Right to Choose: Being Referred

Deciding you'd like to be assessed for a neurodevelopmental condition can be difficult, but once you know it's something you'd like to pursue, the next step is getting referred.

One of the main benefits of the Right to Choose is that you get to decide for yourself which provider you'd like to be referred to. This article will summarise how you can be referred to ProblemShared through this scheme and answer some common queries we receive about the referral process.

Who can be referred through Right to Choose?

ProblemShared can accept Right to Choose referrals for the following individuals:

• Adults aged 18 and over (Autism & ADHD)
• Children and Young People aged 7-17 (Autism)

You or your child can be referred to ProblemShared via the Right to Choose even if you're currently already on an NHS waitlist. 

There are some reasons why we may not be able to accept a Right to Choose referral, which are listed in our Suitability Criteria.

If you or your child have an existing private diagnosis for a neurodevelopmental condition, you can be referred for re-assessment for the same condition through the Right to Choose scheme. 

However, if you or your child have an existing diagnosis through the NHS, you cannot be referred to ProblemShared for an assessment for the same condition. This is because the Right to Choose scheme only allows you one assessment per condition.

ICBs and Funding

The Right to Choose scheme is facilitated by NHS funding, and following changes made to the scheme early last year, the funding set aside for Right to Choose referrals impacted services across the country.

Your ICB (Integrated Care Board) is the local body responsible for NHS services in your area. Sometimes, restricted funding from an ICB can impact referrals and wait times.

To find out if your local ICB has notified us of any changes which may affect your referral, you can visit our Right to Choose webpage and click the NHS Funding button.

How do I get referred through Right to Choose?

If you've chosen ProblemShared to be your assessment provider, we're delighted! 

Unfortunately, we cannot accept self-referrals. To access our service through the Right to Choose, your referral must come directly from your GP.

You'll need to complete a self-report form as part of your referral. Either:

• The Adult Self Report Scale (ASRS) for ADHD
• The AQ-10 for Autism

If you've already spoken to your GP about being assessed, they may have provided you with one of these self-report forms to complete. If not, you can get them by following the steps on our webpage. You’ll see our Suitability Criteria as the first page, and the self-report forms will be next.

Being Referred

Once you've completed a self-report form, you should take it to your GP and inform them you'd like a neurodevelopmental assessment referral to ProblemShared. We have a helpful guide for how to ask your GP to refer you through Right to Choose on our website.

Make sure they have the most up-to-date contact details for you, especially the best email address to contact you on.

Your GP will then either submit your referral to our service using our online GP portal or by emailing us your referral to help@problemshared.net. If they email your referral, please be advised it could take us up to two weeks to process it.

Once we have your referral, you'll get an email from us letting you know. You'll have seven weeks to create your account, complete your enrolment, and submit your pre-assessment questionnaires.

If you haven't received a welcome email from us within 2 weeks of your GP sending your referral, please get in touch via email (help@problemshared.net) or call us on 020 3835 2900.

My GP won't refer me. What can I do?

If your GP refuses to refer you through Right to Choose, there are some things you can do. Our website has a handy resource page that could be worth a read if you are concerned that your GP will refuse a referral.

Take a look at our Can a GP refuse your Right to Choose? article.

Is it safe?

Yes, it is safe.

ProblemShared provides a gold-standard digital platform. We are fully GDPR-compliant, committed to data protection, and our IT systems are fully Cyber Essentials accredited (cert. c8c44ea1-273c-48e8-8906-13e3a63fde84). ProblemShared is also registered with the ICO, number: ZB567803.

ProblemShared meets the standards of the NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit (“DSPT”).

Data is uploaded to our online Right to Choose referral portal using an encrypted connection from your computer to our servers, ensuring that your information is securely transmitted. Once received, your data is securely stored using advanced security measures and industry best practices. In addition to adhering to industry best practices in all our development processes, we conduct thorough security tests twice a year. These tests are complemented by automatic daily testing to identify and mitigate any potential vulnerabilities promptly.