Concierge psychiatry · London
Adult autism assessment - private in London.
A NICE-aligned, multi-instrument diagnostic pathway. ADOS-2 with ADI-R, delivered by a GMC-registered consultant psychiatrist across a small vetted London network. Full written report in 2 to 3 weeks.
- GMC-registered psychiatrists
- ADOS-2 and ADI-R gold standard
- Report in 2-3 weeks
- Clinician-led concierge
What it is
The gold-standard adult autism diagnostic pathway.
A single questionnaire cannot diagnose autism. NICE CG142 recommends a multi-instrument assessment led by a specialist clinician, and that is what a proper private pathway delivers.
An adult autism assessment is a structured clinical process, not a test with a pass or fail. Its purpose is to weigh your lifelong pattern of social communication, sensory experience and behaviour against the criteria in DSM-5-TR and ICD-11, and to distinguish autism from conditions that can present similarly in adulthood.
A NICE-aligned private assessment uses several complementary instruments. The ADOS-2 Module 4 is a semi-structured, in-person observation used to assess adults with fluent speech. The ADI-R is a detailed developmental history taken from a parent, older sibling or long-term partner. Self-report measures such as the AQ-50, RAADS-R and the CAT-Q for camouflaging add depth. A GMC-registered consultant psychiatrist integrates all of this with an informant history to produce a formulation.
Where the diagnostic threshold is met, the report says so clearly. Where it is not, the report is equally clear and points to what the picture does look like. That intellectual honesty is what separates a good service from a rubber-stamp clinic.
Signs in adults
What late-identified autism actually looks like.
Adults who reach assessment have usually spent decades adapting. The signs are quieter than the textbook description, and they overlap significantly with ADHD.
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Masking and camouflaging
Years of rehearsing eye contact, tone and small talk. Exhaustion after ordinary social contact is the tell.
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Sensory sensitivities
Fluorescent lights, seams in clothing, background chatter, food textures. Overload is cumulative, not always immediate.
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Monotropism and special interests
Deep, narrow focus on a subject that provides regulation and joy. Difficulty shifting attention on demand.
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Social exhaustion
A social day that others find pleasant leaves you flat for 24-48 hours. You cancel plans to recover.
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Executive dysfunction
Struggle with initiation, transitions and task-switching. Often mistaken for ADHD, and often overlapping with it.
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Literal thinking and pattern spotting
A preference for clarity, rules and predictability. Discomfort with implicit social scripts.
The process
From first call to written report, in order.
Six steps across roughly four to six weeks. Every step is delivered in person or, where clinically acceptable, by secure video.
- 01
Screening call
A 20 minute conversation with a nurse or psychologist. AQ-10 and RAADS-14 screeners. We confirm whether a full assessment is the right next step.
- 02
ADOS-2 Module 4 session
3 to 4 hours in person with a trained clinician. Semi-structured tasks and conversation that sample social communication, imagination and restricted behaviours.
- 03
ADI-R developmental history
2 to 3 hours with a parent, older sibling or long-term partner. A structured interview covering childhood, school and current functioning.
- 04
Self-report and differential
Full AQ-50, RAADS-R, CAT-Q for camouflaging. The psychiatrist considers social anxiety, complex PTSD, OCD, BPD and ADHD as differential or co-occurring.
- 05
Multidisciplinary formulation
The team meets to weigh instruments, history and clinical observation against NICE CG142 criteria. A diagnosis is only given where the picture is coherent.
- 06
Written diagnostic report
15 to 25 pages, delivered 2 to 3 weeks after your ADOS. Includes formulation, DSM-5-TR criteria mapping, workplace and educational recommendations and next-step referrals.
Co-occurring conditions
Autism rarely arrives alone.
A thorough assessment considers what else is going on. Each of these is weighed in the formulation and, where relevant, named explicitly in the report.
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ADHD
Present in 30 to 50 percent of autistic adults. If not screened at intake, we add adult ADHD assessment as a combined pathway.
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Anxiety and depression
Lifetime prevalence above 50 percent. Often the reason someone finally seeks assessment. Considered separately in the formulation.
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OCD
Repetitive behaviours can look similar. The report distinguishes ego-dystonic compulsions from autistic routines and stimming.
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Ehlers-Danlos and hypermobility
A recognised association. Where relevant, we suggest onward rheumatology or PoTS review.
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PoTS and dysautonomia
Postural tachycardia, fatigue and brain fog. Flagged for cardiology if suggested by history.
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Eating disorders
ARFID in particular. The report notes sensory drivers where present and can support specialist referral.
After diagnosis
A diagnosis is a beginning, not an endpoint.
