How to access our services
Accessing Autism or ADHD assessments can feel confusing. Different NHS routes exist depending on where your GP is based, and not all services are available everywhere at the same time.
This page explains:
- The different ways you can access our services
- What’s available now
- How to work out which route applies to you or your child
The main ways to access our services
There are two main ways to access neurodevelopmental services at Mind Professionals:
1. NHS-funded services for Mid & South Essex
These are commissioned by the NHS and are free for the service user.
At present, Mind Professionals delivers NHS-funded services through local NHS pathways only.
NHS-funded access depends on:
- Which Integrated Care Board (ICB) your GP belongs to, and
- Which NHS contracts are currently live in that area.
Local NHS pathways are:
- Only available to patients registered with a GP in that area
- Accessed via a GP referral
- Not part of the national Right to Choose scheme
2. Self-pay assessments
Self-pay assessments are available if you:
- Want to access an assessment privately, or
- Are not currently eligible for an NHS-funded route.
Self-pay routes:
- Do not require a GP referral
- Are available for children, young people, and adults
- Follow the same clinical standards and diagnostic guidance
Why your GP location matters
NHS neurodevelopmental services are commissioned locally.
This means:
- Your GP practice location, not your home address, determines which NHS pathways you can use
- Some services are only available if your GP is based in a specific ICB area
- Even when services are planned elsewhere, GPs can only refer where a contract is fully live
Which route applies to me or my child?
You can use this simple guide:
My GP is in an area where Mind Professionals has an active NHS contract
You may be able to access our services through a local NHS pathway.
I want to access an assessment without waiting for NHS pathways
A self-pay assessment may be an option.
I want to choose my own provider anywhere in the UK
Right to Choose allows you to choose your own provider regardless of location but will be limited to those who currently have a live NHS Right to Choose pathway
Because availability changes over time, we recommend that you contact us to check current pathway status before asking your GP to refer.
Where to go next
To help you take the next step, you can:
- View our assessment pathways
- Understanding NHS Right to Choose
(Information about NHS Right to Choose is provided for general understanding only.)