Supporting you and your family

Yes. There will be a limit to your coverage, which you should confirm with AXA Health at the point of your referral and continue to monitor. Once your coverage expires or is used up, you will be liable to pay ProblemShared for any services that you continue to access. This liability to pay is explained in more detail in section [13] of the User Terms and Conditions.

If you would like to know how much each of our services costs to access after your coverage expires, the ProblemShared team would be happy to provide you with a pricing sheet. Please email help@problemshared.net to request one.

ProblemShared is not an emergency service. If you think you are at risk of harm or at risk of harming others, you should call 999 or go immediately to your local Accident and Emergency department.

In order to access any element of the Neurodevelopmental Assessments and Support service, you need an Initial Needs Assessment with ProblemShared, regardless of whether you have an existing diagnosis.

At the Initial Needs Assessment, the ProblemShared clinician will ask questions to understand what kind of support you are seeking. If you have already had an assessment elsewhere, the clinician will ask for a copy of your report to review. If the clinician is satisfied that the assessment is up-to-date and accurate, they will immediately refer you for post-diagnositc support.

However, there may be instances where a previous assessment needs to be repeated, or aspects of it updated. This could be true if the report is old, or if any critical information is absent from it. We anticipate that this will rarely be the case and that it would usually occur with ADHD or medication concerns, where there might be GP involvement which would need to be revisited.

ProblemShared have empowered clinicians to do what is clinically appropriate when it comes to using prior assessments. The ultimate focus is to act in your best interest and to meet each person's individual needs, while adhering to clinical best practice.

Members will also need a GP referral to access the Neurodiversity Assessment and Support service. This can be from a company-supplied online GP service, a private GP, or from an NHS GP. Once a member has obtained the GP referral, they can simply contact AXA Health to begin the process.

To be eligible to use the Neurodiversity Assessment and Support service, you must have access to an internet connection in a private place.

You must also have access to a laptop or computer, and be willing to have your camera on for the duration of your assessment sessions. Please note that a tablet which is at least 10” in size and can be propped up and used hands-free can also be used to access the service, but handheld devices such as mobile phones cannot. This is because our clinicians need to see enough of your face and torso throughout the assessment in order to make an accurate diagnosis. Unfortunately, a mobile phone screen does not facilitate this effectively. Furthermore, notifications pinging through on a mobile phone can be distracting and interrupt the assessment.

For assessments for specific learning differences (SpLD), computer screens must be a minimum of 15” (38 cm) measured diagonally (according to SASC guidance). Headphones should also be used to enable clear audio.

If at any stage in your neurodevelopmental assessment and treatment journey it is clear that additional mental health support would be beneficial to assist you with co-occurring conditions, you may referred by a clinician to the ProblemShared talk therapy service. Authorisation from AXA Health for these sessions is required, and will be actioned by ProblemShared if you are eligble.

ProblemShared deliver talk therapy for individuals who are undergoing their neurodevelopmental assessment journey, and offer support to newly diagnosed individuals, and those navigating their existing conditions.

ProblemShared talk therapy practitioners collectively communicate in over 30 languages, including sign language. They can offer a range of therapeutic approaches including CBT, EMDR, DBT, integrative, psychodynamic, and more.

ProblemShared match individuals to an appropriate practitioner who can offer tailored support for their situation. Your preferences regarding factors such as gender, ethnicity, language, availability and specialism will be taken into account when matching you with a practitioner.

Yes, psychoeducation groups are covered as part of your post-diagnosistic support following a neurodevelopmental diagnosis through your AXA Health policy.

Yes. There has been a lot of research into this question, and although the majority of it comes from the US, it holds true for the UK as well. The following resources should give you an idea of the efficacy of telemedicine and counselling when compared to more traditional consultation methods:

Internet-based versus face-to-face cognitive-behavioral intervention for depression: A randomized controlled non-inferiority trial. Wagner, B., Horn, A. and Maercker, A. (2019)

Internet-based and other computerized psychological treatments for adult depression: a meta-analysis. – PubMed – NCBI. online Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Bergström, J., Andersson, G., Ljótsson, B., Rück, C., Andréewitch, S., Karlsson, A., Carlbring, P., Andersson.

Fernandez E, Woldgabreal Y, Day A, et al. Live psychotherapy by video versus in-person: A meta-analysis of efficacy and its relationship to types and targets of treatment. Clin Psychol Psychother. 2021;28(6):1535-1549.

Internet-versus group-administered cognitive behaviour therapy for panic disorder in a psychiatric setting: a randomised trial. Epstein, R. (2019).

Distance Therapy Comes of Age. Scientific American.

The ProblemShared education navigator service is designed to optimise your child or young person's learning experience within their educational setting. Neurotypical educational environments can be really challenging for children and young people diagnosed with autism, ADHD, or Specific Learning Differences. Following a child or young person’s neurodevelopmental diagnosis, a fully qualified teacher and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENCO) will support you and your family with the implementation of any recommendations made from the assessment into your child or young person’s school environment.

The education navigator programme is a specialist teaching and advisory service that aims to support neurodivergent students, their families, and their educational settings by providing bespoke recommendations to improve their experience in education. This includes absentee students who experience school anxiety, as well as full-time students.

The term ‘educational settings’ is used since this support is available to those attending private or public schools, colleges, and universities, as well as those who are home-schooled.

The sessions are grouped according to age: adults over the age of 18, and parents of our child clients, grouped into parents of 7-11 year olds and parents of 12-17 year olds. Currently we are only able to offer this service to adults and parents, we do not facilitate sessions for the children themselves.

