SE England
A mother from Kent has paid nearly £3,000 [$3,700] for her son to have a referral for an autism assessment, after waiting four and a half years on the NHS.
Hayley Vannerley first noticed her son Reuben’s severe mood swings and inattentive behaviour when he was in nursery in Faversham, which only worsened at school.
Reuben was finally diagnosed with autism and ADHD in November last year, after a wait which Hayley says left her son feeling suicidal.
Hayley said: "You shouldn't have to pay for it, but when you're backed into a corner, you only want the best for your child.
"He needed the help, so the only option we had was to pay privately. Within 10 weeks, he had a diagnosis...and that got the ball rolling.
"Everything was in place for school and all of his needs were met. It was a massive turning point."
An avalanche of demand for autism and ADHD services has created an escalating crisis for the NHS in the south east, new analysis suggests.
Research by the health think-tank, the Nuffield Trust, reveals an 'extraordinary' rise in demand for autism assessments and ADHD treatments.
According to analysis, the number of people waiting for an autism assessment has increased by 400% in the last five years.
It's prompting calls for a radical rethink about how to tackle demand.
