Private ADHD and autism assessment in Belfast & Northern Ireland

Psychiatric ADHD and autism assessment for adults in Belfast and Northern Ireland

Caledonian Psychiatry offers private adult ADHD and autism assessment to people in Belfast and across Northern Ireland. Assessments are conducted by Dr David Crocker, a GMC-registered psychiatrist (MRCPsych) with extensive experience in adult neurodevelopmental conditions. The practice is based in North Berwick, Scotland, and is regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (reg. 03427). GMC registration covers the whole of the UK, so Dr Crocker can assess patients in Northern Ireland by video in exactly the same way as patients in Great Britain.

All assessments take place fully by secure video consultation, so there is no travel involved and no waiting room. Patients attend from home, from work, or from wherever is most convenient — whether that is Belfast, Lisburn, Bangor, Derry/Londonderry, Newry, or anywhere else in Northern Ireland. The clinical standard does not depend on the room: the same doctor, the same NICE-aligned process, and the same detailed written report.

The public waiting picture in Northern Ireland

Health care in Northern Ireland is delivered by Health and Social Care (HSC) rather than the NHS as in Great Britain. Adult ADHD and autism services vary between HSC trusts, and waits for an adult ADHD assessment in Northern Ireland are commonly long — for many adults, the public pathway involves a wait measured in years rather than months. We do not quote a specific figure here, because published waiting-time data for adult neurodevelopmental assessment in Northern Ireland is limited; your GP or local trust can advise on the current position where you live.

One point worth being clear about: Right to Choose does not exist in Northern Ireland. It is an NHS England mechanism that lets patients in England ask to be referred to an alternative provider for their NHS care. It applies in England only — not in Northern Ireland, Scotland, or Wales.

A private assessment with Caledonian Psychiatry is typically available within a few weeks of enquiry, with no requirement for a GP referral.

What the assessment involves

The assessment follows NICE guidance (NG87) and comprises two 60-minute video appointments. Dr Crocker takes a comprehensive developmental and clinical history, uses validated diagnostic rating scales, and where possible gathers collateral information to build a thorough evidence base for his conclusions. A full written report is provided after the assessment, setting out the diagnostic reasoning and personalised recommendations. For full details of what each appointment covers, see our full ADHD assessment page; the whole journey, from first enquiry through to the written report, is mapped out under our approach.

Autism assessment in Belfast and Northern Ireland

Caledonian Psychiatry also offers private adult autism assessment for people in Belfast and across Northern Ireland. Many adults who enquire about ADHD also recognise autistic traits in themselves — the two frequently co-occur — and Dr Crocker assesses both, so there is no need to decide in advance which one best fits. Autism assessment follows a structured, NICE-aligned process built around a detailed developmental history and validated tools, leading to the same thorough written report.

If you are unsure whether ADHD, autism, or both best explain your experiences, a combined ADHD and autism assessment considers both in a single pathway. You can read more on our autism assessment page.

What it costs

An ADHD assessment (two sessions of 60 minutes each) costs £800. The full schedule of charges, including prescriptions and follow-up appointments, is set out on our fee schedule page.

If you are also considering an autism assessment, a combined ADHD and autism assessment is available for £1,300 (three sessions of 60 minutes). A standalone autism assessment is £800. Many adults enquiring about ADHD have questions about autism too, and a combined assessment is often the most efficient route when both are suspected.

Ongoing care is priced the same for Northern Ireland patients as for anyone else: follow-up and medication-review appointments are £130 for 30 minutes, delivered over the same secure video link as the assessment. And because choosing a Scotland-based service from Belfast is a decision worth making carefully, the standard every assessment is held to — identical wherever in the UK the patient lives — is published on our quality standards page.

After a diagnosis — treatment, prescriptions and shared care

Where ADHD is confirmed, medication is one important treatment option. Prescription and medication logistics for patients in Northern Ireland can differ from those in Great Britain, so Dr Crocker discusses the practical arrangements individually with each patient before any treatment begins — including how prescriptions and medication would reach you and what the ongoing costs would be.

Whether a GP later takes over prescribing from a private psychiatrist under a shared-care arrangement is voluntary, and is a matter for the individual GP and their practice — no GP is obliged to participate. Dr Crocker’s assessment reports are written with GP readers in mind: they follow NICE and RCPsych standards and set out the diagnostic reasoning clearly, so that a GP considering a shared-care arrangement has everything they need to make an informed decision. You can read more about how this process works on our shared care with your GP page.

Seen across Northern Ireland by secure video

There is no clinic to travel to, no parking to find, and no waiting room. Patients in Belfast and across Northern Ireland attend their appointments via a secure NHS-grade encrypted video platform from wherever they feel most at ease — whether that is their living room, a private office, or another quiet setting. Appointments are available during the working week, including early mornings and Fridays. Booking is straightforward: get in touch below, and a member of the team will respond within 48 hours.