Bristol Children Hit By Right To Choose ‘Pause’
Happy Xmas (Assessments Are Over)
Children and young people in Bristol waiting for an Autism or ADHD assessment have been dealt a new blow.
The Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (BNSSG ICB) has put a pause on families using Right To Choose pathways to assessment. This is due to funding issues meaning new assessments cannot take place.
Families have been receiving letters informing them of them of the pause. One parent described the news as “shattering” following “so many barriers” they already face.
There is no mention of changes to Right To Choose assessments on the BNSSG ICB website.
There is also currently no information on Sirona Care and Health’s website that any changes to Right To Choose have been made.
It does have information regarding wait times for assessments through NHS clinics. An ADHD assessment is currently 123 weeks. For an Autism assessment it’s 126 weeks.
But, the wait time published for the autism assessment is for those children and young people who have been ‘clinically prioritised’. Those who are on the waiting list but not under priority criteria are likely to be waiting a very long time, although the length of this wait time is unknown.
Decisions about which referrals will be prioritised for the assessments are made from the responses given on the initial referral form.
Families are reporting that Clinical Partners and Paloma Health are two of the providers carrying out Right To Choose assessments which have been forced into the pause.
The Integrated Care Board (ICB) Board meeting of 04 December 2025 has minutes from the Outcomes, Quality and Performance Committee which took place on 22 October 2025.
The paper is a performance report which covers July 2025 and/or August 2025.
It said: ‘Indicative activity plans have now been set with many ADHD and ASD right to choose providers and these will be monitored in year. Plans have had to be set in a prioritised way to triangulate increasing demand, patient priority and financial affordability. Work is ongoing in relation to a new adult ADHD pathway working closely with primary care leadership and with AWP with the aim to try and release a local enhanced service or something similar for April 2026.’
It further said:
‘Right To Choose and escalation of costs
‘Through new national guidance GPs and Patients have the right to choose any ADHD/ASD provider offering assessments and treatments when referred by their GP. These costs have escalated exponentially over the past two years. The only levers available to the ICB to manage activity within the financial envelope is through indicative activity plans, however, poor data flows and capacity within the ICB means this is a financial risk area as well as quality related to different pathways and standards with each provider. A steering Group has been set up within the ICB to bring finance, performance, contracting and transformation colleagues together and communications to GPs and system partners needs to be released.’
Children and young people who are currently on the Right To Choose waiting list with Clinical Partners will remain on the waiting list. If a child already has an appointment, is part way through an assessment, has received a diagnosis and waiting for treatment – including medication – this will continue.
But no new assessments will be arranged through the ‘pause’. No date has been confirmed as to if or when it will continue again.
Bristol Parent Carer Forum said that the news will ‘feel worrying and frustrating’ especially so if families have already been waiting a ‘long time’.
A spokesperson said: “Waiting can be very hard. It’s normal to feel tired, worried, angry or upset about this. Sharing your experience with us can help turn individual experiences into change.”
The Forum has more information about the changes and interim support on their website: visit Bristol Parent Carers
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