Additional Right to Choose providers

Dear Parents

I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge that many of our families are experiencing long waits for autism and ADHD assessments, particularly through services like The Lighthouse Child Development Centre. We understand how challenging and frustrating this can be for you and your child.

You may be aware of a recent announcement from the local NHS Integrated Care System about new autism and ADHD specialist service providers for children and young people. This update explains that additional Right to Choose providers have now been commissioned locally to help increase capacity for assessments and reduce waiting times. These providers have been quality-assured to NHS standards and can offer autism/ADHD assessments and, where appropriate, support with ADHD medication under shared care arrangements with GPs. Referrals to these providers must be made by your GP, as schools are not able to refer directly under this pathway. More information can be found via the following link. https://www.midandsouthessex.ics.nhs.uk/health/personalised-care/medicines-management/adhd-prescribing/new-autism-and-adhd-specialist-service-providers-for-children-and-young-people/