ProblemShared aims to provide the tools to those who are newly diagnosed with autism or ADHD to understand their own identity and navigate life following a diagnosis. Their psychoeducation groups are part of your post-diagnostic support, and are an opportunity to process your emotional response to your diagnosis in a safe, structured environment. There are 4 weekly 90-minute sessions which allow the opportunity for reflection, discussion and collaboration. The sessions are grouped by age (parents of children aged 7-12 years, parents of adolescents aged 13-17 years, adults aged 18+), with 8-10 people per group. They cover a variety of topics and are supplemented with other materials, such as webinars, reading materials and signposting to trusted sources of further information.

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If you require accessibility support, please reach out to a member of the ProblemShared team explaining the nature of your requirements. ProblemShared endeavour to

make their service as inclusive as possible, and will do everything in their power to ensure you feel confident and comfortable throughout your journey.

ProblemShared is a fully online mind healthcare provider, and does not offer any in-person appointments. If any of the following statements apply to you, you or your child are not suitable for an online assessment at this time, and should speak to your GP about accessing face-to-face care that better meets your needs.

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You are below the age 7 years old.

You are non-verbal and/or selectively mute.

You are unable to communicate at conversational level in English. For SpLD assessments, it is also a requirement to be able to communicate in written English.

You have a significant intellectual impairment/ disability or severe development delay or an intellectual disability (IQ below 70).

You have a significant visual or hearing impairment which means you are unable to access online assessments for SpLD and autism. In certain cases, we are able to support clients for ADHD assessments and appointments.

You are currently psychotic, or have recently experienced a psychotic episode (within 3 months).

You are currently deemed to pose a risk to yourself or others, have a plan or have acted to end your life in the past 3 months and/or are actively engaged in self harming behaviour.

You are currently awaiting an appointment or receiving treatment for an active eating disorder or have been discharged within the last 6 months from a specialist eating disorder clinic.

Your drug and/or alcohol use is having a significant impact on your daily life or you are currently receiving active treatment for substance addiction.

You have had an acquired or traumatic head injury, brain surgery/neurosurgery or have a neurological condition which has impacted on your cognitive function, which requires additional assessments that are not currently provided by ProblemShared.

You have previously been assessed by the NHS for ADHD or autism and are seeking a second opinion assessment. When a private assessment has previously taken place, a second assessment review or full re-assessment can be offered.

You are currently serving a prison sentence, are on probation or temporary release.

You are undergoing a Safeguarding Investigation, have a child protection plan in place or are involved in an ongoing police or criminal investigation and cannot be seen until it has been concluded.

You are currently detained in a hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983, or under a Community Treatment Order.

You serve in the armed forces.

You do not have access to a laptop or computer (please note that a laptop or desktop computer which is at least 15” in size is required for SpLD assessments). For autism and ADHD assessments, a tablet which is at least 10” and can be propped up to be used hands-free can also be used to access our service, but handheld devices such as mobile phones cannot.

You do not have access to an internet connection in a private place.

You or your child are not willing to conduct the assessment with your camera turned on for the duration of the assessment.

You are not willing to confirm their identification in an online video call.

You are not willing to provide the contact details for your UK based NHS GP. 

Yes.

Once you have obtained a GP referral, you will have an Initial Needs Assessment with a ProblemShared clinician to determine which neurodevelopmental assessments (if any) are suitable for you.

The neurodevelopmental assessments that ProblemShared provide include:

• Autism

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

• Dyslexia

• Dysgraphia (within an SpLD assessment, not with an Occupational Therapist).

• Dyscalculia

Following a diagnosis, you can also access a range of post-diagnostic support services through ProblemShared. These include:

• Psychoeducation group sessions

• The prescribing of ADHD medication where appropriate

• Education navigator

If you require additional mental health support at any stage of your journey, you will be eligible to be referred to the ProblemShared talk therapy service.

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The Initial Needs Assessment is a call with a ProblemShared clinician. During the call, the clinician's goal is to understand your needs, map out a plan for your care, and explain how the assessment process will work. They will also be able to answer any questions you might have at this stage. Once you have had your Initial Needs Assessment, your actual neurodevelopmental assessment can take place. Only the person seeking a diagnosis needs to be present at the Initial Needs Assessment. If you are seeking a diagnosis on behalf of your child, your child does not need to be present at the Initial Needs Assessment, and the clinician will discuss their needs directly with you as their parent or caregiver.

There are currently extremely long wait lists in Northern Ireland for ADHD assessments. ProblemShared believe that it is their duty of care to continue to offer the option of online assessment, as long as the client is equipped with the knowledge that their Trust may not recognise the online assessment diagnosis, which may severely limit the client’s ability to access post-diagnostic support from the NHS or other state institutions.

Yes. ProblemShared are conducting online ADHD assessments for children and young people that live in Northern Ireland.

However, ProblemShared are urging clients to gain a shared care agreement (the ongoing care provided by a GP for a client following the completion of the ProblemShared medication pathway) from their GP before they enter into the process. The client also needs to be aware that the online diagnosis may not be recognised by their Trust which may severely limit the client’s ability to access post-diagnostic support from the NHS or other state institutions.

Yes. ProblemShared are conducting online ADHD assessments for adults (18yrs +) who live in Northern Ireland. However, ProblemShared are urging clients to gain a shared care agreement (the ongoing care provided by a GP for a client following the completion of the ProblemShared medication pathway) from their GP before they enter into the process. The client also needs to be aware that the online diagnosis may not be recognised by their Trust, which may severely limit the client’s ability to access post-diagnostic support from the NHS or other state institutions.

ProblemShared are not currently offering CYP autism assessments to clients who live in Northern Ireland due to the fact that South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust have written to ProblemShared (and all private providers) informing that they will no longer accept remote autism assessments for CYP. Since then, the Trust has informed ProblemShared that this position is also being taken by Health and Social Care Northern Ireland (HSC-NI).

For this reason, ProblemShared will not be conducting CYP autism assessments for those that live in Northern Ireland until further notice.

This is due to the fact that it may severely limit a client’s ability to access post-diagnostic support from the NHS or other state institutions.

