form (to be completed by you)
• Relatives Questionnaire (to be completed by a relative or someone who knew you as a child and who can provide relevant developmental information)

This information, together with your referral, helps us to decide whether an autism assessment is appropriate. Please complete and send all the questionnaires back to CLASS within 4 weeks (20 working days).

If a full assessment is appropriate, you will be informed that your name has been placed on a waiting list. You will be contacted again when an assessment slot is available.

While you are waiting for an assessment you may find this information helpful https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/diagnosis/pre-diagnosis/adults

When your name is near the top of the waiting list, we will send you a letter to tell you that you will be offered an appointment within the next three months. Someone from the CLASS clinic will then contact you to offer you a firm date.

Some assessments are being carried out remotely via video. The NHS uses an online service called Attend Anywhere. You will need a laptop, tablet or desktop computer with Google Chrome or Safari and a good Wi-Fi connection to use this.

You may also be offered a face-to-face appointment in the clinic at either Cambridge or Peterborough.

There are pros and cons to both online and face-to-face assessments. There is no difference in waiting times for either type of assessment and decisions are made based on your personal circumstances and the clinical information provided. 

There may be two or three appointments offered in order to complete the assessment. The clinician may also request your consent to talk to a parent, older relative or other informant who can provide information that will help in the process.

Following the assessment, we will write a report for you and your GP. The clinician will discuss with you whether anyone else might need a copy. We can also provide a very brief diagnostic statement in case you need to show evidence of your diagnosis to an employer, benefits assessor or educational provider. There will also be a chance to discuss recommendations from the assessment and what support you may be able to accessm, if a diagnosis of autism is given.

We understand that attending appointments can cause anxiety and we hope to make the assessment process as comfortable as possible.

If you feel you need additional support with anxiety, please visit https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/mental-health/anxiety for support for anxiety.

If there are other adjustments we can offer to support you please let us know. For example, if you would have difficulty using online appointments or if you (or anyone attending with you) has a physical disability or chronic pain condition.