FOI2026/1982

I am making a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for information relating to NHS Greater Manchester’s commissioning and activity planning for adult autism assessments provided through NHS Right to Choose, specifically in relation to Psychiatry UK and the 2026/27 Indicative Activity Plans.

Please provide the following information, where held:

1. The number of adult autism assessment places allocated to Psychiatry UK by NHS Greater Manchester under its 2026/27 Indicative Activity Plan.
2. The total number of adult autism assessments that NHS Greater Manchester has funded or commissioned from Psychiatry UK for Greater Manchester patients during 2026/27.
3. The number of adult autism assessments completed by Psychiatry UK for Greater Manchester patients from 1 April 2026 to the date of this request.
4. The number of Greater Manchester patients currently waiting for an adult autism assessment with Psychiatry UK through NHS Right to Choose.
5. The number of those patients currently classified as requiring urgent or clinically prioritised assessment.
6. The number of those patients currently classified as routine/non-urgent.
7. The number of adult autism assessment places within the 2026/27 Psychiatry UK allocation that have been reserved or used for clinically prioritised patients.
8. The number of assessment places expected to be available for routine/non-urgent adult autism referrals during 2026/27.
9. The criteria or policy document used by NHS Greater Manchester to determine which Right to Choose adult autism patients receive clinical priority.
10. The definition of “urgent clinical need” used for this purpose.
11. The process used to review or reassess patients who remain classified as routine/non-urgent while waiting.
12. Whether NHS Greater Manchester has established a maximum expected or target waiting time for a patient who remains classified as routine/non-urgent for an adult autism assessment through Right to Choose.
13. If such a maximum waiting time exists, please provide it.
14. If no maximum waiting time exists, please confirm this.
15. Any modelling, forecasts, projections or capacity-planning documents held by NHS Greater Manchester showing the expected number of adult autism patients who will remain waiting for assessment with Psychiatry UK at the end of the 2026/27 financial year.
16. Any modelling or analysis held by NHS Greater Manchester concerning the expected waiting time for patients who were referred before 1 April 2026 but remain unassessed during 2026/27.
17. Information setting out what happens to patients who remain on the Psychiatry UK waiting list when the provider reaches its 2026/27 Indicative Activity Plan.
18. Information setting out what happens to patients who remain on the waiting list at the end of the 2026/27 financial year.
19. Whether unused adult autism assessment activity allocated to a provider can be carried forward, transferred or reallocated during the financial year, and any policy or guidance relating to this.
20. Whether NHS Greater Manchester has identified or assessed the risk of routine/non-urgent patients remaining on Right to Choose waiting lists for an indefinite or otherwise prolonged period because available assessment capacity is prioritised for patients with greater clinical urgency.
21. Any risk assessments, equality impact assessments, health inequality assessments, business cases, board papers, commissioning papers or other documents concerning the impact of the 2026/27 Right to Choose activity restrictions on adult autism assessment waiting times.
22. Any documents or data held by NHS Greater Manchester concerning the impact of prolonged waits for adult autism assessment on employment, economic participation, loss of employment, earning potential or access to workplace support.
23. The total number of adult autism referrals received by NHS Greater Manchester Right to Choose providers during 2025/26 and, if available, the number received during 2026/27 to date.
24. The total number of patients referred for adult autism assessment through Right to Choose who were still waiting for assessment as at 31 March 2026.
25. The total number of patients referred before 1 April 2026 who remain waiting for adult autism assessment as at the date of this request.

For clarity, I am requesting information specifically relating to adult autism assessments rather than ADHD assessments.

Where information is held at provider level rather than centrally, please confirm this and identify which information NHS Greater Manchester does hold centrally.

If any part of this request exceeds the appropriate cost limit, please provide the information that can be supplied within the limit and advise which specific elements would need to be narrowed or reformulated.

