ADHD / Autism Referral Process
ADHD and/or Autism must be diagnosed, and medication initiated and stabilised by a specialist.
Ongoing prescribing within primary care should only be undertaken as part of share care agreement once the patient has been stabilized.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB have contracted local service providers for ADHD and/or Autism diagnosis and medication initiation and stabilising:
- PHL for adults
- CAMHS for children
Patients have the 'Right to Choose' other NHS ADHD service providers. Some of these services may only be commissioned to offer diagnosis and may not provide medication initiation and stabilising.
Other private providers are available who do not hold any NHS contracts and may or may not offer medication initiation or stabilising. Private providers are not subject to NHS scrutiny in terms of clinical governance and are covered by NHS indemnity schemes.
| Provider | Credible Diagnosis | Initating and Stabilising Medication | Shared Care in Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHS (HIOW Contracted) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Right to Choose | Yes | Sometimes | Sometimes |
| Other Private Providers | Uncertain | Uncertain | Uncertain |
Patients should be made aware that we will only support ongoing prescribing for HIOW contracted services, or for Right to Choose services where the initiating and stabilisation steps have been completed and a shared care agreement entered that mirrors the HIOW shared care guideline. The HIOW shared care places the responsibility of monitoring the patient by the specialist not by primary care. Right to Choose providers must agree to this requirement.
In all cases, if the patient fails to attend for review with their specialist/discharged from their care, or does not attend for monitoring, their medication may be stopped
Important: Text Messages
If you are replying to a text message from us asking what your preference is, please reply with one of the following:
- NHS
- Right to Choose
- Other Private