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Yes. ProblemShared are conducting online autism assessments for adults (18yrs +) who live in Northern Ireland. However, the client enters into the process with full transparency that their Trust may not recognise the online assessment diagnosis, which may severely limit the client’s ability to access post-diagnostic support from the NHS or other state institutions.

ProblemShared follow all the appropriate NICE guidelines to conduct their robust online autism assessments and they stand by their clinical diagnoses. ProblemShared cannot control if a Trust decides not to recognise the online assessment as valid.

Currently, ProblemShared are not conducting CYP autism assessments for those that live in Northern Ireland until further notice. This is due to the fact that it may severely limit a client’s ability to access post-diagnostic support from the NHS or other state institutions.

You can use a passport, a driving license, or any other identity card which features a photograph of yourself.

This benefit is only available to those enrolled on your company's AXA Health scheme. Eligibility and enrolment onto your company's healthcare scheme will be coordinated by your employer.

We would suggest you don’t cancel your NHS arrangements until you have spoken to AXA Health or ProblemShared.

ProblemShared welcome any and all feedback. You can email them at help@problemshared.net with any comments or issues you might have, including as much information as possible, and they will be in touch.

You can review their full complaints policy at the footer of their website for more details.

ProblemShared is experienced in writing reports and making recommendations in a format that is accepted by local education authorities and NHS GPs. We cannot universally guarantee acceptance by every entity because local requirements may differ. We are aware of low acceptance rates in Northern Ireland for all assessments, with no acceptance of young people's autism diagnoses.

However, the prescribing teams within ProblemShared's medication service will work with GPs as needed to facilitate shared care.

Furthermore, the aim of the education navigator service for children 7 to 19 years old, as well as higher education students up to the age of 22, is to provide guidance on how to engage your local school/education authority, so members will be assisted with this.

SpLD assessments, like dyslexia, are carried out by professionals with Assessment Practising Certificates, which means they are accepted by a wide range of institutions, including universities and professional bodies.

You can watch some helpful support videos to guide you through the process of completing your forms on your client dashboard.

If you are still having problems with your forms after watching the videos, please contact the ProblemShared customer service team at support@problemshared.net or call 0203 835 2900.

It is possible for AXA Health members to complete the part of their pathway that they have already started at the point that their policy lapses, on a self-pay basis. Please note that the self-pay option is to facilitate the completion of partial pathways only. It is not possible for AXA Health members to start another part of their pathway on a self-pay basis.

If you choose not to self-pay, you can explore the Right to Choose homepage on the ProblemShared website. Here, you can learn about the process of accessing ProblemShared neurodevelopmental assessments and support through the NHS Right to Choose scheme. Please note that this would involve attaining a new referral from your GP.

When you are first referred to ProblemShared, you will receive an email inviting you to sign up and complete some intake information.

You can do this by going to www.problemshared.net and clicking ‘Sign Up’. Please create an account using the email address we have contacted you on.

Once you have logged in, you will see a ‘Complete Intake’ button, which will take you to an intake form where you can provide some pre-assessment information. After you have provided this information you will be invited to an introductory call with a member of the team, who will talk you through the next stage of the process.

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If you require accessibility support, please reach out to a member of the ProblemShared team explaining the nature of your requirements by emailing help@problemshared.net. ProblemShared endeavour to make their service as inclusive as possible, and will do everything in their power to ensure you feel confident and comfortable in your role as an informant.

The Informant Questionnaire will only be shared with the specific clinician who is undertaking the client’s assessment, and potentially a senior clinician if a Multidisciplinary Team Meeting (MDT) is required for more complex cases.

Some information may be shared with the client if it is relevant to the assessment or can be considered as evidence that may contribute to a diagnosis. However, if there is information that you do not wish the client to be aware of, we would ask you to please highlight this clearly on the Informant Questionnaire. Any information you do not wish to be shared with the client would still be used internally to inform a diagnostic decision, but it would not be shared with the client or added into the assessment report.

If you have been asked to be an informant for an autism assessment, you can read this support article on the ProblemShared website for more information about how to be the best possible informant.

If you have been asked to be an informant for an ADHD assessment, you can read this support article on the ProblemShared website for more information about how to be the best possible informant.

For autism: If you do not have a suitable informant for your autism assessment, please inform a member of our team at your earliest opportunity. Although involving an informant is an important part of ensuring a clinically robust assessment, our team will never turn a client away for being unable to source an informant. We may be able to come to an arrangement whereby you act as your own informant, or something similar. The sooner you communicate your situation to us, the more efficiently we will be able to find a solution.

For ADHD: Please note that it is NOT possible to act as your own informant for an ADHD assessment. However, we understand that there may be cases where an individual does not have anyone they can ask to be their informant. While this isn’t ideal, we endeavour to make the process of accessing a ProblemShared ADHD assessment as inclusive as possible. Therefore, although involving an informant is an important part of ensuring a clinically robust assessment, our team will never turn a client away for being unable to source an informant. Instead, we will work closely with the individual to explore other avenues to gather the information needed for their ADHD assessment. If you find yourself in this situation, please let our clinical team know that you do not have a suitable informant as soon as possible.

If you are seeking an autism assessment, you can read this support article on the ProblemShared website for more information about choosing the best possible informant for your situation.

If you are seeking an ADHD assessment, you can read this support article on the ProblemShared website for more information about choosing the best possible informant for your situation.

The informant process is different depending on which neurodevelopmental condition you are being assessed for.

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Autism‍

Firstly, they need to complete a detailed Informant Questionnaire. This questionnaire will gather important details about your early childhood, developmental milestones, medical and educational history, social characteristics, and neurodivergent traits. You will need to download the Informant Questionnaire from your ProblemShared dashboard and send it to your informant to complete. When they are finished, they can send it back to you to re-upload onto your client dashboard with the rest of your pre-assessment forms.

