Initial consultation
For adults aged 18 and over. Under 18? See our child and teenager assessments. The first step is an initial consultation with an Affiniti+ psychologist.
This is just an opportunity for us to hear your personal story and find out why you’ve decided to seek an assessment.
Questionnaires
- Adult background information form;
- Adult mental health questionnaires (e.g. GAD-7 for anxiety, PHQ-9 for depression);
- Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) questionnaire
- Adult background information form;
- Adult mental health questionnaires (e.g. GAD-7, PHQ-9);
- ASRS-v1.1 symptom checklist;
- DIVA
- Adult background information form;
- Adult mental health questionnaires (e.g. GAD-7, PHQ-9);
- Adult AQ and ASRS-v1.1 / DIVA
Supporting information
- A form from your university tutor or line manager at work.
- A medical report.
- If relevant, a report from your psychologist or other mental-health support.
Initial consultation
- Bring your questionnaire and supporting information together.
- Give us context for your personal story.
- Help us understand why you have decided to seek an assessment.
Our psychologist
Dr Anindita Sarkar
Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Woolwich, London
AFBPsS | CPsychol | HCPC
- QUALIFICATIONS AND REGISTRATIONHCPC registeredChartered PsychologistAssociate Fellow of the British Psychological SocietyDoctorate in Clinical Psychology, Canterbury Christ Church University, 2010
- LEADERSHIP AND EXPERIENCEFounded Affiniti+ in November 2023Former Head of Clinical Services at Barnet Council, with strategic oversight across schools, primary care, youth offending services and social careMore than 20 years' experience across the NHS, local authority and educational settingsClinical expertise in mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions, from infancy to older ageOversight of clinical audit and practice-based research at Affiniti+, so that services are shaped by evidence and outcomes
Family interview
Building a developmental picture with the people who know you
Once we have agreed that an assessment is appropriate, we will ask to speak to your parents – no matter how old you or they are. Where a parental interview is not possible or appropriate, we can instead speak to older siblings or members of your extended family. If you have a partner, we may also ask to speak to them.
Parents
Our first source for developmental history, regardless of your age or theirs.
Older sibling
Can provide a developmental perspective when a parental interview is not possible or appropriate.
Extended family
Another option where a relative has useful knowledge of your earlier development and experiences.
Partner
May also be asked to contribute a current-day perspective where this would be useful.
A conversation that moves through time
The consultation covers everything from your birth mother’s pregnancy and your birth through to how you bonded with your parents and how you learnt to walk, talk and use the toilet. Where possible, we ask a parent or someone who knew you as a child to describe your early development.
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01Pregnancy & birth
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02Bonding
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03Walking
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04Talking
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05Toileting
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06School
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07Significant events
Experience beyond early development
Your family members will be asked what you were like at school, and whether there is any relevant history or experience of trauma.
Patterns we also consider
We will look at whether there is any family history of autism, ADHD or mental ill health as part of the wider clinical picture.
The conversation adapts to what we are assessing
If you're being assessed for autism, the consultation will focus particularly on early social and communication development, sensory experiences and routines throughout childhood.
If you're being assessed for ADHD, the consultation will focus particularly on attention, activity levels and impulsivity across different stages of life, and how these have affected school, work and relationships.
When we're conducting a joint assessment for autism and ADHD, we bring both areas of focus together and are particularly comprehensive in our questioning.
Personal interview
Your interview, shaped to your assessment
Your personal interview follows the autism pathway, the ADHD pathway, or a combined pathway when both are being assessed. Each uses a structured approach.
We ask questions in a relaxed and informal manner, with space for you to explain your experiences in your own words.
ADOS-2 assessment
You will complete an Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule assessment. This is a semi-structured, standardised observation designed to give the psychologist structured information about social communication and interaction during a series of activities and conversations. The ADOS-2 is a widely used, structured observation for autism assessment.
- Structured observation of social communication and interaction.
- Behavioural information gathered in standardised interactive situations.
- Evidence considered alongside the wider assessment and diagnostic criteria.
Find out more
ADOS-2 is an observational assessment tool rather than a diagnosis by itself. Autism diagnosis also considers the broader clinical picture and DSM-5 criteria, including social-communication differences, restricted or repetitive patterns, developmental history and functional impact.
DSM-5 interview
In the ADHD interview, we explore patterns of inattention and/or hyperactivity–impulsivity against DSM-5 criteria, including how symptoms have developed over time and how they affect everyday life across different settings.
- Inattention and/or hyperactivity–impulsivity symptoms.
- Whether relevant symptoms were present before age 12.
- Whether difficulties occur in more than one setting and affect functioning.
