Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. People with ASD often have problems with social communication, interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviours or interests. People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention.
There is currently a significant wait for Autism assessments. We are working hard to reduce this. You can get more information about the referral process and wait times from your local Autism Hub.
The hubs provide pre and post assessment support. For more details, please contact using the details below.
| Telford and Wrekin | Shropshire | |
|---|---|---|
| Where is your GP located? | My GP is in Telford. | My GP is in Shropshire. |
| Telephone number | 01952 916109 | 01743 539201 |
| E-mail address | admin |
advice |
| Website | Telford Autism Hub website | A4U - Shropshire Autism Hub webpage |
To check where your GP is below click here to see a list of GP Practices in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin along with their contact details.
If you would like to discuss the possibility of an autism assessment, please call or email and we will ask a member of our team to call you back at a convenient time.
When we receive your referral for an Autism Assessment we will meet as a team to read through the information you have shared and review your health records.
If you have had an Autism Assessment before we will not be able to offer a reassessment.
Unfortunately, there is significant waiting time for an autism assessment. We are working hard to try to reduce this.
During the screening appointment we will also discuss the support you could access without a formal diagnosis.
When we are able to offer you an appointment for your autism assessment, we will be in contact with you using your preferred method of contact (as recorded on your referral form). If we are not able to contact you using this, we will write to you asking you to contact us.
We try to work around your existing commitments when making your appointment (such as other hospital appointment or holidays) within reason, but we only work 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer home visits.
Your assessment will include a minimum of two face to face appointments. These will be with different members of the clinical team. This is so you have the benefit of two experienced clinicians.
One of these appointments we ask for you to come into the clinical room alone so we can carry out an assessment of your social communication and social interaction (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule ADOS 2).
The other appointment you can bring someone with you, if you would like to.
During the assessment we will ask if we can talk with a parent. This is so we can ask questions about your early development. We use another standardised tool (Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised: ADI-R). This includes lots of questions focusing on your development as a young child (specifically 0-5 years old). We know this can be difficult for some adults coming for assessment as they may not want to include a parent or they may not have their parent in their lives anymore.
If you are not able to include a parent in your assessment this will not prevent us from doing an autism assessment with you. Instead, we will be asking you to provide as much information as you can about your experiences as a young child. Some people have red books or school reports etc... which can be helpful too.
If you are not able to share information about your early childhood and this cannot be provided by anyone else, then it is unlikely that we will be able to say you meet the criteria for a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental condition so we need to establish that these differences were present since early childhood. There are lots of other explanations which could lead to difficulties with Social Communication / Social interaction as well as Restrictive / Repetitive Behaviours.
We offer appointments over the telephone, via video consultation and in person. We would not be able to complete an Autism Assessment solely on the telephone.
The following leaflet can be used in conjunction with the above information and can also be printed if required.
When your assessment is complete, we will send you a report outlining the information we have gathered, the outcome of your assessment and some recommendations.
If you would like to read this and come back to us with any questions or comments, we can offer you a draft report in the first instance.
If you have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder then we pass your information back to the relevant Hub who will contact you to offer an appointment to discuss Post Diagnostic Support.
Some clinic appointments are offered at Fuller House, Hall Court, Telford, TF3 4NP.
Some clinic appointments are also offered at Hazeldine House, Telford Centre, Telford, TF3 4JL.
Some clinic appointments are also offered at A4U, Louise House, Roman Road, Shrewsbury, SY3 9JN
We work in partnership with the Telford Adult Autism hub and the Shropshire Autism Hub which are managed through the Community Voluntary Service: a partnership organisation who advise, connect and inspire people and organisations to improve lives and communities.
The Autism Hub's main aims are to enable individuals to better understand their autistic identity.
This can be an individual seeking an assessment or general support. It can also be other agencies and businesses wanting to be better placed to meet the needs of both Telford's and Shropshire's neurodiverse community.
Telford Adult's Autism Hub provides:
We can help you:
Shropshire Autism Hub provides a range of services provided for autistic adults over 18 in Shropshire. The services are provided by a partnership of organisations.
They offer:
Since I completed my Clinical Psychology Doctorate in 2009, I have worked across different settings including secure hospitals, prisons, intensive support teams and the community learning disability team. I have worked with autistic people throughout my career and have been qualified to assess and diagnose Autism Spectrum Disorders since 2011.
I am an HCP registered clinical psychologist with 35 years' experience working with people with neurodevelopmental conditions and/or intellectual disabilities [learning disabilities]. I have expertise in the assessment and diagnosis of autism and in the identification of other genetic and neurological conditions.
I work in the Telford ASD service completing autism assessments. I also add my expertise and carry out other assessments for people on the autism pathway.
I have always worked in the NHS, initially in mental health, then in the CLDT Shropshire team.
I help with general enquiries from patients and other services. I am also heavily involved in the day-to-day tasks such as, booking appointments, updating clinical systems, and sending out reports and letters. I joined the team in 2022 and enjoy being part of a very caring and professional service.
I am a Speech and Language Therapist. I have worked in the NHS for 9 years. When I am not at work, I am usually out running, playing music or hopefully winning at scrabble!
The Autism Assessment Service are very proud to have been shortlisted from over 400 nominees as finalists in the Trust's Staff Awards ceremony in June 2023.
The judges noted:
This small, dedicated, and innovative team truly recognises and understands the needs of its service and is continually developing, adapting, and evolving to meet ever increasing demand. The team goes above and beyond to guarantee a gold standard service and person-centred approach, attracting high-levels of positive feedback from service users, families and staff alike.
The steps below describe the expected route of your referral and what you can expect:
We accept self-referrals as well as referrals from professionals supporting individuals.
The Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) will determine whether an individual needs a diagnostic assessment and therefore whether they should progress through the process, and if a diagnosis is not needed, determining which pathway would be more appropriate. This is a clinically led process which helps personalise the assessment for each person with autism.
The assessment brings in skills from a range of professionals, diagnostic tools, and observations to determine if someone is autistic or may need to be assessed for something else.
Where it is possible we aim to involve a family member, partner, carer, or use documentary evidence (such as school reports) of current and past behaviour and early development in the assessment.
We also use direct observation of core autism signs and symptoms, including formal assessment tools where appropriate.
We aim to provide an assessment which is tailored to the individual. The number of appointments may vary according to each assessment.
At this stage, a report is written explaining the outcome, making recommendations where appropriate.
A draft report is shared with the individual in the first instance, and they are then able to meet with the professionals again when they have read the report to discuss further.
A summary of this assessment is shared with your GP.
If the outcome of the assessment is a formal diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, post-diagnostic support is tailored according to individual need and may, in part, be delivered through collaborations with other teams or organisations.
Onward referrals for support (including for people without autism) also happen here.
If you are considering making a self-referral, you might wish to try this short online self-screening tool.
If you wish to make a self-referral, please download and complete the following form: ASD Assessment Referral Form.
If you'd like to get involved, or if you have experience of using our services, or care for someone who does, you can become involved in the Trust's work, have your voice heard and take part in joint working on a wide range of projects and activities.
Visit our Service User Involvement page.