Secondly, they need to attend an Informant Interview, which will last approximately 3 hours. This interview will take place via the ProblemShared secure online platform. You can attend this interview alongside your informant if you wish to, but you do not have to be present. This session is an opportunity for your clinician to gather more detailed information about your childhood, developmental history, and daily challenges, helping to guide their diagnosis.

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ADHD‍

Your informant needs to complete an Informant Questionnaire as part of the assessment process. This questionnaire will gather important details about your childhood, developmental milestones, medical and educational history, social characteristics, and neurodivergent traits, and how these have impacted your functioning.  

Here is an overview of what your informant will be expected to do:

The Informant Questionnaire can be accessed from the pre-assessment forms page of your ProblemShared dashboard. You will need to download it and email it to your chosen informant. Once your informant has completed the Informant Questionnaire, they should send it back to you to re-upload onto your client dashboard with the rest of your pre-assessment forms.

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SpLD‍

Assessments for specific learning differences do not require an informant.

The purpose of an Initial Needs Assessment is to discern whether or not your teenager could benefit from a neurodevelopmental assessment or not. During the session, a ProblemShared clinician will speak with your teenager and identify areas where they might be experiencing challenges or require further support. If the Initial Needs Assessment determines that your teenager does not require further assessment for a neurodevelopmental condition, you will be advised by the AXA Health Clinical Support Team of the next steps on an individual basis. If the session determines that your teenager does display signs of a potential neurodevelopmental condition, they will be referred for a full assessment, and the process will be explained to them by the clinician. Please note that you will need to attain a GP referral first in order to access the service.

An informant is a person nominated by you to provide further information to our clinicians that will contribute to your assessment.

They should be able to describe any potential signs of a neurodevelopmental condition that you displayed during your childhood, or that you display currently, and how this impacts your functioning.

An informant preferably should be someone who has known you since your early childhood, such as a parent/caregiver or sibling. If this is not possible, a long-term partner, close friend, or colleague can be your informant.

You can refer to our Informant Guide for more details [link to Informant Guide].

Depending on your child’s age, it may be easier for us to talk with them alone, or it may be that your child wishes to have you present.

It can be useful for young people and their families to remember that they may feel better able to freely talk without anyone else there. We will take the lead in the conversation with the child or young person, and help them to feel as comfortable as possible. We can then speak with yourself as their parent or guardian separately, to gather your perspective.

If you do wish to be with your child during the assessment, you are welcome to sit next to them if it's comfortable. We know it can be difficult to sit back and not intervene, especially when you know your child is nervous. However, we ask that when a question is directed to your child, please try to let them answer first.

We know that being online can be a slight barrier to some young people, and they may find it difficult to engage with a person who is not physically in the room. Please be reassured that if your young person needs to move about, do something else whilst talking to us, or come and go throughout the assessment, then we will accommodate this as much as we can within the realms of clinical necessity.

Depending on your child’s age, it might help for them to think about some of the things that are currently feeling tricky about home or school life, that have led up to this assessment. We want to hear their story, from their perspective. It can help to write things down ahead of time so that your child can get their thoughts in order, and have some context prepared for their clinician when asked about their experiences, so they don't feel on the spot.

The assessment itself will hopefully feel like a conversation as opposed to an interview. The assessing clinician may ask your child to complete some activities or games with them, or they may just sit and talk together. It is not a test and should not feel like one.

If your young person requires breaks or to move about, then please be reassured that this is perfectly fine, and we welcome any needed movement. We also really like it when children bring their favourite toys or items of interest to show us.  

If your AXA Health policy ends while you are still being titrated or using the ProblemShared medication service, you have the option to switch to a self-pay method. Details about how much this will cost can be found in the ProblemShared medication guide.

Gillick competence refers to a young person under the age of 16 with the capacity and maturity to make any relevant decision, particularly regarding medical treatment.

Children who are 16 years old and over can be expected to have capacity to consent to treatment. Children who are younger than this may be mature enough to decide for themselves and not want their parents involved, which will require you to consider whether they are Gillick competent.

The child doesn't need to attend the feedback session but is very welcome to.

Clients between the ages of 7 to 19 years old, as well as higher education students up to the age of 22, can get full access to the ProblemShared educational navigation support programme, as long as they are not also in full-time employment. The programme is designed to optimise the learning experience within your or your child’s educational setting.

This service is available to those attending private or public schools, colleges, and universities, as well as those who are home-schooled.

The service isn’t solely aimed at those who are facing profound challenges in their educational setting – even those looking for small optimisations are eligible.

The ProblemShared team are all fully qualified SENCOs and specialist teachers with years of experience in supporting neurodivergent students in neurotypical education settings.

The job of ProblemShared's education navigators is to understand how to optimise an educational setting to best suit you or your child’s needs. They work in partnership with the school or educator to understand what support is achievable given their staff or budget constraints, offering their bespoke and expert guidance to create the best achievable environment for you or your child to thrive in.

Yes, they can. Starting medication does not exclude your child from accessing the other post-diagnostic services available through the Neurodevelopment Assessments and Support service.

For example, the ProblemShared education navigator service could be incredibly beneficial for your situation. This is where a fully qualified teacher and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENCO) will support you and your family with the implementation of any recommendations made from the assessment into your child’s school environment.

Once your child has received a diagnosis for a neurodevelopmental condition, they are eligible to access the ProblemShared education navigator service as part of their post-diagnostic support.

The education navigator programme is a specialist teaching and advisory service that aims to support neurodivergent students, their families, and their educational settings by providing bespoke recommendations to improve their experience in education. This includes absentee students who experience school anxiety, as well as full-time students.

The term ‘educational settings’ is used since this support is available to those attending private or public schools, colleges, and universities, as well as those who are home-schooled.

