Adult Autism Service (Tower Hamlets)

Useful links for autistic people

Reasonable adjustments - Neurodiversity
This is about reasonable adjustments in the workplace for neurodivergent conditions, although it says it helps with the transition from university to work the adjustments are useful for those who have not been to university.

National Autistic Society
Please visit the National Autistic Society to learn more about autism. 

Do I need to go to my GP to get a referral?
We accept self-referrals, you can complete a referral using the forms listed on our referral information page. We will update your GP if you are placed on our waiting list and will let them know the outcome if you have an assessment.

What do I do if I can’t get a parent/guardian to complete the developmental history form?
There is a possibility of the assessment being inconclusive without the developmental history, as autism is a neurodevelopmental condition, a person's early development is an important factor. If it is strictly not possible (e.g. your parents have passed away or you are estranged) there are some alternative forms listed in the ‘additional optional forms’ section of the referral tab (layout TBC):

• Adapted developmental history form – to complete yourself with any knowledge you have of your developmental milestones.
• Questionnaire for family members – for an aunt, uncle, sibling etc.
• Questionnaire for partners – for a long-standing partner.
• Questionnaire for friends – for a long-standing friend, flatmate or colleague.

Please also send any medical or school reports you have access to from your childhood. Please contact THAS to discuss if you have any further questions.

I self-referred and have not had any contact from THAS
Please get in touch if you have not heard from us within 3 weeks of making your referral.

I requested a referral via my GP/ I have been informed I have been referred by another service, bt I have not had any contact from THAS
​​​​​​​If you believe you should have been referred to our service, but have not had contact from us within a month, please contact the GP or service who were making the referral.

Alternatively, contact THAS directly and we can confirm if a referral has been received.

What happens if I change address?
Please contact THAS at your earliest convenience to update your records. We also recommend ensuring you are registered with a local GP.

What happens if I move out of Tower Hamlets?
THAS is commissioned to offer assessments to people who are residents of Tower Hamlets, if you move out of the borough, we are no longer able to offer you an assessment. We recommend registering with a local GP as early as possible and requesting a referral to your new local autism service.

Please let THAS know that you have moved at your earliest convenience and let us know if you would like your screening forms to be sent on to your local autism service. If you have moved to the borough of Hackney or Newham, we can refer you directly as these services are within the same trust. Please contact us as soon as possible to let us know you have moved and provide your current address. You will still need to register with a local GP.

We will confirm your address before offering you an assessment, if you delay updating your address, this may delay your assessment in your local area.

It is at each autism service’s discretion as to whether they can honour your waiting time on the THAS waiting list. We can provide a copy of your waiting list letter and confirm your wait time if requested.

How do I know where I am on the waiting list?
We are not able to provide ongoing updates, as the waiting list tends to fluctuate it is difficult to provide an exact date. On your waiting list letter, it will state what the current wait time is, and you can use this to judge roughly which month you will be contacted for an assessment.

I have waited the full waiting time but have not been contacted
Our waiting list can fluctuate depending on a variety of factors. If you have waited over 1 month longer than your waiting list letter outlined, you can contact us for an update.

What do I do if I need adjustments for an appointment?
When you are invited in for your first appointment, please let the clinician you are working with know of anything we can do to reasonably adjust the appointment for you.

"I am feeling very positive about the future and this is all down to all of your care, compassion and time." - Service User

"The ongoing service and care I've, so far, received has been faultless. From where I started to where I am now is incredible and all thanks to the amazing staff." - Service User

"Frankly, being assessed about how I interact with people is my worst nightmare and something I've found extremely scary. But you've all tried to put me at ease through the process and I've felt really listened to." - Service User

"I would like to say thank you for making the room comfortable for me during the assessment, I’ve never had anyone ask that before." - Service User

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