Your GP or paediatrician may need to approach the local Clinical Commissioning Group for funding for the diagnosis. If the CCG declines, you can appeal the decision. It may be helpful to remind them that NICE is setting a new Quality Standard on FASD and it’s no longer acceptable to ignore the condition. Some areas might not yet have a ‘pathway’ for diagnosis. It’s possible to request the assessments that are needed as above from local and regional neurodevelopmental services.
Some areas are as yet devoid of services.
- National Clinic for FASD in Surrey, founded and led by Dr Raja Mukherjee. The National Clinic for FASD is the only specialist clinic in the NHS for assessing and treating children and adults with FASD. The National Clinic can advise local teams who contact them for help in an assessment. Complicated cases can be referred to them for assessment. The clinic usually sees patients over six.
- Centre for FASD (Ipswich). The Centre for FASD is a multi-professional service, providing full FASD assessment, diagnosis, and post diagnostic support for children and their families. In addition to accepting self-referring families, the Centre also works closely with social services to help support adopted children and children in care. Many have been successful having this funded via the Adoption Support Fund.