Before the education navigator process properly begins, you can request an optional introductory call with a ProblemShared operations team member. They will take you through the process and answer any questions you may have at this stage. This session is not clinical in nature and should only take around 15 minutes.

To officially get the process started, you will need to complete a few forms. These include a school consent form, a parental consent form, a one-page profile completed by you, or in the case of clients under the age of 16, your child with your support, and finally, an online questionnaire. This questionnaire allows your clinician to focus our attention on the most important challenges you or your child currently face in their education setting.

Once you have submitted your completed files, an experienced ProblemShared education navigator will meet with you, or you and your child, to understand your diagnosis.

Child-age clients are not expected to attend this session, but ProblemShared does request that their parent or caregiver brings their completed One Page Profile to the meeting to ensure that their child’s voice is represented.

During the session, your appointed education navigator will learn more about your or your child’s current education setting and home environment, and explore the effect of any steps that may have already been taken to improve the experience. If adolescents or young adults prefer to attend their appointment alone, ProblemShared ask that a parent remains nearby, as your education navigator will need to seek their parental viewpoint as well.

Next, your education navigator will engage with you or your child’s education provider separately to understand the challenges they face and the support they can offer. This will be either an online meeting or, if the education setting cannot meet with us, through a comprehensive questionnaire. Your education navigator will also research the school and local authority to understand what support is available in your area.

Once this is complete, your education navigator will talk you through the support available to you locally and within the education setting, and how best to access it. A written report including recommendations, resources, and next steps is then shared with you within 28 days of the session.

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There is no need for your child to be present at their Initial Needs Assessment. The ProblemShared clinician will discuss the needs of the child with their parent(s) or caregiver(s). However, please be aware that in order to have an Initial Needs Assessment, your child would still need a GP referral. Therefore it's likely that the GP would want to speak with or meet your child in order to make this referral, so a discussion with your child may be required at this stage.

If you are 16 years old and do not wish for your parent or caregiver to be present or play a part in your assessment process, ProblemShared would need to assess your capacity to make decisions regarding your care for yourself. If you are deemed to be Gillick competent and have the understanding and maturity to fully understand what is involved, then we could proceed without your parent or caregiver's involvement.

However, we would always encourage you to discuss your healthcare with your parent or caregiver and involve them where possible.

Please be aware that ProblemShared ask for an informant to provide additional information as part of the assessment process, and this is usually a parent or caregiver with specific knowledge of your early years and development. Not having this information may mean that it is not possible to conclude your assessment.

Furthermore, if you were to require medication following an ADHD assessment, ProblemShared would request that your parent or caregiver are part of any discussion about the medication and would be reluctant to initiate medication without their prior knowledge.

We do not currently offer neurodevelopmental assessments for children below the age of 7. We pride ourselves on our quality of service and our ability to deliver clinically robust assessments that clients can trust.

Accurately diagnosing children under the age of 7 with ADHD through remote assessments is incredibly challenging, as symptoms of ADHD can be difficult to distinguish from normal developmental behaviours in very young children.

For autism assessments, research has shown that children under the age of 7 respond more effectively to play-based autism observation assessments, which cannot practically be hosted online.

In relation to specific learning differences, children under the age of 7 are still undergoing significant developmental changes, including language acquisition and literacy skills. It can be difficult to distinguish between typical developmental variations and signs of dyslexia at this young age.

With this in mind, and in the interest of best practice, we do not offer online assessments for children under the age of 7.

You can access services at ProblemShared from the age of 7 years.

We know that multiple neurodevelopmental conditions can present at once. The Initial Needs Assessment is intended to identify where this may be the case. If you need more than one assessment, your clinician will explain what this will look like for your situation. An important part of the Initial Needs Assessment is to help you understand exactly how the assessment process works and what your can expect. The ProblemShared team will be on hand if you have any questions during your journey through the service.

If the Initial Needs Assessment determines that you don’t require further assessment for a neurodevelopmental condition, you will be advised by the AXA Health Clinical Support Team of the next steps on an individual basis.

You will receive an email with the details of your assessment sessions, including the date and time of each one, and the necessary links to meet your clinician online. You will also be able to see the details of each upcoming assessment session on your ProblemShared client dashboard.

Yes. When you receive your authorisation number from AXA Health, we will share a link to the ProblemShared dashboard, which contains useful resources to support you ahead of your assessment. There are also many helpful support articles and videos available on the ProblemShared website.

ProblemShared aim to give you the outcome of your assessment either at the end of your assessment, or later on the same day.

In some more complex cases, this is not possible. If this applies to you, your clinician will explain the reasoning to you, and a further follow-up call will be made to give you the outcome at another time.

Within 4-6 weeks of your having your assessment, you will receive your full diagnostic report, which will clearly show the reasons for our decision about a diagnosis or non-diagnosis. You will also be given some recommendations for support.

If 6 weeks have passed and you have not received your report, please contact help@problemshared.net.

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Following the completion of your online assessment, you will receive your diagnosis, and you will be invited to consider your post-diagnostic support options.

These include:

Psychoeducation group sessions

Prescribing of ADHD medication, where appropriate

Education navigator for children and young people

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If you require additional mental health support at any stage of your journey, you will be eligible to be referred to the ProblemShared talk therapy service.

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A GP must make the initial referral in order for you to be accepted into the Neurodevelopmental Assessments and Support service. This can be from your own NHS GP.

If you are seeking an ADHD assessment, involving your NHS GP is important if you decide to opt in to the medication service as a means of support. This is so that your GP can perform any required physical health checks prior to medication (for children and young people) and also take over prescribing your future prescriptions once your medication has stabilised - a process known as 'shared care'. In the event that your GP refuses to accept shared care, you will be given the option to self-fund ongoing prescribing and medication costs and will be made aware of the financial implications at this stage.

Please note that the cost of outpatient drugs isn't usually paid for by an AXA Health private medical scheme. If you or your family member is referred to the medication service, you may have to pay for the prescription charges yourself.

