Diagnostic and Assessment Service
Lorna Wing Centre
The Lorna Wing Centre for Autism in Kent was set up by Dr Lorna Wing and Dr Judith Gould in 1991 and continues to provide an exceptionally high standard of care and support to those seeking an assessment for autism as well as enabling other services to deliver high quality services through our professional training and consultancy programmes.
What services do we offer?
We offer a range of specialist diagnostic and assessment services for children, young people and adults, using the Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO) alongside other assessment tools as recommended by NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence). Anyone in the UK or overseas can access our service if funding is available. We provide a free triage service on receipt of referral information to assess if we are best placed to meet your assessment needs. The DISCO is a semi-structured interview designed to systematically gather information about a person’s strengths and challenges, as well as their developmental profile. The DISCO is usually undertaken with somebody who knows the person well, for example, a parent or carer. In addition to the DISCO there will also be an age-appropriate clinical interview with the person undergoing the assessment. Other semi-structured assessments may also be part of the assessment, for example, the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2), and/or other more structured language and cognitive assessments.
We also collect information from previous assessments and any other relevant sources with your consent.
We bring together all this information to formulate a clear diagnosis and recommendation of needs and prepare in-depth reports. We take care to consider the interventions already in place and think about where it might be possible to endorse current practice. If we think further intervention or new options for a person are necessary, we give guidance for consideration.
What do we specialise in?
Providing assessments where there are co-existing conditions like:
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Complex mental health needs
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Intellectual or learning disabilities
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Specific learning differences like dyslexia
We also specialise in assessments for those people where there are:
- Forensic complexities
- Requirements for a second or third opinion
- Less typical profiles of autism as sometimes seen in women and girls
How to make a referral
- Through your GP – you need to speak directly with your GP about a referral to our service and your GP may agree to commission a referral through the NHS by making a case to your local Integrated Care Board (ICB). This a specific pathway and not part of Patient Choice or Right to Choose
- Through your Local Authority who may commission and fund an assessment in specific circumstances.
- Through a self-referral which can be self-funded or paid for by a private healthcare provider with their agreement.
For general advice and information on diagnostic assessments, please see our What is autism section. If you would like more information about the diagnosis process, please see our Diagnosis section.
Information about the Diagnostic and Assessment Service
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What information do we keep about you and how do we use it?Under the Health & Social Care Act 2008 and the Records Management Code of Practice (2021) we are required to keep an accurate, complete and contemporaneous record in respect of each service user and to maintain this securely. Our GDPR guide in PDF format provides answers to some of the questions you might have about your own or your family member’s record.
Safeguarding guide
The Diagnostic and Assessment Service prioritises safeguarding, requiring Enhanced DBS checks for staff and escorting visitors to ensure safety. Parents and carers advise on managing their child's safety needs during assessments.
View/download the guide
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When the completed referral form and any requested information has been reviewed by our clinical team, they will then confirm the type of assessment required for the individual based on their needs and the desired outcomes. Assessments are therefore personalised.All prices include the assessment undertaken and the diagnostic report with detailed recommendations based on identified needs.
The prices range as below:
Children & Young People
£3,300 - £3,800
Adults
£2,290 - £3,800
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The centre is designed to have a homely and relaxed atmosphere. The space is autism-friendly with: adjustable lighting, a private garden and access to sensory equipment.
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The Diagnostic and Assessment Service team is made up of clinical specialists and business support staff.
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The Lorna Wing Centre was founded in 1991 by Dr Lorna Wing and Dr Judith Gould.
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We offer the Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (The DISCO) training for psychologists, psychiatrists,and paediatricians working in clinical roles in specialist autism multi-disciplinary diagnostic teams.
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Comments and compliments - Tell us what you think.Email: Your.Views@nas.org.uk
Write to us at:
National Autistic Society
Weston House
42 Curtain Road
London EC2A 3NH