Key standards

The standards autism diagnostic services in Scotland should follow:

Clinical guidelines

The assessment standards autism diagnostic services should meet

SIGN (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) 145: Assessment, diagnosis and interventions for autism spectrum disorders

• Status: Mandatory clinical guideline for Scotland

• Requirements: Multidisciplinary assessment, validated tools, comprehensive care planning

• Simplified version for patients

Healthcare regulation

Who oversees healthcare services

NHS Scotland health boards

• Responsibility: Quality of all NHS and commissioned services

• Standards: Clinical governance and patient safety

• WWW: https://www.scot.nhs.uk/organisations/

• Raise a concern

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)

• Regulates: Independent diagnostic service providers

• Requirement: All independent clinics must be registered

• WWW: https://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.scot/

• Search the register

• Raise a concern

Professional regulation

Who can legally provide autism diagnosis

Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

• Regulates: Clinical psychologists, occupational therapists, speech therapists

• WWW: https://www.hcpc-uk.org/

• Search the register

• Raise a concern

General Medical Council (GMC)

• Regulates: Doctors and psychiatrists

• WWW: https://www.gmc-uk.org/

• Search the register

• Raise a concern

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

• Regulates: Registered nurses

• WWW: https://www.nmc.org.uk/

• Search the register

• Raise a concern

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.

Quality standards

What good practice looks like

Scottish Government autism strategy

• Documents:

  • 'The keys to life' and updates

  • The Scottish Strategy for Autism

• Requirements: Post-diagnostic support, reasonable adjustments