Supporting you and your family

We’re proud to provide tailored support for AXA Health members and their families who are navigating neurodevelopmental differences.

If you think that you, or a family member aged seven or over, could benefit from an assessment for autism, ADHD, or a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia or dyscalculia, we’re here to help you take the first step.

If you have not yet been referred, please speak to your AXA membership team.

How it works

What does the AXA Health member journey look like?

The journey to getting an assessment for autism, ADHD, or specific learning differences can be long and stressful. However, through the AXA Health Neurodiversity Assessment and Support service, ProblemShared aims to make this process as accessible and affirming as possible.

01.

Enrolment

You must have a referral from a GP for the assessment or service you are trying to access. You will be asked to upload a GP referral letter during your enrolment into the service.

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02.

Initial Needs Assessment (INA)

  • This 30-minute call, overseen by a ProblemShared clinician, is an opportunity to discern your needs, map out a plan for your care, and help you understand how the assessment process will work.

  • Your clinician will be able to answer any questions you might have at this stage.

03.

Assessment

  • Before your assessment can take place, we will ask you to download and complete some digital forms to provide our clinicians with necessary background information.

  • These forms need to be completed by:
    - You
    - In the case of ADHD and autism assessments, someone who knows you/your child well, known as an informant

04.

Report

Within 28 days of your assessment, you will receive a detailed written report complete with personalised recommendations, resources and details about the next steps of your support.

05.

Post-diagnostic support

We believe that care shouldn’t stop once you receive a neurodevelopmental diagnosis. Through the AXA Health Neurodiversity Assessment and Support service, you will be offered a range of post-diagnostic support options:

Who are ProblemShared?

Assessments you can trust

ProblemShared was founded to provide better access to mind health services over a convenient and secure online platform. We offer a completely digital service that allows anyone in the UK with an internet connection to access exceptional mind health support.
 
We have helped thousands of children and young people receive an SpLD diagnosis, providing our clients with expert neurodevelopmental care every step of the way – including post-diagnostic support.

Leading the way in mind health

  • Our assessments are strength-based and person-centred.

  • We’re the only provider to offer a neurodevelopmental service that includes tailored post-diagnostic care.

  • Our unique psychoeducation group sessions are a space for you and your family to better understand your diagnosis and receive ongoing support.

  • Our highly trained, accredited clinicians can prescribe medication where appropriate.

  • We’re fully online, meaning you can access our service from the comfort of your home.

Trusted partners

NHS Coventry
NHS Devon
NHS Norfolk
NHS Rotherham

We’re regulated

ProblemShared is registered with the
Care Quality Commission (CQC), which means our neurodevelopmental service is regularly monitored, inspected, and held to high standards.

The CQC ensures that healthcare providers like us are delivering safe, effective services, so you can feel confident you're in good hands.

CQC Logo

Certified practitioners

Our clinical teams are experienced, registered professionals who belong to professional regulatory bodies. They follow best practice guidelines and a strict code of conduct to ensure you receive high quality support.

Post-diagnostic care

Supporting you beyond your diagnosis

We believe that care shouldn’t stop once you receive a neurodevelopmental diagnosis. Through the AXA Health Neurodiversity Assessment and Support service, you will be offered a range of post-diagnostic support options:

Psychoeducation sessions

Our psychoeducation group sessions are a safe space where you can learn about your diagnosis and what it means for you, in the company of experienced practitioners and other newly diagnosed individuals embarking on a similar journey.

Psychoeducation sessions

ADHD medication

If you choose to try medication after a positive ADHD diagnosis, you will have frequent reviews with a team of expert ADHD nurses who will look at your specific care and prescribing needs.

Everyone’s treatment is bespoke, but typically our specialist nurses will review your medication monthly until you’re at the right dose of medication to manage your ADHD, with the fewest side effects.

Education Navigation programme

This special teaching and advisory programme is designed to optimise the learning experience within your/your child’s educational setting, advocate for the reasonable adjustments that you/your child need, and identify support options in your local area.

Clients between the ages of 7 to 19 years old, as well as higher education students up to the age of 22, can access our Education Navigation service, if they are not also in full-time employment.Learn more

Meet our team

We’re here for you

Our team of accredited SpLD practitioners is regulated by the SASC (SpLD Assessment Standards Committee), thoroughly vetted by us, and highly trained in delivering effective online assessments.

Many of our team members have led or worked within NHS teams, bringing extensive expertise and often lived experience to their work, ensuring the highest standard of care.

What people say about ProblemShared

“I just wanted to say thank you for being so kind and understanding! It really helped the assessment not be as scary as I expected it to be. I also wanted to say it was important to me to hear you talk and be aware about how common it is for woman to be undiagnosed and I think it is so great that you are a part of changing that!”

AXA client

“I had definitely considered leaving or deferring before the mental health support I received, and accessibility outside of normal hours was brilliant”

Student

“The counselling I received has enabled me to continue with my studies and regain my confidence“

Student

“The counselling was great – something I looked forward to during the week and it really helped“

Student

“ProblemShared are so incredible that I now sleep at night“

University administrator

Frequently asked questions

Anything you’d like to ask?

