The NHS pathway for autism in Scotland

GP referral, waiting times, your rights, and what to do if you are struggling to access assessment

Reviewed by ADHD Scot,

How NHS referrals work for autism assessments

For adults, NHS autism assessment in Scotland usually starts with your GP, who can refer you for a specialist assessment. Routes differ by age and by health board.

Under 18: the Minister for Mental Wellbeing told Parliament in June 2026 that "CAMHS is not the correct service for children who seek a diagnosis for a neurodevelopmental condition", unless they have a co-existing mental health condition, and that the design of these services "is for individual health boards to decide". The Scottish Parliament research briefing SB 25-25 says children's pathways "should be embedded within the Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) framework" and "The exact mode of delivery varies by health board".

Adults: SB 25-25 reported that six health boards (Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lanarkshire, Lothian, Tayside, Highland and Western Isles) had a neurodevelopmental pathway for adults who did not meet the criteria for referral to secondary mental health services, and that in NHS Grampian provision differed across its three Health and Social Care Partnerships. It also says "adult neurodevelopmental pathways are not available in many NHS boards across Scotland"

Right to Choose does not apply in Scotland

Right to Choose is an NHS England scheme. SB 25-25 says: "Unlike in Scotland, patients in England may choose a private provider for autism and ADHD diagnosis under the Right to Choose scheme." It is "available to patients who are registered with a GP in England". It does not apply in Scotland.

Waiting times

Waiting times for NHS autism assessment in Scotland vary by health board. Using health board figures from March 2025, SB 25-25 reported that over 42,000 children were waiting for a neurodevelopmental assessment, with median waits from 22 weeks (NHS Western Isles) to 141 weeks (NHS Ayrshire and Arran) and longest waits up to 342 weeks (NHS Ayrshire and Arran).

ADHD Scot has asked all 14 health boards for their ADHD and autism waiting figures by Freedom of Information, and publishes every response.

View NHS waiting times by health board →

What to do if your GP won't refer you

If your GP declines to refer you:

  • Ask them to explain their reasons in writing, which creates a record and sometimes prompts reconsideration
  • Ask for a second opinion from another GP at the same practice
  • Put your referral request in writing
  • Contact the Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS), which describes itself as "an independent service delivered by the Citizens Advice network in Scotland"

If you cannot wait

If you cannot wait

If the waiting time in your area is too long, a private autism assessment is an option. See our going private for autism guide for what to look for, what a good assessment includes, and what questions to ask before you book.

Going private for autism → · Compare providers →

Autism assessment near you

Local guides to NHS and private autism assessment, with each area's latest FOI waiting figures: Aberdeen · Ayr and Ayrshire · Dumfries · Dundee · Edinburgh · Glasgow · Inverness · Kirkcaldy and Fife · Perth · Stirling

What to expect from an NHS assessment

SIGN 145, Scotland's clinical guideline on autism assessment, says:

  • "Specialist assessment should involve a history-taking element, a clinical observation/assessment element, and the obtaining of wider contextual and functional information."
  • "Healthcare professionals involved in specialist assessment should take an ASD-specific developmental history and should directly observe and assess the individual's social and communication skills and behaviour."
  • Instruments such as the ADI-R "may be used to supplement the process of clinical history taking". It notes NICE's recommendation "that diagnosis is not based on any autism-specific diagnostic instrument alone".
  • "A diagnostic assessment, alongside a profile of the individual's strengths and weaknesses, carried out by a multidisciplinary team which has the skills and experience to undertake the assessments, should be considered as the optimum approach for individuals suspected of having ASD."

You can ask the service how your assessment covers these.

Trusted further reading
ADHD Scot is an independent, non-clinical information project. Nothing here is medical advice. Always speak to your GP about your own health and referral options.