Autism assessment in Northamptonshire: every stage and what to do while waiting

Step by step

1. Stage 1: start support before diagnosis

   What is happening: Needs are being identified and practical support should begin without waiting for a diagnostic label. How you know: The person, family, school, GP or other professional has recorded communication, sensory, social, learning, daily-living or wellbeing needs. Current published wait: No diagnostic wait applies to reasonable adjustments, SEND Support or needs-led help. What to do now: Ask for adjustments, a support plan, evidence from daily life and the person's own views. Escalate when: A service refuses all support only because there is no diagnosis, or immediate health or safety concerns emerge. Source checked 5 August 2026. Review due 5 November 2026.

2. Stage 2: child evidence and professional referral

   What is happening: For under-18s, an appropriate health, education or social-care professional prepares the referral and required parent and school information. How you know: You have agreed the referral question, consent and attachments, and know who will submit them to the NHFT Children's Referral Management Centre. Current published wait: NHFT does not publish a normal preparation time; it depends on how quickly complete information is gathered. What to do now: Ask for a copy or summary, submission date, destination and named person who will chase acknowledgement. Escalate when: The referral is repeatedly delayed, essential evidence is not requested, or no one accepts ownership. Source checked 5 August 2026. Review due 5 November 2026.

3. Stage 3: Referral Management Centre receipt and completeness check

   What is happening: The Referral Management Centre receives the child referral, checks required information and routes it to the clinical service. How you know: The referrer can confirm the submission date and RMC outcome; parents can ask RMC about status and process, but RMC does not provide clinical advice. Current published wait: NHFT says referrals normally reach the clinical service in about 2 to 4 weeks when the information is complete. What to do now: Keep the referral receipt and contact RMC on 0800 170 7055 option 3 or cyprmc@nhft.nhs.uk if the status is unclear. Escalate when: The referral is returned, incomplete, missing after the published routing period, or the referrer has not acted on a request for more information. Source checked 5 August 2026. Review due 5 November 2026.

4. Stage 4: child referral accepted and placed on the local pathway

   What is happening: The clinical service reviews the referral and either accepts it, seeks more information, redirects it or returns advice. How you know: The referrer or service can state the triage outcome, pathway, date accepted and who owns the next action. Current published wait: NHFT does not publish a separate normal triage wait on the CYP ADHD and ASD page. What to do now: Ask for the outcome in writing and continue support based on need. Escalate when: No one can confirm whether the referral was accepted, a returned referral is not acted on, or needs materially worsen. Source checked 5 August 2026. Review due 5 November 2026.

5. Stage 5: child waits for the first assessment appointment

   What is happening: The accepted child referral is waiting for the first clinical appointment. How you know: The service confirms acceptance and the responsible pathway. North Northamptonshire covers all school ages; in West Northamptonshire NHFT covers secondary age and Northampton General Hospital covers primary age. Current published wait: For NHFT's service, covering all school ages in North Northamptonshire and secondary school age in West Northamptonshire, NHFT published a 114-week average first-appointment wait in June 2026. Northampton General Hospital says its West Northamptonshire primary-age community-paediatrics waits are extensive but does not publish a current numeric average on its page. These are not targets, deadlines or guarantees. What to do now: Keep adjustments and SEND support active, record changes, ask who to contact if needs worsen and check whether a cancellation opportunity is appropriate. Escalate when: The person's needs or risk changes, contact details change, the pathway appears wrong, or the service cannot confirm current ownership. Source checked 5 August 2026. Review due 5 November 2026.

6. Stage 6: child assessment and outcome

   What is happening: The team gathers developmental information, meets the child and family as needed, and decides the outcome and recommendations. How you know: You receive appointment information explaining who will attend, what evidence is needed and how communication or sensory adjustments will be made. Current published wait: NHFT does not publish one normal duration from first appointment to final outcome because assessment needs differ. What to do now: Prepare a short developmental history, examples, strengths, communication needs, questions and required adjustments. Escalate when: Essential adjustments are not provided, the process or outcome is unclear, or agreed follow-up is not recorded. Source checked 5 August 2026. Review due 5 November 2026.

7. Stage 7: adult GP referral to the local autism team

   What is happening: For adults, a GP or appropriate professional refers to the NHFT Adult ADHD, Autism and Tourette's Team. Its autism pathway is for adults without a learning disability. How you know: The GP can confirm referral date, destination, evidence and whether the local team accepted it. Current published wait: NHFT does not publish a current average adult autism diagnostic wait. What to do now: Ask the GP for a referral receipt, continue needs-led support and use the service page rather than repeatedly asking the clinical team for an estimated place in the queue. Escalate when: The referral is rejected without clear next steps, sent to the wrong pathway, or health or safety deteriorates. The adult team is not an urgent or crisis service. Source checked 5 August 2026. Review due 5 November 2026.

8. Stage 8: adult waits on the local pathway

   What is happening: An accepted adult referral waits in chronological order for diagnostic review. How you know: The GP or service confirms acceptance; the service says it will contact the person when an appointment is ready. Current published wait: Not published. NHFT asks people not to contact the clinical team for waiting-time estimates and says referrals cannot be moved up the list. What to do now: Keep contact details current, ask the GP about support for current needs and use urgent services for crisis or serious deterioration. Escalate when: You have no acceptance confirmation, circumstances change materially, or required communication adjustments are not recorded. Source checked 5 August 2026. Review due 5 November 2026.

9. Stage 9: consider NHS patient choice before changing pathway

   What is happening: A person registered with a GP in England may ask the GP about a qualifying NHS-funded alternative provider for a first outpatient assessment. How you know: The GP confirms patient-choice rules apply and the proposed provider has a current NHS contract covering the person's age, condition and required assessment. Current published wait: Provider-specific waits are not published in this guide and change frequently; check the provider's current NHS pathway page before referral. What to do now: Confirm assessment scope, exclusions, treatment or prescribing responsibility and whether the person must leave the local waiting list. Northamptonshire says local and patient-choice pathways cannot run at the same time. Escalate when: The GP refuses without giving a reason, contract status is unclear, or the provider cannot explain follow-up responsibility. Source checked 5 August 2026. Review due 5 November 2026.

10. Stage 10: use the right concern route

    What is happening: A referral, wait, assessment or communication concern remains unresolved after contact with the responsible professional or service. How you know: You have a dated chronology, the exact unanswered question, impact and remedy requested. Current published wait: PALS and complaint response times vary; neither route guarantees a faster clinical appointment. What to do now: Contact NHFT PALS for unresolved NHFT queries or concerns, or the ICB patient-experience team for relevant commissioned-service concerns. Keep clinical and emergency routes separate. Escalate when: Risk is urgent, essential care is missing, a formal complaint remains unresolved, or specialist advocacy or legal advice may be needed. Source checked 5 August 2026. Review due 5 November 2026.