Referring your patient

ProblemShared provides robust online assessments which are a convenient and accessible option for many people. However, an online environment is not always the best approach for everyone. ProblemShared states that an online neurodevelopmental clinical assessment or intervention is not suitable if the person wishing to access the service meets any of the following criteria:

• They are below the age 7 years old. 
• They are non-verbal and/or selectively mute. 
• They are unable to communicate at conversational level in English. For specific learning differences assessments, it is also a requirement to be able to communicate in written English.
• They have a significant intellectual impairment/ disability or severe development delay or an intellectual disability (IQ below 70).
• They have a significant visual or hearing impairment which means they are unable to access online assessments for specific learning differences and autism. In certain cases, we are able to support clients for ADHD assessments and appointments. 
• They are currently psychotic, or have recently experienced a psychotic episode (within 3 months). 
• They are currently deemed to pose a risk to themselves or others, have a plan or have acted to end their life in the past 3 months and/or are actively engaged in self-harming behaviour. 
• They are currently awaiting an appointment or receiving treatment for an active eating disorder or have been discharged within the last 6 months from a specialist eating disorder clinic. 
• Their drug and/or alcohol use is having a significant impact on their daily life or they are currently receiving active treatment for substance addiction.
• They have had an acquired or traumatic head injury, brain surgery/neurosurgery or have a neurological condition which has impacted on their cognitive function, which requires additional assessments that are not currently provided by ProblemShared.
• They have previously been assessed by the NHS for ADHD or autism and are seeking a second opinion assessment. When a private assessment has previously taken place, a second assessment review or full re-assessment can be offered. 
• They are currently serving a prison sentence, are on probation or temporary release. 
• They are undergoing a Safeguarding Investigation, have a child protection plan in place or are involved in an ongoing police or criminal investigation and cannot be seen until it has been concluded.
• They are currently detained in a hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983, or under a Community Treatment Order. 
• They serve in the armed forces.
• They do not have access to a laptop or computer (please note that a laptop or desktop computer which is at least 15” in size is required for specific learning differences assessments). For autism and ADHD assessments, a tablet which is at least 10” and can be propped up to be used hands-free can also be used to access our service, but handheld devices such as mobile phones cannot. 
• They do not have access to an internet connection in a private place. 
• They or their child are not willing to conduct the assessment with their camera turned on for the duration of the assessment.
• They are not willing to confirm their identification in an online video call. 
• They are not willing to provide the contact details for their UK based NHS GP. 

• Before your patient can be accepted into our service, we will screen them for risk to ensure that our online assessment process is appropriate for their situation
• If your patient's risk profile means that we can responsibly accept them into our service, they will receive an email within 24 hours inviting them to register as a client with ProblemShared
• Your patient will then be asked to complete some pre-assessment forms, and when they have done this, your patient will be added to our wait list for an assessment
• Your patient will have access to a dashboard that will provide them with up to date information about wait times, as well as guides relating to the assessment process
• We will maintain contact with your patient every 12 weeks while they are on our waitlist, and we will ask the patient to update us directly if their risk profile changes
• If your patient’s risk profile does change and this change precludes us from providing them with an assessment, we will refer them back to your care
• We will not be in more frequent contact with your patient and, as such, we ask that you please continue to provide care for your patient on such basis as you consider is required, in addition to our own care