The Autism GP Diagnosis Project

What we want to find out

This study will investigate whether General Practitioners (GPs) are as accurate as specialist clinicians in diagnosing autism. If they are, there is potential that this could shorten the current waiting lists for autism assessment.

Why we are doing this research

An estimated 3% of the population are autistic.

Diagnosis rates increased by 787% between 1998 and 2018. The increased demand for autism assessments means that healthcare systems, including the NHS, are struggling to meet the need due to a lack of capacity, resulting in long delays for people seeking a formal diagnosis and support.

In the autumn of 2025, for example, 227,813 people were waiting for an assessment in England. This situation has not yet improved.

90% of people wait longer than the three-month limit recommended by the NICE guidelines.

For children, the average time from referral to diagnosis is nearly a full year (352 days).

These delays hinder people’s ability to get the services and support that may come with a formal diagnosis.

This research project is investigating a practical solution: could your local GP make a diagnosis of autism based on DSM-5 criteria as accurately as a specialist clinician? If confirmed, it could provide evidence for policy makers to divert patients away from specialist clinicians to their local GP, to reduce the waiting time for autism diagnosis.

Study Design

In this study, patients who go to their GP with possible autism can register to take part in this study. They will then complete some screening measures and, after up to three GP appointments, the GP will make a diagnosis.

Training: GPs who join this project will receive some training containing guidance materials and a video developed specifically for this research.

Recruitment: We will recruit up to 250 patients (aged 18 months and above) through their local GP practices.

Questionnaires: Before seeing their doctor, patients (or their parents/carers) will complete questionnaires covering topics like autistic traits, sensory processing, and developmental history.

GP assessment: After the final consultation, the GP will complete their assessment. Patients will not be told the outcome of this diagnosis so as not to bias the next stage.

Research Clinician assessment: Following the GP appointments, patients will then attend two Research Clinician appointments with independent Research Clinicians who will also assess if the patient is autistic. A copy of the Research Clinician report will be provided to the patient. This will be a research diagnosis and cannot be used to access services or support.

We will evaluate:

Accuracy: Comparing autism assessments done by GPs with those done by specialist clinicians. This specialist will not be told of the GP’s opinion.
GP confidence: Assessing how confident GPs feel after receiving specialised training.
Feasibility: Determining if GP-led diagnosis is possible and acceptable in primary care settings.

The above research is in parallel to the standard care pathway.

Community engagement

We have consulted with autistic people and their family members through a survey and focus groups. We received 42 responses from autistic adults and caregivers who read the study overview and provided their feedback on the importance of the study and whether they were supportive of the project.

The majority of the feedback was positive: the respondents saw this research as highly important. They also provided valuable constructive comments about the study plan, which we explored further in focus group sessions.

Participants in the focus groups were supportive of the project overall and saw merit in addressing the long waiting lists for autism assessments.

Potential impact

This research could provide evidence that has the potential to cut the waiting time for an autism diagnosis by diverting patients with clear presentations away from specialist clinics and toward their local GP.

It may also help to reduce the time taken to administer a diagnostic assessment.

Results

We anticipate sharing the results in 2027. When ready, the key findings will be shared on this page.

Funding

Staff

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