How do I access Right to Choose?
Accessing Right to Choose (RTC) is simple, and once your referral has been accepted the assessment process will start within seven days.
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Download and complete the relevant self-report questionnaire below.
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Complete our GP letter template.
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Book an appointment with your GP.
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Take the completed self-report forms and completed GP letter to your GP appointment, and ask for a referral for an autism or ADHD assessment.
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If your GP agrees to refer you, ask them to refer you to RTN Diagnostics by sending a cover letter on headed paper, completed referral form and summary care report to enquiries@rtnmentalhealthsolutions.com, or filling in the online referral form.
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We will review your referral to confirm you meet RTC criteria and, if you do, contact you within seven days to start the assessment process.
There are some eligibility exclusions to Right to Choose, including those who are:
Currently under an urgent or emergency (crisis) care team
In high security psychiatric services
Detained under the Mental Health Act
Detained in a secure setting, such as prison or a secure children’s home
Serving as a member of the armed forces (family members not in active service are eligible)
Helpful Resources
The NHS Right to Choose lets patients in England select where they receive non-emergency treatment when referred by their GP. Patients can choose from various hospitals or clinics, including private providers like RTN Diagnostics, at no extra cost. This choice aims to improve patient satisfaction, reduce waiting times, and ensure that care is delivered in a convenient and preferred location.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Who is eligible for an Autism assessment through right to chooseWe are accepting adults and children over the age of 6 from anywhere in England for autism assessments under the Right to Choose program. There are some eligibility exclusions to Right to Choose, including those who are: Currently under an urgent or emergency (crisis) care team In high security psychiatric services Detained under the Mental Health Act Detained in a secure setting, such as prison or a secure children’s home Serving as a member of the armed forces (family members not in active service are eligible)
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Who is eligible for an ADHD assessment through Right to choose.RTN Medical are currently accepting adults from anywhere in England for ADHD assessments under the Right to Choose program. There are some eligibility exclusions to Right to Choose, including those who are: Currently under an urgent or emergency (crisis) care team In high security psychiatric services Detained under the Mental Health Act Detained in a secure setting, such as prison or a secure children’s home Serving as a member of the armed forces (family members not in active service are eligible)
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How do I access the right to choose pathway.Download and fill out the self-report questionnaire available on the right to choose page of our website. Complete our GP letter template. Schedule an appointment with your GP. Take the completed self-report forms and the GP letter to your appointment, and request a referral for an autism assessment. If your GP agrees to the referral, ask them to send a cover letter on official letterhead, the completed referral form, and the summary care report to enquiries@rtnmentalhealthsolutions.com, or use the online referral form. We will review your referral to ensure you meet the RTC criteria. If eligible, we will contact you within seven days to begin the assessment process.
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Am I still eligible if I'm on the waiting list with my GP?Absolutely! Complete the questionnaires on the the website and speak to your GP about being referred to us!
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How much does a right to choose assessment cost?Absolutely nothing! The NHS will cover the cost of the assessment.
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Can anyone get an assessment?Any person aged six or over can undergo an assessment with RTN Diagnostics, provided they pass through our triage process and are deemed suitable for an assessment at that time.
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Will my diagnosis with RTN meet the NICE guidelines?RTN follows NICE guidelines and our clinical psychologists are all HCPC registered. Our clinical psychologists are able to give diagnosis as they follow the ICD-11 and DSM-V criteria which is exactly the same as what the NHS uses to meet diagnostic criteria.
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What if I’m unsure what assessment to take?To help make an informed decision, we can use pre-assessment screening tools to identify symptoms you might experience. Note that this is not a diagnosis, but instead an indication of which traits are currently present which can help to inform your decision.
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Can I change from single assessment for ADHD or autism to combined?If you decide to change from a single assessment to a combined assessment (both ASD and ADHD) during the process, then the additional assessment can be added in at any stage. We would charge the same as if you had selected a combined assessment from the start.
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Will my RTN diagnosis be recognised by the NHS?Whilst each medical professional and NHS Trust will be different, the vast majority of our clients have no problems having their report recognised by the NHS. If you struggle with this, then we are happy to assist you by speaking to your medical professional to discuss our NICE compliant assessment methodology in more detail.
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Is it possible to spread the cost of the assessment?If required, we can spread the cost of the assessment for you. Should you choose to do this please visit www.rtndiagnostics.com/spread-the-cost . There, you'll find more information about our 0% instalment plans.
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Why do I need to complete a consent form?To ensure compliance with our Privacy Policy and GDPR requirements, we will be asking you to complete a consent form. We will also ask you for the contact details of all assessment participants. The team will request a summary care record of your medical records as part of our standard data collection process to inform the diagnostic process. For more information on Summary Care Record (SCR), please visit the following: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/summary-care-records-scr.
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Do you triage customers before proceeding with assessments?Yes. Once we have received the client's summary care report, the team will then follow our triage process which consists of assessing previous/current diagnoses, mental health, wellbeing and medical history. Should it be deemed necessary we will contact your primary and/or secondary mental health care provider for further information.
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How do I book an assessment?To book an assessment, follow our instructions through our website to make a reservation. A member of our team will be in touch with you to help you through the initial stages of the assessment process. Should you have any questions you’d like to ask beforehand our team will be on hand to support.
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How do I complete the questionnaires?Questionnaires will be sent to all relevant parties via email, this will include informants, for example, your child’s school, parents or significant other. The questionnaires are completed online and immediately uploaded to our system upon submission. We will require responses to all questionnaires, including any informants, before we can proceed to the diagnostic interview stage. If for any reason you struggle to complete the questionnaires online please call us and we can assist you.
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Do I need to provide any supporting information?Clients are recommended to provide us with any supporting information that they think will be beneficial to their assessment. This can include; official previous/current medical reports from multidisciplinary teams and previous/current school reports. Evidence of traits/behaviours during a client's developmental period is crucial to aiding the assessment.
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What happens at the diagnostic interview?Our team will contact you, once all questionnaires have been received, and will arrange a time and date to complete the online video diagnostic interview. We have a variety of different practitioners that run these interviews including HCPC registered psychologists and speech and language therapists. The interview will take place via a secure online video platform and you will be able to see and hear the clinician for the duration of the diagnostic interview. Each diagnostic assessment varies in time, typically an ADHD interview lasts two hours and an ASD interview may take up to three hours. We recommend allowing up to three hours for the assessment to allow you an opportunity to ask the clinician any questions you may have.
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What can I expect in the diagnostic report?The diagnostic report may be up to 15 pages long summarising the information we have collected from you. The report will contain a summary of the diagnostic interview and the output of the questionnaires submitted. The report will also contain the final diagnostic decision with recommendations for aftercare support.
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Can I provide you with feedback?It is important to us to keep improving the quality of our service. As such, we will be sending a short survey for you to complete. We would appreciate your participation. We love receiving positive feedback, but also welcome any constructive criticism that helps us to improve.
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Can you prescribe medication?RTN Mental Health Solutions do not prescribe medication as a part of our mental health services. However, we have a partner company called RTN Medical that can provide medication support to our clients. RTN Medical is a separate entity from RTN Mental Health Solutions, but we work closely with them to ensure that our clients receive comprehensive care. Our team of mental health professionals will work with you to explore if medication is an appropriate course of treatment and will refer you to RTN Medical if needed.
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Is the assessment online?Our assessments take place online using a secure platform. Ahead of the interview you will receive a link to join. If you would to have an assessment in person we have an office in Deal, Kent and Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.