Can I get an NHS autism assessment as an adult in Dunfermline?
Only if you meet the criteria for referral to secondary mental health services. According to the Scottish Parliament's June 2025 SPICe briefing, NHS Fife is one of only four Scottish health boards where adults without a co-existing mental health condition do not have an NHS route to a neurodevelopmental assessment. In practice, many Dunfermline adults are told they are ineligible for an NHS assessment at all. Our private service has no such restriction.
How much does a private autism assessment cost for Dunfermline patients?
Our private autism assessment is £1,500 paid in full, or available on a monthly payment plan from £375 per month. The fee includes the full diagnostic pathway and your written report. If you'd like both autism and ADHD assessed together, a combined assessment is £1,950 pay-in-full or £487 per month — more cost-effective than booking each separately.
Where do Dunfermline patients have their assessment carried out?
You have two options. Adult assessments are routinely completed online via secure video from your home in Dunfermline. Alternatively, in-person assessments take place at our Edinburgh clinic on Charlotte Street — around 40 minutes by car via the M90 and Queensferry Crossing, or a similar time by direct train from Dunfermline Town or Queen Margaret to Edinburgh Waverley.
My child is on the Fife Neurodevelopmental Pathway. Can I still get a private assessment?
Yes. Fife's Neurodevelopmental Pathway focuses on "support based on need" rather than diagnosis, and only around half of Requests for Assistance progress to full diagnostic assessment. If you need a formal diagnosis for school Additional Support Needs planning, benefits applications, or your own clarity, a private assessment provides that formal clinical diagnosis outside the Fife pathway.
Do I need a GP referral for a private autism assessment?
No. You can self-refer directly to our service. We will, however, request your consent to liaise with your Dunfermline or Fife GP to ensure continuity of care and to support shared care arrangements after diagnosis.
Is a private autism diagnosis recognised by NHS Fife, schools and the DWP?
Yes. Our diagnoses are provided by GMC-registered consultant psychiatrists who are members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, using DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 criteria and SIGN 145 standards. Reports are accepted by NHS Scotland, Fife Council schools, employers and the DWP for benefits applications including PIP and Adult Disability Payment.
Can adults be diagnosed with autism for the first time?
Yes. A large proportion of our adult patients are diagnosed for the first time in their 20s, 30s, 40s or later. This is particularly common in women and individuals with strong masking abilities, whose autistic traits were not recognised in childhood.
Do you assess both autism and ADHD?
Yes. Autism and ADHD frequently co-occur, and our clinic is one of the few serving Fife that can assess both within a single consultant-led pathway. This is more efficient and cost-effective than booking each assessment separately, and particularly valuable in Fife where NHS ADHD assessment for adults is similarly restricted.
How long does the autism assessment process take?
From your first appointment to receiving the written report, the full process typically takes between two and six weeks, depending on your availability for clinical sessions and how quickly informant information can be gathered.