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The Initial Needs Assessment takes 45 minutes. This initial call is an opportunity for you to meet with a ProblemShared clinician, who will understand your needs, answer any questions you might have at this stage, and explain how the assessment process will work.

Once your Initial Needs Assessment has happened, your actual assessment can take place. This is much longer in duration. It involves the completion of several digital forms and several online sessions with a highly qualified ProblemShared assessor.

The whole assessment process can vary in duration from client to client, but typically it lasts between 2 and 4 months, from your Initial Needs Assessment all the way through to receiving your diagnostic report.

Your Initial Needs Assessment will take place within 14 days of your acceptance into the service, but typically this happens within 5 days.

Before your assessment can take place, there are several digital forms that you need to complete. The forms should be filled out by the individual seeking a diagnosis, as well as other people relevant to the assessment process. These people include an appointed individual known as an 'informant', who can provide further information to clinicians that will contribute to an assessment outcome, or in the case of children, their teacher or school representative.

There are many helpful resources to guide you through the process, including support articles and videos that explain how to complete your digital forms, who to choose as your informant, and how to navigate your assessment sessions with confidence.

The journey to getting an assessment for autism, ADHD, or specific learning differences can be long and stressful. But, through the AXA Health Neurodiversity Assessment and Support service, ProblemShared makes the whole process accessible and affirming. Here's what you can expect from your journey:

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1. Enrolment

There are two enrolment routes into the service. You can either contact the AXA Health membership team to discuss your individual needs and requirements, or visit your company's wellness hub for further information. In either scenario, you will need a GP referral to proceed further with the enrolment process.

Then, the AXA Health membership team will enrol you and a confirmation email will be automatically sent to you from ProblemShared.

You (or your parent/caregiver if you are a child or young person) will then complete some digital enrolment forms and book an Initial Needs Assessment.

2. Initial Needs Assessment (INA)

This 30-minute call is overseen by a ProblemShared clinician. During the call, the clinician's goal is to understand your needs, map out a plan for your care, and explain how the assessment process will work. They will also be able to answer any questions you might have at this stage.

3. Assessment

The individual seeking an assessment (or the parent/caregiver of children and young people) will be sent some digital forms to complete before the assessment can take place.

If you are having an assessment for autism or ADHD, a form will also be sent to someone called your 'informant'. An informant is a person appointed by you, who knows you very well. Your informant should be able to describe any potential signs of a neurodevelopmental condition that you displayed during your childhood, or that you display currently, and how this impacts your functioning. In a child or young person’s case, this can be the parent/caregiver.

These digital forms are designed to provide your clinician with contextual information about any challenges you may be facing, enabling them to spend more time discussing what is important to you during your actual assessment.

ADHD Assessment (60-90 mins) - consultation, followed by a verbal diagnosis session which normally happens on the same day.

Autism Assessment & Informant Interview (60-120 mins) - these are two separate interviews, or in the case of a child or young person being assessed, there will be the assessment with the child or young person, and then the informant interview without the child or young person. The diagnostic outcome follows in a separate meeting.

Specific Learning Differences Assessment (180-240 mins with breaks) - these are two sessions conducted by a level 7 SpLD assessor, and a further 45-minute follow-up feedback session. In the case of a child or young person, their parent/guardian may attend.

4. Report

Within 28 days of your assessment, you will receive a detailed written report complete with recommendations, resources and details about next steps.

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Due to the current global shortage of ADHD medication, we are monitoring supply closely and are only prescribing medication where supply is stable. You can monitor the dedicated page on our website for more details.

If your GP rejects the shared care agreement, you can choose to proceed with treatment with the knowledge that you will be required to pay for your private prescriptions along with your ongoing periodic reviews. ProblemShared clinicians can continue prescribing at a cost of £40 per repeat prescription plus the cost of the medication itself.

You will be required to have ongoing periodic reviews with ProblemShared as agreed with your clinician at a cost of £100 per session until a referral has been made and accepted by your local ADHD NHS service.

These ongoing periodic reviews occur every 12 months for adults, every 3 months for 7–10-year-olds, and every 6 months for 11-17-year-olds.

Not typically. You will be required to pay for the cost of the medication on a 4-weekly basis. The cost of medication varies as it depends on which medication is prescribed as the prescribing is done privately, not via the NHS. This is typically £50 to £100 a month.

Shared care is the transfer of your ongoing prescribing from a specialist (ProblemShared) to your GP, where this is suitable and in your best interest.

Your AXA Health policy covers the cost of your Treatment Planning Session (your first consultation session with your prescriber) and all follow-up review appointments and support until your medication is stabilised.

You will need confirmation from your GP prior to commencing titration that they will (or will not) accept shared care, meaning that they agree (or do not agree) to take on responsibility for your ongoing prescribing once your medication is stabilised. This is because in the event that your GP does not accept shared care, you are made aware of the financial implications of continuing with the ProblemShared medication pathway.

While many GPs will accept shared care, there is a chance that your GP may decline this request. In the event that your GP refuses to accept shared care, you will be given the option to self-fund ongoing precribing and medication costs and will be made aware of the financial implications at this stage.

As per the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, all medication for ADHD should only be initiated by a healthcare professional with training and expertise in diagnosing and managing ADHD.

ProblemShared's ADHD medication service is run by a team of highly qualified clinicians who will look at your individual prescribing needs. All clinicians working at ProblemShared have met a high standard of competency before facilitating the care of their clients. They are all fully qualified, certified by their relevant professional bodies, and follow NICE guidelines, which are evidence-based recommendations for the health and social care sector.

There are two main groups of medication; stimulants and non-stimulants. They work by increasing levels of certain naturally occurring chemicals in the brain.

Stimulant medications (methylphenidate and lisdexamfetamine) work for a range of different durations. Depending on your requirements, the specialist in charge of your care will explore with you which may be better suited for you. Advice on how to take your medication will also be given to you.

