'Trust us bro, you have autism'
Unlike the other examples, this 'diagnosis' is based on a real-life experience with an ASD assessment in 2025, which spanned over five sessions: four information-gathering sessions (the last one in lieu of an informant), and a fifth session when the ADOS-2 was administered, lasting a total of 8.5 hours - yet produced a 'diagnosis' that would make SIGN 145 weep.
Note: The document presented below is a transcript of the actual 'diagnosis'; all potentially identifying information has been stripped for privacy reasons.
If, as a result of your ASD assessment, you received a document reminiscent of this one, you should not accept it - there are actions you can take.
What this letter lacks (according to SIGN 145):
Comprehensive assessment requirements
❌ No ADI-R (gold standard developmental history tool)
❌ No cognitive assessment
❌ No adaptive functioning
❌ No speech/language assessment
❌ No comprehensive developmental history
❌ No current presentation details
❌ No sensory assessment
Clinical standards
❌ No differential diagnosis consideration
❌ No comorbidity assessment
❌ No detailed diagnostic formulation
❌ No evidence mapping to ICD-11 criteria
❌ No assessment methodology explained
❌ No evidence of multidisciplinary team
Care planning
❌ No support needs identified
❌ No recommendations
❌ No care planning
❌ No onward referrals
❌ No post-diagnostic pathway
❌ No NHS service integration
Professional standards
❌ No quality assurance mentioned
❌ No SIGN 145 compliance statement
❌ Signed by office manager (not a clinician!)
Questionable clinical authority
❌ No HCPC registration numbers (required for clinical psychologists)
❌ No GMC registration numbers (required for psychiatrists)
❌ No evidence of specialist autism training
❌ No indication of who is clinically responsible for the diagnosis
❌ You can't verify if these people are qualified to diagnose autism
❌ No accountability trail if you need to challenge the assessment
[LETTERHEADED PAPER]
[Name of Patient’s GP Practice]
[Address of the GP Practice]
[Dd Mmm YYYY]
Re: [Patient’s First Name, Last Name], [Patient’s Home Address] DOB: [Dd Mmm YYYY]
An autism assessment was completed with [Patient’s First Name] on [Dd Mmm YYYY].
The information we gathered, along with the outcome of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2) meets the criteria in ICD-11 for Autism Spectrum Disorder (6A02.0 - without disorder of intellectual development and with mild or no impairment of functional language).
Professionals involved
[First Name, Last Name - Assessor 1]
[First Name, Last Name - Assessor 2]
[First Name, Last Name - Decision-Maker]
How the decision was reached
Information gathering meetings were held with [First Name, Last Name - Assessor 1] on [Dd Mmm YYYY], [Dd Mmm YYYY] and [Dd Mmm YYYY].
An ADOS-2 assessment was carried out with [Patient’s First Name], by [First Name, Last Name - Assessor 2] on [Dd Mmm YYYY].
[First Name, Last Name - Assessor 1] and [First Name, Last Name - Assessor 2] met with [First Name, Last Name - Decision-Maker] on [Dd Mmm YYYY] to analyse the findings and decide the outcome.
Diagnostic tool scoring
[Patient’s First Name] received an ADOS-2 classification of autism (score of 10 achieved: Communication - 2; Social Interaction - 8).
Findings
The experiences [Patient’s First Name] has described have been present since childhood and have caused significant difficulties at various points in [Patient’s First Name] life, in particular with employment and social relationships.
We can therefore confirm an autism diagnosis. If you require any further information, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Yours faithfully
Signed p.p. by the Office Manger
[First Name, Last Name - Assessor 2]
