Our Assessment Process
Once you schedule your Discovery Call, a Clinical Psychologist will call you at the agreed time and discuss what matters to you.
You will have time to talk through your concerns and ask any questions without any pressure to proceed to an assessment.
At the end of your Discovery Call. the clinician will let you know whether a Clinical Interview would be an appropriate next step.
If referred to a Clinical Interview, a member of our booking team will send you an email with the next available dates and some pre-assessment questionnaires to be completed and returned before the in-person appointment.
Important:
We will only recommend an assessment if the clinician believes it is appropriate and likely to be helpful.
This two-hour face-to-face appointment at our clinic in Leamington Spa is a confidential, supportive and non-judgemental conversation in which you can share your experiences in your own words.
The Clinical Psychologist will take time to understand current concerns, developmental and health history, emotional wellbeing and the impact of these experiences on everyday life.
Based on this session, together with the completed questionnaires, the clinician will discuss whether proceeding to a full assessment is clinically appropriated and explain the reasons for their recommendation.
Important:
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A diagnosis is not reached at this stage. This requires information gathered across the full assessment process.
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We ask you to complete and return the Pre-Assessment Questionnaires one week before your session, to give the clinician time to review the information and prepare for your appointment.
The assessment phase is usually completed over one to three sessions. The number and length of sessions will depend on your pathway — ADHD, autism or combined — and the assessment tools most appropriate for you.
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​The assessment sessions are designed to build a comprehensive picture of your experiences, strengths and support needs.
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​As part of the assessment, we will also consider whether other factors or conditions may be contributing to your experiences (differential diagnosis) .
ADHD assessments are usually complete in a two-hour appointment following your Clinical interview.
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Autism assessments usually require two appointments: a 90-minute session with the client and a three-hour session with a parent or family member.
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For school-aged children and young people, autism and combined "ADHD and autism" assessments will usually include a school observation or a meeting with their teacher and SENCo to help us understand how your child or young person experiences school - including their strengths, needs and any support that may help them thrive.
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Important:
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For a detailed view of our assessment process and fees, visit our Fees page.
Around 4 to 6 weeks after your assessment sessions, our clinical team will bring everything together in a detailed diagnostic report, typically 30-40 pages long. This report is written to be clear, practical and useful in everyday life.
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A diagnostic report usually includes:
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The outcome of your assessment and the psychologist’s clinical opinion
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A balanced understanding of your strengths, experiences and difficulties
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Results from the assessment tools
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Recommendation of reasonable adjustments at home, in education or at work
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Personalised recommendations for support, treatment and next steps
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You will also receive:
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A diagnostic letter that you can share with your university, school, employer, GP or other relevant services
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A personal letter from your clinical case lead helping you make sense of the key themes from your assessment journey.​
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Priority Service (Optional)
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If your circumstances mean that you need a shorter assessment timeframe, our optional Priority Service may shorten the overall assessment pathway to approximately four to eight weeks, depending on the assessment. This service is subject to availability and an additional fee.
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Choosing the standard service will not affect the care, quality or thoroughness of your assessment.
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For more details about the Priority Service fees, visit our Fees page.
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Once you schedule your Discovery Call, a Clinical Psychologist will call you at the agreed upon time and discuss what matters to you.
You will have time to talk through your concerns and ask any questions without pressure to proceed to the assessment.
At the end of your Discovery Call. the clinician will be able to refer you (or not) to a Clinical Interview
If referred to a Clinical Interview, a member of our Booking team will send you an email with the next available dates and some Pre-Assessment Questionnaires to be completed and returned before the in-person appointment.
Important: We will only recommend an assessment if the clinician believes it is appropriate and likely to be helpful.
Once you have had time to read and reflect on your diagnostic report, we will arrange a Feedback Session with your clinical case lead.
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Together, you can discuss the assessment outcome, any diagnosis reached, and what may be helpful next, including support at school, university or work, psychoeducation, psychological interventions and, where appropriate, options for considering medication.
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Important:
​As a psychology service we do not prescribe medication or provide medication titration services. If medication may be beneficial following your diagnosis, we can provide information about independent prescribing services that may be able to support you.
You deserve to feel informed and comfortable before deciding whether an assessment is right for you.
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Visit our Fees page to download the Assessment Process and Fees Guide in PDF format. ​The pdf guide is mobile-friendly and explains in detail the assessment process, timeframes and fees. ​You can download it and explore your options in your own time, taking the next step when you feel ready
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If you would prefer to speak to us, you can email booking@everestclinic.co.uk or message us on WhatsApp.