Non-stimulants (atomoxetine) must be taken every day for them to work, but they have the advantage of not wearing off.

It is not possible to predict how you will respond to any medication, but all are proven to be both safe and effective.

Prescribing decisions are made with you. Your prescribing team will recommend medication based on the outcome of your assessment information, especially relating to your medical history, and the medical history of your family.

If you have any doubts or questions about medication, it is important that you raise them with your prescribing team, who will listen to you and help you understand your options.

Your prescribing team may need to try a few different medications to find the one which is right for you.

Most people have success with stimulant medication, and this is why the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends it as an option for managing ADHD.

There are times when individuals may not respond to medication in the way their prescribing team had hoped. The titration period is where your prescribing team monitor your response to medication and make changes depending on your feedback about any side effects or benefits of the medication. Your prescribing team will guide you through the process, taking your lead along the way, and will help to keep your expectations realistic.

Here’s how the process of titration works at ProblemShared:

Treatment Planning Session 

If you decide to trial ADHD medication, you will be invited to attend a Treatment Planning Session, where your medication options will be fully explained to you by a prescriber. This will be a 30-minute session via video call and is an opportunity for you to meet with a ProblemShared prescriber to discuss your medication options. 

Please note that if the appointment is for a child/young person, they will need to be in attendance at the Treatment Planning Session, in order for the clinician to consider prescribing. A link to access this appointment will be sent to you once the appointment is booked.

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Remember your forms 

‍Before your Treatment Planning Session can be booked, ProblemShared will need to receive a copy of your GP Summary Form. This is a short version of your medical history containing your NHS number and any relevant medical conditions, medication history and allergies, and you can request it from your GP. 

Once you have received it, you can submit it to ProblemShared by uploading it to your client dashboard. If you need help with this, you can email support@problemshared.net and a member of the team will help you.

In addition to your GP Summary Form, ProblemShared also need you to complete 2 extra forms before we can schedule your Treatment Planning Session: the Medical Assessment Tool (which captures some important health information from you), and either the ASRS form for adult clients, or the SNAP-IV form for child clients.  

You may have completed one of these forms earlier in your client journey, however, it is important for your clinician to have the most up-to-date information possible when prescribing, and so you will need to complete both of them again.

Links to both of these forms can be found in the ProblemShared ADHD Medication Guide, which sits on the medication page of your dashboard.

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Provide your measurements 

‍You will need to provide an up-to-date reading of your blood pressure, pulse, height, and weight in your Medical Assessment Tool. Most ADHD treatments lead to a slight increase in both blood pressure and pulse, which your prescribing team need to monitor. This is an important part of finding the right medication for you, and ProblemShared cannot issue prescriptions without it.

This information must be sent to ProblemShared before they can schedule your Treatment Planning Session. As your appointments are carried out remotely, ProblemShared require that you take your own blood pressure and pulse readings. This can often be done for free at a GP surgery or pharmacy, or you can purchase a blood pressure monitor of your own and take the measurements yourself at home. You can buy blood pressure monitors from local pharmacies, or you can find them online.

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How to take your blood pressure and pulse readings at home

‍If you choose to take your blood pressure readings yourself, it’s important to make sure you use equipment that has been clinically validated. 

Ensure that you use an age-adapted cuff size with your blood pressure monitor, otherwise you may not get an accurate reading.

Some individuals require a larger cuff size if the cuff supplied does not adjust to fit. These are generally available, but may need purchasing separately.

Ideally, you should sit down for 10-15 minutes before taking the reading, and take the reading on your left arm if possible.

Take 3 blood pressure and pulse rate readings.

To accurately document your blood pressure and pulse readings on the Medical Assessment Tool, please follow these steps regarding where to locate the numbers on your blood pressure monitor: 

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1. Blood Pressure: ‍

Look for two values, such as "120/80 mm Hg" on your monitor display.

The higher number is the systolic pressure (top number), and the lower number is the diastolic pressure (bottom number).

Ensure the readings are in millimetres of mercury (mm Hg).

Please include both numbers on the form. 

2. Pulse:

‍Locate the pulse rate, usually displayed in beats per minute (BPM) on your monitor. 

It may appear as "Pulse" or simply "BPM." 

Record the lowest blood pressure and pulse reading of the 3 taken each day.

Ongoing medication review appointments during your titration period.

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Following the initial Treatment Planning Session, your prescribing team will arrange review appointments every 3-4 weeks, to review the dose of the medication and to issue your next prescription. Your prescribing team will also require an up-to-date blood pressure, weight and pulse reading from you prior to every review appointment whilst the medication is being titrated.

Once you have started medication you should take your blood pressure and heart rate at least 2 hours after taking a dose. Without these measurements ProblemShared cannot issue a prescription, and your treatment will be delayed. 

No repeat prescriptions can be given unless you attend your review appointments, due to the NICE prescribing guidelines around issuing prescriptions for controlled drugs. Missing appointments may lead to breaks in your medication treatment or the treatment needing to be retitrated.

If you miss your appointment, an email will be sent to inform you of this and to request that you contact ProblemShared within 7 days to arrange another appointment. 

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Prescriptions ‍

Your prescribing team will send each prescription to a pharmacy. The process for receiving your medication will be explained by your prescribing team. Please note that if your medication is a controlled drug, the pharmacy must receive the original prescription in the post before they can dispense the medication, and this can usually take 1-3 days.

You will receive a prescription for a supply of medication to last you for 28/30 days.  

You will be seen by your prescriber every 3-4 weeks until you reach a stable dose of medication. This process usually takes 12 to 16 weeks, but at times it can take longer than this.

If you are diagnosed with ADHD following your assessment, one option that can be very useful is medication.

If you choose to trial medication, ProblemShared's team of expert prescribers will discuss medication options with you.