Find out more
For people aged 17 and over, DSM-5 uses a threshold of five or more symptoms in the inattentive and/or hyperactive–impulsive domain. The criteria also require a persistent pattern, evidence of symptoms before age 12, difficulties across two or more settings, functional impact, and consideration of alternative explanations.
Autism + ADHD assessment
If you are being assessed for both autism and ADHD, we use both approaches.
University or workplace interview
With your agreement, we ask your line manager or university tutor to complete a short form, and we may follow up with a brief conversation.
One relevant perspective from your everyday environment
Stage 05 of 06
Report
Bringing everything together
Your assessment, written up clearly
We will then take all the information we have gathered during these interviews and observations and write it up into a detailed report.
Once it is written, we will send you a draft so you can read it and suggest any changes before it is finalised.
Assessment report
What the report contains
Main documentSummary report
- A concise overview of the assessment and its findings.
- The diagnostic conclusions reached through the assessment.
- Key recommendations arising from the assessment.
Supporting evidence
Appendices
ADHD-only assessment
- Personal / clinical interview
- Parental interview
- Mental health measures (e.g. GAD-7, PHQ-9)
- Work or education summary
- DSM-5 criteria for ADHD
Autism-only assessment
- Clinical interview
- Family interview
- Mental health measures
- Work or education summary
- ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule)
- DSM-5 criteria for autism
Combined autism + ADHD
All items from both lists above.
- Clinical interview
- Parental / family interview
- Work or education summary
- Mental health measures
- DSM-5 criteria for ADHD
- ADOS-2
- DSM-5 criteria for autism
Sharing your report
Sharing with other professionals
We recommend sharing the summary report and appendices (full report) with other professionals involved in your care, such as your GP.
The report contains sensitive personal information, so we recommend sharing it on a need-to-know basis, only with those directly involved in your care or support.
This helps ensure your wider care team has a complete picture of the assessment and its recommendations.
Stage 06 of 06
After your assessment
After your assessment, you receive a written report that explains what we found and what we recommend. If you would like support afterwards, we offer therapy for adults. Our handbooks also explain emotional difficulties and neurodevelopmental conditions in plain English and share practical strategies for everyday life.
Common questions
Book an initial conversationHow much does a private autism or ADHD assessment cost?
A private autism assessment costs £2,000, an ADHD assessment costs £1,500 and a combined autism and ADHD assessment costs £2,500. See our fees page for what is included.
Do I need a GP referral for a private autism or ADHD assessment?
No. You can refer yourself for a private assessment. If you plan to claim on health insurance, ask your insurer whether it needs a GP referral first, or whether you can refer yourself.
How long does a private autism or ADHD assessment take?
There is no waiting list. We contact you within 48 hours of receiving your referral to talk through next steps. The assessment itself takes four to six weeks, and writing your report, with the diagnosis and recommendations, takes a further two to four weeks. Complex cases can take longer.
What happens in an autism or ADHD assessment?
Our assessments are thorough. They include an interview with you, an interview with a parent, carer or family member who knows you well, standardised diagnostic tools and questionnaires, and information from your school or workplace. We also review relevant medical reports and speak to other professionals where that helps.
Who carries out the assessment?
Your assessment is led by Dr Anindita Sarkar, a Consultant Clinical Psychologist. Where it helps, and with your agreement, we also gather information from your school, college or workplace. When your assessment needs it, we bring in a psychiatrist or a speech and language therapist.
What is the difference between a private and an NHS assessment?
The format is very similar: we interview the person being assessed and, where relevant, a parent, teacher, university tutor or line manager. Our interviews and reports go into considerable detail, and you can read and comment on your report before it is finalised. Private assessments are usually quicker than NHS waiting lists, which vary widely by area.
Will a private diagnosis be accepted by the NHS, my school or my employer?
Each NHS service decides for itself whether to accept a private report, so check with your GP or service first. Schools and local authorities should take a private report into account when deciding what support to offer, but they make their own decisions. We recommend sharing your report, with your agreement, with your GP and other relevant people so you can access support.
What happens after my assessment?
You receive a written report with the diagnosis and our recommendations, and you can read and comment on it before it is finalised. We recommend sharing the summary pages or the whole report, with your agreement, with your GP and other relevant people so you can access the support you need. If you would like support afterwards, we also offer therapy. If you would rather not have therapy, our online workshops and handbooks offer practical guidance. Our Reframe Your Mind online workshop, four short modules teaching evidence-based CBT skills for managing unhelpful thinking, is available now, as are our ADHD handbooks. Handbooks on autism, therapies and mental health conditions are in development.
Can I be assessed as an adult if I have no childhood records?
Yes. Where possible, we speak to a parent or someone who knew you as a child. If that is not possible, for example because your parents have died or you grew up in care, we draw on other sources, such as a partner, childhood friends, school reports or extended family. These can give us valuable insight into your early development.