We’re here to help you find the right support for you and your family.

How long does the whole Neurodiversity Assessment and Support process take?

The whole assessment process can vary in duration from client to client, but typically it lasts between 2 and 4 months, from your Initial Needs Assessment all the way through to receiving your diagnostic report.

Your Initial Needs Assessment will take place within 14 days of your acceptance into the service, but typically this happens within 5 days.

Before your assessment can take place, there are several digital forms that you need to complete. The forms should be filled out by the individual seeking a diagnosis, as well as other people relevant to the assessment process. These people include an appointed individual known as an 'informant', who can provide further information to clinicians that will contribute to an assessment outcome, or in the case of children, their teacher or school representative.

There are many helpful resources to guide you through the process, including support articles and videos that explain how to complete your digital forms, who to choose as your informant, and how to navigate your assessment sessions with confidence.

Why is my Initial Needs Assessment only 45 minutes long, when a full diagnosis typically takes far longer, even up to 3 hours?

The Initial Needs Assessment takes 45 minutes. This initial call is an opportunity for you to meet with a ProblemShared clinician, who will understand your needs, answer any questions you might have at this stage, and explain how the assessment process will work.

Once your Initial Needs Assessment has happened, your actual assessment can take place. This is much longer in duration. It involves the completion of several digital forms and several online sessions with a highly qualified ProblemShared assessor.

When will I receive the results of my assessment?

ProblemShared aim to give you the outcome of your assessment either at the end of your assessment, or later on the same day.

In some more complex cases, this is not possible. If this applies to you, your clinician will explain the reasoning to you, and a further follow-up call will be made to give you the outcome at another time.

Within 4-6 weeks of your having your assessment, you will receive your full diagnostic report, which will clearly show the reasons for our decision about a diagnosis or non-diagnosis. You will also be given some recommendations for support.

If 6 weeks have passed and you have not received your report, please contact help@problemshared.net.

Is a GP referral really necessary to access the service?

A GP must make the initial referral in order for you to be accepted into the Neurodevelopmental Assessments and Support service. This can be from your own NHS GP.

If you are seeking an ADHD assessment, involving your NHS GP is important if you decide to opt in to the medication service as a means of support. This is so that your GP can perform any required physical health checks prior to medication (for children and young people) and also take over prescribing your future prescriptions once your medication has stabilised - a process known as 'shared care'.

In the event that your GP refuses to accept shared care, you will be given the option to self-fund ongoing prescribing and medication costs and will be made aware of the financial implications at this stage.

Please note that the cost of outpatient drugs isn't usually paid for by an AXA Health private medical scheme. If you or your family member is referred to the medication service, you may have to pay for the prescription charges yourself.

What happens if following the Initial Needs Assessment, or the assessment itself, I don’t receive a diagnosis of neurodiversity?

If the Initial Needs Assessment determines that you don’t require further assessment for a neurodevelopmental condition, you will be advised by the AXA Health Clinical Support Team of the next steps on an individual basis.

My AXA Health cover is expiring, can I continue and pay privately?

It is possible for AXA Health members to complete the part of their pathway that they have already started at the point that their policy lapses, on a self-pay basis. Please note that the self-pay option is to facilitate the completion of partial pathways only. It is not possible for AXA Health members to start another part of their pathway on a self-pay basis.

If you choose not to self-pay, you can explore the Right to Choose homepage on the ProblemShared website. Here, you can learn about the process of accessing ProblemShared neurodevelopmental assessments and support through the NHS Right to Choose scheme. Please note that this would involve attaining a new referral from your GP.

I would like to be able to use this benefit for my family member who isn’t currently enrolled under my company's AXA Health scheme. When and how can I add them?

This benefit is only available to those enrolled on your company's AXA Health scheme. Eligibility and enrolment onto your company's healthcare scheme will be coordinated by your employer.

Is the AXA Health assessment accepted by local authorities and schools?

ProblemShared is experienced in writing reports and making recommendations in a format that is accepted by local education authorities and NHS GPs. We cannot universally guarantee acceptance by every entity because local requirements may differ.

We are aware of low acceptance rates in Northern Ireland for all assessments, with no acceptance of young people's autism diagnoses.

However, the prescribing teams within ProblemShared's medication service will work with GPs as needed to facilitate shared care.

Furthermore, the aim of the education navigator service for children 7 to 19 years old, as well as higher education students up to the age of 22, is to provide guidance on how to engage your local school/education authority, so members will be assisted with this.

SpLD assessments, like dyslexia, are carried out by professionals with Assessment Practising Certificates, which means they are accepted by a wide range of institutions, including universities and professional bodies.

I am currently on a wait list via the NHS for an assessment, should I cancel that and start the process via AXA Health instead?

We would suggest you don’t cancel your NHS arrangements until you have spoken to AXA Health or ProblemShared.