We understand that it can be overwhelming when considering medication, and this why your prescribing team will work closely with you to monitor your progress. They will be on hand to help facilitate your goals, find the best treatment available for your situation, and work with you to solve any issues that may arise throughout the process.  

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ProblemShared do not record any of their online sessions. What you say in your session is confidential and remains between you and your clinician. However, if the clinician has any concerns about risk or safeguarding, they may have to discuss the matter with their clinical supervisor, clinical team, or safeguarding lead in order ensure safety. Please note that phone calls with the ProblemShared customer service team are recorded.

Titration is the process of safely stabilising a person on medication to establish the most suitable type and dosage of medication, which has maximum benefits with minimal side effects.

ProblemShared is registered with the CQC. The CQC monitor and inspect health and social care organisations that provide any regulated activity. As such, ProblemShared's neurodevelopmental service is regulated, monitored and inspected by the CQC. ProblemShared's counsellors are all members of regulatory bodies and follow best practice guidelines set by those regulatory bodies. Furthermore, they must adhere to a code of conduct drawn from the requirements of professional psychotherapy bodies.

ProblemShared take your data privacy and data security extremely seriously and have in place a robust and comprehensive information governance framework with the aim of ensuring data security and that all personal information is handled correctly. Their Privacy Policy is available to read at the footer of their website. They are also registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office, an independent regulatory authority set up to safeguard individuals' data privacy rights.

No, ProblemShared is a private mind healthcare company. However, they are partnered with many NHS trusts, work with psychiatrists and paediatricians who currently hold or have held consultant posts with the NHS, and their founder and CEO is a practising NHS doctor.

Yes. ProblemShared bring together a network of UK-registered mind health professionals and have a rigorous accreditation checking policy in place to ensure that all of their practitioners are vetted. ProblemShared is CQC-registered, and their clinical governance framework is the foundation that ensures that their clients are kept safe. As part of this, ProblemShared ensures that staff who are employed by ProblemShared in the provision of a regulated activity receive appropiate support, training and professional development, supervision and appraisal as is necessary to enable them to carry out the duties they are employed to perform.

ProblemShared only use psychiatrists and paediatricians who currently hold or have held consultant posts with the NHS. They must be on the General Medical Council (GMC)’s specialist register, and are also fully insured. All healthcare professionals employed by ProblemShared are registered with their prospective regulatory professioanal bodies such as NMC and HCPC and SASC.

ProblemShared also holds their counsellors to similar account. They must be members of an accredited industry body, have undergone DBS checks, and are all fully insured.

ProblemShared is a fully online mind healthcare provider, and does not offer any in-person appointments. If any of the following statements apply to you, you or your child are not suitable for an online assessment at this time, and should speak to your GP about accessing face-to-face care that better meets your needs.

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You are below the age 7 years old.

You are non-verbal and/or selectively mute.

You are unable to communicate at conversational level in English. For SpLD assessments, it is also a requirement to be able to communicate in written English.

You have a significant intellectual impairment/ disability or severe development delay or an intellectual disability (IQ below 70).

You have a significant visual or hearing impairment which means you are unable to access online assessments for SpLD and autism. In certain cases, we are able to support clients for ADHD assessments and appointments.

You are currently psychotic, or have recently experienced a psychotic episode (within 3 months).

You are currently deemed to pose a risk to yourself or others, have a plan or have acted to end your life in the past 3 months and/or are actively engaged in self harming behaviour.

You are currently awaiting an appointment or receiving treatment for an active eating disorder or have been discharged within the last 6 months from a specialist eating disorder clinic.

Your drug and/or alcohol use is having a significant impact on your daily life or you are currently receiving active treatment for substance addiction.

You have had an acquired or traumatic head injury, brain surgery/neurosurgery or have a neurological condition which has impacted on your cognitive function, which requires additional assessments that are not currently provided by ProblemShared.

You have previously been assessed by the NHS for ADHD or autism and are seeking a second opinion assessment. When a private assessment has previously taken place, a second assessment review or full re-assessment can be offered.

You are currently serving a prison sentence, are on probation or temporary release.

You are undergoing a Safeguarding Investigation, have a child protection plan in place or are involved in an ongoing police or criminal investigation and cannot be seen until it has been concluded.

You are currently detained in a hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983, or under a Community Treatment Order.

You serve in the armed forces.

You do not have access to a laptop or computer (please note that a laptop or desktop computer which is at least 15” in size is required for SpLD assessments). For autism and ADHD assessments, a tablet which is at least 10” and can be propped up to be used hands-free can also be used to access our service, but handheld devices such as mobile phones cannot.

You do not have access to an internet connection in a private place.

You or your child are not willing to conduct the assessment with your camera turned on for the duration of the assessment.

You are not willing to confirm their identification in an online video call.

You are not willing to provide the contact details for your UK based NHS GP. 

ProblemShared was founded to evolve and advance the provision of mind healthcare. They are a community of experienced practitioners and passionate advocates for better access to the highest quality neurodevelopmental and mental health support. By combining the power of tech, data, and clinical excellence, ProblemShared provide personalised care to better equip individuals and institutions in their mind health journey. 

ProblemShared's team of clinicians come from many different professional backgrounds and include nurses, occupational therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, paediatricians, social workers, speech and language therapists, and specialist teachers. They are all highly qualified, accredited by their relevant professional bodies, and follow the codes of conduct drawn from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines and for SpLD, the SpLD Assessment Standards Committee (SASC).

ProblemShared is an online mind health platform. They provide access to the highest quality care for individuals and institutions seeking mental healthcare services or neurodevelopmental assessments and support.

ProblemShared offers online assessments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, and specific learning differences such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia. Their post-diagnostic care service includes psychoeducation groups, educational navigation, talk therapy, and the prescribing of ADHD medication where appropriate.