FAQ'S

WILL MY INSURANCE COVER MY VISIT?

At the moment I do no work wit any private health insurance companies. If your insurance provider is able to cover costs you will need to pay us directly and then claim back from your insurer. I am really sorry for the inconvenience.

WHAT IF I NEED TO CANCEL MY APPOINTMENT?

This is perfectly ok, as long as you notify at least 48 hours in advance. Please let me know as soon as you can at booking@manchesterpaediatrician.com.

Presently I don't have an auto-refund service, but I will manually refund, typically within 5 working days.

Unfortunately, appointments cancelled less than 48 hours notice will be charged at 100% of the full fee.

If you are running late please let me know as soon as possible at urgent@manchesterpaediatrician.com. If you arrive more than 10 minutes late I may not be able to see you or at least the appointment will have to be cut short.

See T&C's for more details.

CAN I GET A SAME-DAY APPOINTMENT?

At the moment, my clinic is running only on a Friday. This may change in time.
I may be able to see an urgent referral on another day but this cannot be guaranteed as I have NHS and Court commitments and depends on room availability.
Please contact me directly regarding availability and likely fee.

WHAT IS A MEDICATION RISK ASSESSMENT?

Like all medicines, ADHD medication have significant benefits but also recognised side effects especially if there is an underlying medical problem. The main medical problem to identify before starting medication is a potential heart rhythm problem. Even if your child is well, if there is a family history of heart problems or unexpected sudden death below 55 years, then your child will need an ECG (12 lead heart rhythm trace) to ensure there is no potential problem. In my experience, this is rare but still important to look for. Your GP may be able to do the ECG or refer your child to an NHS Cardiologist or alternatively it can be done privately.

CAN YOU DIAGNOSIS OTHER CONDITIONS SUCH AS AUTISM, DYSPRAXIA AND SENSORY PROCESSING DIFFICULTIES?

1. For autism, I can certainly do an assessment and advice on whether it is likely but for a formal diagnosis this usually requires a team approach using standardised autism diagnostic tools. A young person may have autism and ADHD together. For appointment and likely costs please contact me.

2. For 'motor dyspraxia' (Developmental Coordination Disorder) I recommend an initial assessment by a Paediatric Occupational Therapist followed by a medical assessment by a Paediatrician. If the former is done then please contact me regarding likely costs.

For sensory processing difficulties ( I do not use the term disorder) you will need an assessment by a specialist paediatric occupational therapist.

CAN YOUR REPORT BE USED TO ACCESS EXTRA EDUCATION SUPPORT FOR MY CHILD?

Although I have seen your child on a private basis, I am a working NHS Consultant Paediatrician, and as such, there should be no good reason for my report not to be acceptable as supporting evidence. However, I would advice that you check with your Local Education Authority or your local Information Advice & Support Services Network

CAN I STILL SEE A SPECIALIST ON THE NHS?

Yes of course. At your request I can transfer your child's care to the local NHS specialist team, via the GP, or alternatively, continue to provide care alongside the NHS team.

WHY DO WE NEED A REFERRAL FROM THE ADHD FOUNDATION (AF) TO SEE YOU?

I have thought about this very hard on setting up my new service. I have based my decision on principles of quality, efficiency and minimising cost for the patient.

I have confidence in the AF completing a thorough ADHD screening assessment (their fee £340) that includes a QB test, the report of which significantly helps with my assessment.

Further information regarding AF Neurodiversity Clinic LINK and QbTest LINK.

Depending on the evidence gathered and complexity, and in most cases, I will then be able to give my opinion on diagnosis at the first appointment, followed by a summary report (my fee £350). Total cost to you £690.

WE WOULD STILL LIKE TO SEE YOU FOR AN ADHD ASSESSMENT

1. Without an ADHD Foundation (AF) referral, please contact me direct before booking an appointment.

2. Regarding costs, please note that assessments for ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions are very time and resource intensive. These conditions overlap in many cases and require significant expertise in assessment.

3. A typical ADHD assessment fee is £800. This will include a 90-120 minute appointment with parent and child to complete a detailed neurodevelopmental history. The focus will be on clarifying whether ADHD is likely or not and if there are any other possible co-existing conditions or alternative explanations. To support this I will also request and interpret various specialised screening tools to be completed by parent, school and child. These could be done pre-clinic.

4. Please be aware that in some cases the story can be complex that requires additional time and evidence to clarify.

5. There this may require an additional appointment which for convenience could be done via video (£200) and requesting a QbTest. The latter is extremely useful where the evidence (from history and reports) is not strong or mixed, although in my opinion all children with suspected ADHD should have a QbTest. This can be arranged via the ADHD Foundation £270.

6. If your child has already an ADHD assessment / diagnosis by another service and you now wanted to discuss a trial of medication, I will need to ensure that I agree with the diagnosis first by interviewing you and your child in clinic (F2F) and reviewing all the assessment reports. Cost £350. This does not include prescribing and medication titration. Depending on the evidence provided, I may request a QbTest to satisfy myself regarding diagnosis and when considering medication. Following this initial consultation, medication titration appointments are via video and charged at £100.

7. Please note that assessment for any conditions other than ADHD will require a separate new 90 minute consultation.

SHOULD MY CHILD SEE A PSYCHIATRIST OR AN ADULT SPECIALIST?

As an experienced Paediatrician I can assess and diagnose ADHD. However, for complex cases where there are significant worries about mental health such as depression, self-harm and suicidal ideation, I would recommend a Psychiatrist. I can suggest one or two. Also, if your child is coming up to their 18th birthday then it may make more sense to see an adult specialist.

WHY CAN’T WE HAVE AN ONLINE/VIDEO CONSULTATION?

For the first assessment appointment I do insist on a F2F meeting. Perhaps I’m a bit old fashioned but I find that F2F meetings are a lot smoother, allows me to observe your child especially regarding non-verbal communication, minimises distraction and allows me to complete a physical examination.

Get in Touch

APPOINTMENT

My clinic runs every Friday

New Consultation (F2F):

Referral from AF £350
Non-AF referral £800
Diagnosis elsewhere £350

Medication Titration (Video): £100

Follow Up (Video): £200

PRESCRIPTION

I do not charge for repeat prescriptions issued following an appointment hours. Outside these hours fee is £50. The prescription can be picked up from clinic or posted. You will need to pay for dispensing at a pharmacy. I try to use the cheapest equivalent medications. Examples: Equasym XL, Xaggitin XL, Elvanse

Reference: Children's BNF