What the right actually is
Right to Choose is a patient right enshrined in the NHS Constitution and the NHS standard contract: for most non-urgent NHS referrals to a consultant-led outpatient service, you can choose any provider in England that has an NHS contract for that service, not just your local one.
For autism and ADHD assessment, this means: instead of going onto your local NHS service's waiting list, you can ask your GP to refer you to an alternative NHS-funded provider who has spare capacity. The most commonly used providers are Psychiatry-UK (autism and ADHD, adults and some under-18s in certain ICBs) and ProblemShared (autism and ADHD, adults).
How it works in practice
- You ask your GP to refer you under Right to Choose to a specific provider. Some GPs are familiar with the process; others aren't. ADHD UK and the providers themselves publish template letters you can take.
- The provider triages the referral and adds you to their waiting list. Their list is usually much shorter than the local NHS service.
- The assessment is conducted to NICE standards (CG128 for autism, NG87 for ADHD) and is fully NHS-funded; you pay nothing.
- The resulting diagnosis is NHS-recorded and recognised by everyone an NHS diagnosis is recognised by (school, LA, DWP, employer).
Who can use it (and who can't)
Adults (18+) can use Right to Choose for autism and ADHD assessment across England. This is the most established route.
Under-18s: availability is patchy. Some ICBs have commissioned children's pathways with named Right to Choose providers; others haven't. Psychiatry-UK has expanded into children's ADHD in some areas. Check the provider's eligibility page and your ICB's commissioning position before your GP refers.
Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales: Right to Choose as described applies to England only. The devolved nations have their own pathways and rights.
Why it's faster
The local NHS autism diagnostic service typically has 18 months to 4+ years of accumulated waiting list. Right to Choose providers are newer entrants with capacity commissioned specifically to absorb demand. As of 2026, Psychiatry-UK adult ADHD waits are commonly 6–12 months from referral; autism waits are similar. ProblemShared operates in a comparable range.
The trade-off is that the assessment is usually remote (video) and conducted by a single consultant or a small team, not the larger multi-disciplinary panel some local NHS services run.
Where the law comes from
Related
This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.