1. The number of adult autism assessment places allocated to Psychiatry UK by NHS Greater Manchester under its 2026/27 Indicative Activity Plan

NHS Greater Manchester holds indicative activity planning information relating to commissioned providers. However, the requested provider-specific allocation is commercially sensitive. Disclosure would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of NHS Greater Manchester and/or the relevant provider. The information is therefore withheld under Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

2. The total number of adult autism assessments that NHS Greater Manchester has funded or commissioned from Psychiatry UK for Greater Manchester patients during 2026/27

This is covered by the response to question 1, as the requested information forms part of the provider-specific activity allocation under the 2026/27 Indicative Activity Plan and is commercially sensitive. The information is therefore withheld under Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

3. The number of adult autism assessments completed by Psychiatry UK for Greater Manchester patients from 1 April 2026 to the date of this request

From 1 April 2026 to the date of this request, Psychiatry UK has completed 60 adult autism assessments for Greater Manchester patients.

4. The number of Greater Manchester patients currently waiting for an adult autism assessment with Psychiatry UK through NHS Right to Choose

There are currently 800 Greater Manchester patients waiting for an adult autism assessment with Psychiatry UK through NHS Right to Choose..

5. The number of those patients currently classified as requiring urgent or clinically prioritised assessment

NHS Greater Manchester does not provide detailed provider-level information concerning the numbers of patients within specific clinical prioritisation categories.

The prioritisation process is clinically led and considers factors including clinical risk, complexity, vulnerability, safeguarding concerns and wider functional impact. Detailed operational information concerning the application of the prioritisation framework is not being disclosed as this could prejudice the effective operation of the clinical prioritisation process.

6. The number of those patients currently classified as routine/non-urgent

Please see the response to question 5. NHS Greater Manchester does not provide detailed provider-level information concerning the numbers of patients within specific clinical prioritisation categories.

7. The number of assessment places within the 2026/27 Psychiatry UK allocation that have been reserved or used for clinically prioritised patients

This would require disclosure of detailed information concerning the provider’s activity allocation and its application across different categories of patients. The provider-specific activity allocation is commercially sensitive and is therefore withheld under Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

8. The number of assessment places expected to be available for routine/non-urgent adult autism referrals during 2026/27

NHS Greater Manchester does not hold this information as a separate allocation of assessment places for routine/non-urgent referrals. Available capacity is managed in accordance with the applicable clinical prioritisation and commissioning arrangements.

9. The criteria or policy document used by NHS Greater Manchester to determine which Right to Choose adult autism patients receive clinical priority

NHS Greater Manchester holds an internal clinical prioritisation framework/document.

The framework is clinically led and takes account of factors including overall clinical risk, complexity, vulnerability, safeguarding concerns and wider functional impact.

Detailed operational criteria are not being disclosed because disclosure could prejudice the effective operation of the clinical prioritisation process. In particular, disclosure of detailed operational decision-making arrangements could affect the integrity and consistent application of the process.

10. The definition of “urgent clinical need” used for this purpose

There is not a single definition of “urgent clinical need” that can be applied in isolation to every adult autism referral. Clinical priority is determined by consideration of the individual circumstances and clinical information available, using the relevant clinical prioritisation framework.

The detailed operational criteria within that framework are not being disclosed for the reasons set out in response to question 9.

11. The process used to review or reassess patients who remain classified as routine/non-urgent while waiting

The arrangements for reviewing or reassessing patients on Psychiatry UK’s waiting list need to be confirmed with the provider. NHS Greater Manchester will therefore liaise with Psychiatry UK to establish the current arrangements before providing a definitive response.

12. Whether NHS Greater Manchester has established a maximum expected or target waiting time for a patient who remains classified as routine/non-urgent for an adult autism assessment through Right to Choose

NHS Greater Manchester has not established a specific maximum waiting time or target applicable exclusively to routine/non-urgent adult autism assessments through Right to Choose.

13. If such a maximum waiting time exists, please provide it

Not applicable. Please see the response to question 12.

14. If no maximum waiting time exists, please confirm this

NHS Greater Manchester confirms that it has not established a specific maximum waiting time applicable exclusively to routine/non-urgent adult autism assessments through Right to Choose.

15. Any modelling, forecasts, projections or capacity-planning documents held by NHS Greater Manchester showing the expected number of adult autism patients who will remain waiting for assessment with Psychiatry UK at the end of the 2026/27 financial year

NHS Greater Manchester does not hold provider-specific modelling or forecasting which identifies the expected number of patients remaining on Psychiatry UK’s waiting list at the end of 2026/27 in the form requested.