The most valuable part of the report is often the recommendations section. It is written to translate directly into workplace, educational and clinical support.
Workplace and study
Autism is a disability under the Equality Act 2010. Employers must consider reasonable adjustments: quiet workspaces, written briefs, flexible hours, protected focus time, sensory accommodations. Access to Work can fund the adjustments themselves. Universities offer Disabled Students' Allowance for study support, note-takers and specialist mentoring.
Therapy and coaching
Autism-informed CBT, EMDR for co-occurring trauma, occupational therapy for sensory regulation, and post-diagnostic coaching to reframe a lifetime of self-explanation. We route to autistic-led practitioners where you prefer.
Benefits and legal protections
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) may be relevant where daily functioning is significantly affected. The report can be used to support a PIP application, and to inform reasonable adjustment requests under the Equality Act 2010.
Community and peer support
The National Autistic Society, Autistica and the Autistic Adults Practice network run peer support groups in and around London. For many people, this matters more than clinical follow-up.
Cost in London
Honest ranges, all-inclusive.
What a full ADOS-2 plus ADI-R pathway actually costs across the London network we recommend. Pricing includes the assessment, informant interview, self-report scoring, multidisciplinary formulation and written report.
| Service | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Adult autism assessment (ADOS-2 + ADI-R + report) | £1,400 - £2,800 |
| Combined adult ADHD + autism assessment | £2,200 - £3,800 |
| Follow-up support session with the assessing psychiatrist | £250 - £450 |
| Post-diagnostic coaching (per session) | £120 - £220 |
Private medical insurance rarely covers diagnostic autism assessment in adulthood, as it is often classed as a pre-existing developmental condition. Self-pay is the norm. We confirm firm pricing before you book.
Where in London
A small vetted panel of clinics.
Every clinic in our network holds a current CQC registration and uses GMC-registered consultant psychiatrists trained in ADOS-2 administration.
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Marylebone
Nightingale Hospital
Established multidisciplinary neurodevelopmental team, ADOS-2 and ADI-R as standard.
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Harley Street
The London Psychiatry Centre
Consultant psychiatrist-led, integrates adult ADHD and autism pathways.
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South-west London
The Priory Roehampton
Comprehensive assessment with full differential and inpatient support where needed.
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Central London
The Adult Autism Practice
Autistic-led practice, strong for late-identified adults and women.
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Multiple London sites
Clinical Partners
Nationwide network, remote-first triage, in-person ADOS-2 in London.
Related
Adjacent pathways worth reading.
If autism is the question, one of these three usually sits alongside it.
Frequently asked
The six questions we get every week.
On NHS Right to Choose, report format, DVLA, disclosure, differential and paediatric assessment.
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Can I use NHS Right to Choose for a private autism assessment?
NHS Right to Choose applies to referrals to any NHS-contracted provider in England, and a small number of independent providers (Psychiatry-UK, Problem Shared, ADHD 360) hold NHS contracts for adult neurodevelopmental work. It does not entitle you to a fully private assessment at your own choice of clinic. If your GP agrees, we can help you weigh the RTC route (free at point of use, current waits 6 to 18 months) against a fully private pathway (2 to 6 weeks).
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What format does the diagnostic report take?
A written report of 15 to 25 pages. It sets out your developmental history, ADOS-2 scores, ADI-R findings, self-report scores, differential diagnosis, DSM-5-TR criteria mapping, a clinical formulation, and specific recommendations for work, study, therapy and any onward referrals. It is written to be acceptable to employers, universities, DWP and clinicians.
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Do I need to tell the DVLA if I am diagnosed autistic?
Autism itself is not a notifiable condition for a standard Group 1 (car) licence. You only need to inform the DVLA if a co-occurring condition, medication or symptom actually affects your ability to drive safely. The assessing psychiatrist will advise if anything in your specific case requires notification.
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Do I have to disclose my diagnosis to my employer?
No. Disclosure is your choice. If you do disclose, autism is a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and your employer has a legal duty to consider reasonable adjustments. The report includes a workplace recommendations section written to support that conversation, and Access to Work can fund the adjustments themselves.
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What if the assessment finds a co-occurring condition rather than autism?
This is common. The point of a full multi-instrument assessment is to distinguish autism from social anxiety, complex PTSD, OCD, avoidant personality patterns and ADHD, any of which can look similar in adulthood. The report explains what the picture does look like and what to do next, whether or not the outcome is an autism diagnosis.
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Do you assess children as well?
Not on this pathway. Adult assessment is a distinct clinical process and uses ADOS-2 Module 4. For children and adolescents we can refer you to a paediatric neurodevelopmental service using ADOS-2 Modules 1 to 3 with a family-based history.
Ready when you are
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