Autism-Spectrum

BASS Autism Services for Adults

Bristol Autism Spectrum Service (BASS) provides a service to adults with autism spectrum conditions (ASCs) and professionals and carers who support them.

There are allocated services for four geographical areas:

• BASS@Bristol

• BASS@Bath and North East Somerset (BANES)

• BASS@North Somerset

• BASS@South Gloucestershire

BASS does not hold a caseload or care coordinate. Referrals are accepted for people within Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. 

GP Information

Please see the Autism in Adults -CKS for further advice for GPs considering referral to the Autism service.

Referral

BASS Referrals

Patients can be referred for Diagnostic Assessment or Post-diagnosis Support. There are two separate referral forms.

There is a link to the Referral forms on the Bristol Autism Spectrum Service (BASS) webpage, the forms should also be available in EMIS.

Referrals will be screened by the service prior to acceptance for assessment.

Contact details:

Tel: 01275 796249

Address: BASS – Bristol Autism Spectrum Service, Avon and Wiltshire NHS Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, Petherton Resource Centre,3 Petherton Road, Hengrove, Bristol BS14 9BP

Email: awp.bassreferrals@nhs.net 

Other providers - Right to Choose

For patients wishing to choose a “Right to Choose” provider it is important the patient understands that the provider may not integrate with local BNSSG pathways and/or other services as the provider does not hold a contract directly with BNSSG ICB. It is advisable for the GP and patient to agree the most suitable provider as the referral must be “clinically appropriate” for the patient under choice framework.

Patients will only be eligible for NHS treatment if referred by their GP. Please note some RTC providers offer an assessment only service. Post diagnostic support is not always available.

Please see the attached spreadsheet which summarises the current services offered by RTC providers, including referral information and exclusions. See the relevant tab at the bottom of the page for ADHD/ASD Adults/Children.

Post diagnostic support - where a provider has indicated availability of post diagnostic support, referrers/patients should contact them directly to check what this includes before making a decision on this basis. Some post diagnostic support offers for ADHD and Autism may be limited to signposting to other organisations; so patient expectation around this should be managed at the outset.

Psychiatry-UK 

Psychiatry UK request that the following information is included in a referral:

1. A short covering letter stating that you (the GP) wish to refer this patient to Psychiatry-UK, for an ASD assessment, under NHS Right to Choose legislation. Please give a brief explanation for the referral. This letter should be addressed to Psychiatry-UK and should have your name (the GP) at the bottom (not ANP or other). Please also include the patient’s email address (found on the letter given to you by the patient) as we are an online service.
2. A brief medical summary of the patient.
3. The AQ50 form that has been completed by the patient. The form is available on the link above.

IMPORTANT: PLEASE ENSURE THAT ALL OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS INCLUDED AS THEY ARE UNABLE TO PROCESS INCOMPLETE REFERRALS.

The GP referral (including the above as attachments) should be sent by email to:

p-uk.RTC-referrals@nhs.net

Axia-ASD

Axia-ASD also accept referral under Right to Choose. See the website for further details Referral - Axia ASD (axia-asd.co.uk) 

Clinical Partners

Clinical Partners currently hold a contract for adult autism and ADHD assessments which qualifies under Right to Choose. See the website for further details Right to choose ADHD & autism assessments (clinical-partners.co.uk)

GPs have to complete the online referral form, available on the link above. You will need the patient's completed self-report questionnaire, NHS number, and contact details ready.

Dr J & Colleagues

Jawaji & Asker (trading as: Dr J & Colleagues) currently hold a contract for adult autism and ADHD assessments which qualifies under Right to Choose. 

Patients need to supply contact details to download relevant forms. 

Once they have completed the forms they send to the practice, who write a Right to Choose Letter.

Practice to then send both to - salwan.jajawi@nhs.net

ProblemShared

Please see this link: Right To Choose England (problemshared.net) for ProblemShared referral information.

The patient needs to complete a self-report form that the GP will submit on their behalf to the provider as part of the referral process. The self-report form can be completed in one of two ways either patient-led or GP-led.

GPs should complete the online referral form, also available on the link above. You will need the patient's completed self-report questionnaire, NHS number, and contact details ready.

Clinical suitability is listed on the same webpage. The GP will need to confirm suitability as part of the referral process.

Mind Professionals

Mind Professionals offer Adult Autism assessment.  Referral information is available at https://www.mindtherapeutic.com/how-to-refer and referrers will need to make contact with the provider through this link.

Up to 3 sessions of post diagnostic support may be available within 12 months of the provider making a diagnosis, however this should be discussed on referral if this is something the patient would like to explore.

Autism Resources

Autistic Spectrum Support Group (North Somerset)

Autistic Spectrum Support Group meetings are held the 1st and 3rd Wednesday in the month.

Efforts are made to ensure the accuracy and agreement of these guidelines, including any content uploaded, referred to or linked to from the system. However, BNSSG ICB cannot guarantee this. This guidance does not override the individual responsibility of healthcare professionals to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual patient, in consultation with the patient and/or guardian or carer, in accordance with the mental capacity act, and informed by the summary of product characteristics of any drugs they are considering. Practitioners are required to perform their duties in accordance with the law and their regulators and nothing in this guidance should be interpreted in a way that would be inconsistent with compliance with those duties.

Information provided through Remedy is continually updated so please be aware any printed copies may quickly become out of date.