Why quality standards matter when choosing an ADHD or autism assessment

There is no shortage of online services offering ADHD and autism assessments. Some can turn around a diagnosis in a single short appointment. The question worth asking is whether the assessment you receive will hold up when it matters: when your GP is deciding whether to accept shared care, when an employer or university needs to understand your support needs, or when you simply want confidence that the answer you received is the right one.

A field that has grown fast, and drawn scrutiny

Demand for ADHD assessment has risen steeply. In England, the number of people prescribed ADHD medication has more than trebled in a decade, from around 107,000 in 2015/16 to over 326,000 in 2024/25, with adult prescriptions now rising fastest, up by roughly a quarter in the latest year alone (NHS Business Services Authority). Long NHS waits have led many adults to seek a private assessment instead.

That rapid growth has been met by a wave of new online providers, and the speed of some assessments has drawn scrutiny. A widely reported 2023 BBC Panorama investigation documented an undercover reporter being diagnosed with ADHD by private clinics after short online calls, and prescribed a controlled medication largely on the basis of self-reported symptoms, despite a more thorough NHS assessment concluding he did not meet the diagnostic threshold. The Royal College of Psychiatrists responded with concern, and clinicians continue to see patients whose private diagnoses have to be reassessed before a GP or NHS service will accept them. A diagnosis is only ever as good as the assessment behind it.

Assessments built on recognised clinical standards

Caledonian Psychiatry was built around a different approach. Every assessment follows NICE, SIGN and ICD‑11 diagnostic guidelines. ADHD assessments are aligned with the AQAS (ADHD Quality Assured Service) standard, a quality framework that sets out what a thorough, defensible ADHD assessment should include: a structured developmental history, validated rating scales, collateral information, explicit diagnostic reasoning, differential diagnosis, and a clear management plan. Autism assessments follow NICE CG142. These are not checkboxes on a form. They are the clinical foundations that determine whether a diagnosis is accurate, safe and useful. You can read more about how we conduct assessments.

Unhurried, with the same psychiatrist throughout

What this looks like in practice is unhurried. ADHD and autism assessments each involve two dedicated 60‑minute sessions with your named psychiatrist: for most patients Dr David Crocker (MRCPsych), who has now delivered over 5,500 clinical consultations. The combined assessment runs to three sessions. There are no algorithms generating a result, no rotating clinicians, and no shortcuts. The same psychiatrist conducts every session, writes every report and manages every patient from start to finish. That continuity is not incidental. It is the foundation of safe clinical care and the reason patients consistently describe feeling genuinely listened to and understood.

Patient experience, independently measured

That claim is not left to impression alone. Patient experience is measured using the CARE Measure, a validated questionnaire developed at the University of Edinburgh and used widely across UK healthcare. Dr Crocker’s mean CARE score is 4.97 out of 5.0 against a published normative median of 4.67, across 71 patient responses, with 96.6% of individual ratings at the highest possible level and none lower, placing these results in the highest band the CARE Measure benchmark reports. You can read the full audit and patient comments on our feedback page.

Independent regulation and oversight

Independent oversight matters too. Caledonian Psychiatry is registered with Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS), the statutory regulator of independent healthcare services in Scotland. This is not a voluntary accreditation or a logo purchased from a directory. HIS registration means the practice is subject to inspection, must meet published national care standards, and operates within a formal governance framework that includes structured clinical audit, a complaints process with external escalation, incident reporting, and regular peer review. Many online assessment services operating in the UK are not registered with any equivalent body. If you are choosing a provider, it is worth checking.

A named clinician you can hold to account

The practice is based in North Berwick, East Lothian, and all consultations are delivered by secure video link to adults across the UK. Being online does not mean being anonymous. Caledonian Psychiatry is a Scottish independent practice with a named clinician, a physical address, a published governance framework, and a regulator you can contact directly if you ever need to. That combination of accessibility and accountability is deliberate.

Transparent fees, with no surprises

Fees are published in full on the website, with no hidden charges and no upselling. Assessment fees compare favourably with other specialist providers, particularly given the clinical depth of the service, the quality of the written reports, and the regulatory framework behind them. Detailed cost breakdowns, including medication costs and what to expect during titration, are available so that nothing comes as a surprise.

If you are considering an assessment

If you have been considering an assessment for ADHD, autism or both, and you want to know that the process is thorough, the clinician is accountable, and the result will be taken seriously, we would welcome the chance to help. Get in touch to arrange an appointment, or start with the practical guide to private ADHD assessment in Scotland.

Published June 2026.