Got a one-page 'diagnosis'?

First, assess what you received

Red flags which could indicate an inadequate diagnostic assessment:

Report is one or two pages only
No evidence of multidisciplinary team involvement - look for: multiple professional signatures from different specialities, mention of team meetings or consensus discussions, evidence that psychologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist, and occupational therapist all contributed to assessment
No mention of ADI-R, ADOS-2, cognitive testing, or adaptive functioning assessment
ADOS-2 used as sole diagnostic tool - the tool is designed to be used alongside comprehensive developmental history (ADI-R) and other assessments. Using ADOS-2 scores alone to diagnose autism violates the tool's own administration guidelines.
Assessment conducted in a single session - a comprehensive autism assessment typically requires multiple appointments
Lack of detailed developmental history or current presentation
Tests scores without interpretative context or explanation of what they mean
No differential diagnosis consideration
No mention of SIGN 145 compliance
Contains no care planning or recommendations
Unverifiable professional registration numbers or qualifications
Signed by unqualified staff

Verify credentials of the healthcare professionals involved in your assessment and diagnosis

Check any registration numbers against HCPC, GMC, or NMC registers
Notes:
- Registered Nurse' ('RN'), 'Medical Practitioner' or 'Doctor', and HCPC-regulated titles (such as 'Occupational Therapist", 'Speech and Language Therapist', 'Practitioner Psychologist') are protected healthcare titles under the UK law, and it is a criminal offence for anyone, with intent to deceive, to falsely represent themselves as being registered or qualified to use these titles when they are not.
- A non-clinician is not authorised to make clinical diagnoses.
If your assessment was self-funded and conducted by a non-NHS (and not commissioned by NHS) independent clinic, check whether the service is registered with Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)

Contact the service and request a comprehensive diagnostic report that meets the SIGN 145 standards

NHS diagnostic service:

Non-NHS external diagnostic service provider commissioned by the NHS*:

Raise a formal complaint to the NHS health board that commissioned the service >> If unresolved, make a complaint to SPSO. *If you were referred via NHS pathway and did not need to pay for the service, it would indicate the service was NHS-commissioned.

Independent diagnostic service:

If the service IS registered with Health Improvement Scotland (HIS):
Raise a formal complaint with the service provider >> If unresolved, make a complaint to HIS.
If the service is NOT registered with HIS but should be:
Raise a formal complaint to the service provider AND report to HIS both the lack of registration and the service quality concerns

Professional misconduct or suspected unlawful use of a protected healthcare title:

Keep copies of all documents and correspondence, including emails, organised
Take written notes during phone calls with names, dates, and key points discussed
Save evidence of credentials of the healthcare professionals (or lack of thereof) and/or HIS registration status that can't be verified (e.g. save results of your search on a register into a PDF)
Keep receipts if you paid for the assessment privately
Maintain a log showing what you've submitted, to whom, and when.
Track response timeframes - check each organisation's complaint policy for specific deadlines that apply to both their responses and your submissions. For example, some bodies require that you file a complaint within 12 months from the date of when an incident occurred.