Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 017-2026
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.
1. Child ASD assessment
You asked:
a) How many patients are on your waiting list today?
Our response:
Autism = 1070
Combined assessment needs = 1668
You asked:
b) What is the longest waiting time for patients on your waiting list?
Our response:
171.7 weeks
You asked:
c) What is the average waiting time for patients on your waiting list?
Our response:
Autism = 92.5 weeks
Combined assessment need = 63.1 weeks
2. Child ADHD assessment
Note: Over the past three years, the Children’s Autism and ADHD Assessment Service (CAAAS) in Gloucestershire has been undergoing a phased transformation into a single, integrated neurodevelopmental pathway. We have worked closely with commissioners to develop a unified model with a single point of access for both neurodevelopmental assessments and ADHD treatment. As part of this transformation, the service has expanded its remit to include children previously seen in paediatrics, resulting in the need to redesign our clinical systems and pathways to reflect the broader population and referral sources.
CAAAS is commissioned to deliver comprehensive, needs-led assessments, which include both Autism and ADHD where clinically indicated. In line with best practice, the service also offers supplementary assessments—such as Occupational Therapy (OT) and Speech and Language Therapy (SLT)—to ensure a holistic understanding of each child’s presentation and support needs.
Due to the integrated commissioning model, referrals are not always clearly defined by a single diagnostic question at the point of entry. Children often present with a mixture of neurodevelopmental features, and clinical needs may evolve as further information emerges. As a result, a child referred for suspected Autism may also require an ADHD assessment (or vice versa) during the course of their journey with the service.
To reflect this, CAAAS maintains three clinical waiting lists aligned to presenting need:
- Autism assessment
- ADHD assessment
- Combined assessment need – for children where both Autism and ADHD assessments are likely to be required.
The “combined assessment need” pathway acknowledges the frequent overlap in neurodevelopmental presentations and ensures that children are assessed appropriately without being restricted to one route too early in the process. This supports more flexible, holistic care.
While we are able to report the number of children on each waiting list, we ask that these figures are interpreted in the context of our integrated, needs-led model.
You asked:
a) How many patients are on your waiting list today?
Our response:
ADHD = 515
Combined assessment need = 1668
You asked:
b) What is the longest waiting time for patients on your waiting list?
Our response:
202.8 weeks
You asked:
c) What is the average waiting time for patients on your waiting list?
Our response:
ADHD = 102.8 weeks
Combined assessment need = 63.1 weeks
3. Adult ASD assessment
You asked:
a) How many patients are on your waiting list today?
Our response:
766
You asked:
b) What is the longest waiting time for patients on your waiting list?
Our response:
231 weeks
You asked:
c) What is the average waiting time for patients on your waiting list?
Our response:
75 weeks
4. Adult ADHD assessment
You asked:
a) How many patients are on your waiting list today?
Our response:
2319
You asked:
b) What is the longest waiting time for patients on your waiting list?
Our response:
278 weeks
You asked:
c) What is the average waiting time for patients on your waiting list?
Our response:
97 weeks
Next steps:
Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:
Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk
If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.