16. Any modelling or analysis held by NHS Greater Manchester concerning the expected waiting time for patients who were referred before 1 April 2026 but remain unassessed during 2026/27

NHS Greater Manchester does not hold provider-specific modelling or analysis providing the requested waiting-time projection.

17. Information setting out what happens to patients who remain on the Psychiatry UK waiting list when the provider reaches its 2026/27 Indicative Activity Plan

The management of Psychiatry UK’s waiting list and arrangements for patients who remain unassessed are subject to the applicable commissioning arrangements and provider processes.

The specific operational arrangements applying to patients remaining on Psychiatry UK’s waiting list when the provider reaches its Indicative Activity Plan should be confirmed directly with Psychiatry UK.

18. Information setting out what happens to patients who remain on the waiting list at the end of the 2026/27 financial year

NHS Greater Manchester does not hold a separate policy providing that patients automatically cease to be eligible for assessment at the end of the financial year.

The arrangements applying to patients who remain on a provider’s waiting list are subject to the relevant commissioning arrangements and provider processes.

19. Whether unused adult autism assessment activity allocated to a provider can be carried forward, transferred or reallocated during the financial year, and any policy or guidance relating to this

The treatment of provider activity allocations is governed by the relevant commissioning and contractual arrangements.

Detailed information concerning provider-specific activity allocations is commercially sensitive and is therefore withheld under Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

NHS Greater Manchester does not hold a separate public-facing policy document addressing the specific circumstances described in this question.

20. Whether NHS Greater Manchester has identified or assessed the risk of routine/non-urgent patients remaining on Right to Choose waiting lists for an indefinite or otherwise prolonged period because available assessment capacity is prioritised for patients with greater clinical urgency

NHS Greater Manchester has recognised and assessed the potential impact of reduced Right to Choose assessment capacity, including the potential for prolonged waiting times.

The publicly available Equality and Health Impact Assessment for the 2026/27 Indicative Activity Plans identifies that waiting times are expected to increase and that a significant proportion of patients may remain on waiting lists for extended periods without access to formal assessment.

The EHIA is available at the link provided in response to question 21.

21. Any risk assessments, equality impact assessments, health inequality assessments, business cases, board papers, commissioning papers or other documents concerning the impact of the 2026/27 Right to Choose activity restrictions on adult autism assessment waiting times

NHS Greater Manchester holds an Equality and Health Impact Assessment (EHIA) relating to the 2026/27 Greater Manchester Right to Choose Indicative Activity Plans.

The EHIA considers the potential equality and health impacts of the arrangements, including the impact of reduced assessment capacity and increased waiting times. It is publicly available here:

Equality and Health Impact Assessment (EHIA) – GM Right to Choose Indicative Activity Plans 26/27

22. Any documents or data held by NHS Greater Manchester concerning the impact of prolonged waits for adult autism assessment on employment, economic participation, loss of employment, earning potential or access to workplace support

NHS Greater Manchester does not hold data or analysis specifically quantifying the impact of adult autism assessment waiting times on employment, economic participation, loss of employment, earning potential or access to workplace support.

The EHIA does recognise potential impacts of delayed assessment on employment and day-to-day functioning. This is addressed within the publicly available document referred to in response to question 21.

23. The total number of adult autism referrals received by NHS Greater Manchester Right to Choose providers during 2025/26 and, if available, the number received during 2026/27 to date

NHS Greater Manchester does not hold a complete central dataset of referral numbers received by individual Right to Choose providers.

Referral activity is held and managed by individual providers. The requested information should therefore be sought directly from the relevant Right to Choose providers.

24. The total number of patients referred for adult autism assessment through Right to Choose who were still waiting for assessment as at 31 March 2026

NHS Greater Manchester does not hold a complete central dataset identifying all patients referred through Right to Choose who remained on individual providers’ waiting lists as at 31 March 2026.

This information is held by the relevant providers and should be requested directly from them.

25. The total number of patients referred before 1 April 2026 who remain waiting for adult autism assessment as at the date of this request

NHS Greater Manchester does not hold provider-level waiting-list data in a form which would enable it to provide the requested figure.

The relevant information is held by the individual Right to Choose providers and should be requested directly from them.

For information held by providers, please note contacts details below;