Our Service
We are a specialist multidisciplinary NHS team comprising of Psychology, Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Administration. We offer diagnostic and post-diagnostic services to adults aged 18 and above who do not have registered learning disabilities. We are able to accept referrals for clients who have learning difficulties.
What is Autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) refers to difficulties in social communication and interaction and restrictive and repetitive patterns of behaviours and interests. Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition which means that the differences associated with autism are present throughout a person’s life, however it may not always be detected in childhood. This could be for several reasons, including masking/camouflaging of symptoms, symptoms not been picked up, or the child receiving another related diagnosis, whilst the underlying autism goes undiagnosed.
It is estimated that more than one in 100 people are autistic, an estimated 1.1% of the population. There are around 700,000 adults and children with autism in the UK.
Referral and Acceptance Criteria
We assess referral information in accordance with the DSM-5 criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (i.e. persistent deficits in social interaction and social communication, and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours and interests). We are only able to accept referrals made by a GP or Health Professional.
Copies of our referral form and the DSM-5 criteria can be requested by emailing somersetautismspectrumservice@somersetft.nhs.uk. You can seek advice or a referral from your doctor if you think you may be autistic.
There is currently a waiting time of approximately 5 weeks to review new referrals due to current resource demands on the service. In some cases, we may contact the referrer or client to request further information before we are able to reach a decision about further clinical assessment.
For further information on the pre-diagnostic process, please email us at somersetautismspectrumservice@somersetft.nhs.uk to request a copy of our pre-diagnostic information booklet.
Waiting for an assessment
Waiting times for assessment are approximately 36 months following acceptance of a referral. In certain cases, we may be able to prioritise referrals if there is a strong clinical reason to do so. We would advise referrers to contact us if a person’s circumstances change and they believe that the referral needs to be prioritised.
We are currently assessing people who were accepted onto our diagnostic waiting list in May-June 2022.
Waiting Well
The following services may be of help to you while you are waiting for an Autism Assessment:
- Open Mental Health
- Talking Therapies
- Village Agents
- Recovery College
- Somerset’s Local Offer
If you wish to request our ‘Waiting Well’ resource and information pack, please email somersetautismspectrumservice@somersetft.nhs.uk.
Assessment for Autism
The assessment process will typically have three parts. The first contact will involve meeting with you to find out more about, what your strengths are, what you find difficult and how this may link to autism. If we suggest further assessment at this point, we will, where possible, arrange to speak with someone who has known you since you were young, often a parent, sibling or other relative. We will also meet with you again to carry out further assessment before making a decision about a diagnosis.
When you have completed an assessment, we will offer feedback, talk through the assessment, and signpost you to other services where appropriate. If you are given a diagnosis, we will offer a follow up appointment approximately 6 months after your diagnosis, as we recognise that it can take time to process and make sense of this information.
Post Diagnostic Support
We are primarily an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnostic service, however we do offer several post diagnostic support options, including groups, individual signposting and resources. To request this information, please email somersetautismspectrumservice@somersetft.nhs.uk.
Information for Staff
We are able to offer some liaison and advice to staff members working with individuals who have an Autism diagnosis or are waiting for an assessment. To request further information about what we can offer, please email us.