Job responsibilities
Role purpose:
To deliver high-quality autism (ASD) assessments for children and young people in line with NICE guidance, Vertis Health SOPs, and commissioned service requirements. The postholder will contribute to safe, timely diagnostic decision-making through structured assessment, multi-informant evidence gathering across settings, MDT discussion, and high-quality reporting. Outcomes and recommendations will be communicated clearly to families and shared with GPs, with appropriate signposting and onward referral routes used where unmet needs are identified.
Why this role exists:
Demand for CYP autism assessments has increased nationally and locally, contributing to long waits and pressure on families and the system. This role strengthens assessment capacity within a governed MDT pathway, maintaining quality, safeguarding, and defensible clinical decision-making while improving timeliness and patient experience.
The services currently include:
- Adult ADHD assessment and ongoing clinical reviews, with medication titration delivered under appropriate prescribing governance and shared care with GPs where agreed.
- Adult ASD diagnostic assessment pathway delivered through an MDT model.
- Children and Young People (CYP) ADHD an assessment and diagnosis pathway (with onward treatment and medication pathways subject to commissioning and wider system arrangements).
- Children and Young People (CYP) ASD a diagnostic assessment pathway delivered through a multidisciplinary model, aligned to national guidance and local commissioning arrangements.
The postholder is expected to work strictly within the commissioned scope and agreed clinical governance arrangements, contributing to pathway improvement without over-promising provision outside current remit. Where unmet needs are identified during assessment, the service routes onward support via agreed pathways (typically via the GP and local NHS system), alongside signposting to appropriate local and national support.
Key working relationships: - Neurodevelopmental Service Lead
- Consultant Psychiatrist / designated senior clinical oversight
- Operations and administration teams (booking, communications, pathway flow)
- MDT clinicians across ASD and ADHD pathways (psychology, nursing, SALT, OT and assistants as applicable)
- Safeguarding and governance leads
- Referring GPs
- Education partners (information gathering and reasonable adjustments, within consent and information governance)
Main duties and responsibilities:Clinical assessment and diagnostic contribution:
- Undertake CYP ASD assessments in line with service SOPs and NICE guidance, integrating developmental history, neurodevelopmental history, functional impact and differential considerations.
- Review referral information and supporting evidence to determine suitability for assessment, including identifying when assessment should be delayed or redirected due to instability or complexity that requires alternative routes.
- Gather and integrate multi-informant evidence across settings (home and education), including use of validated questionnaires and objective assessment measures as required by the pathway model.
- Conduct an initial appointment to establish background and contextual information and coordinate assessment activity as required by the pathway (including acting as case coordinator for the family during the assessment episode where this is part of the model).
- Participate in MDT discussion and contribute to diagnostic decision-making within governed diagnostic processes aligned to DSM-5/ICD-11 criteria, ensuring conclusions are evidence-based and defensible.
- Identify co-occurring needs and risk factors (including safeguarding), escalating appropriately via clinical governance routes.
Documentation and communication:
- Produce high-quality ASD assessment reports within agreed timeframes, written in clear, neurodiversity-affirming language, including: the childs needs, reasonable adjustments/support recommendations, and outcomes tailored to the individual.
- Communicate outcomes (diagnosis or non-diagnosis) sensitively to families and share results with the GP in line with consent and information governance requirements.
- Provide practical, age-appropriate advice and signposting (for example, sensory needs, emotional wellbeing, sleep routine strategies and other self-help strategies) within service remit.
- Ensure records are accurate, timely and complete, using agreed templates and documentation standards.
Governance, safeguarding and quality
- Practise within safeguarding legislation and organisational safeguarding procedures, identifying concerns promptly and escalating appropriately.
- Work within clinical governance requirements including consent, capacity, confidentiality, incident reporting, learning review processes and escalation routes.
- Participate in supervision, reflective practice, audit/service evaluation and pathway improvement activity to strengthen quality and consistency.
Pathway working and interfaces
- Work closely with Operations to support smooth pathway flow (reducing avoidable delay, DNAs and rework).
- Support safe interface with CYP ADHD assessment pathways where dual presentation is suspected, following agreed internal processes and ensuring clarity with families about remit and next steps.
- Liaise appropriately with partner services (for example CAMHS, community paediatrics and local support organisations) primarily to ensure safe onward planning and signposting, not to provide ongoing treatment outside scope.
Prescribing governance:This post does not include prescribing responsibilities. Any medication-related decisions sit with the appropriate medical or prescribing services within the wider NHS system, in line with agreed pathways and commissioning arrangements. The postholder is responsible for ensuring that assessment documentation is clear and complete, and that any clinical concerns relevant to medication consideration are communicated appropriately via governance routes.Professional standards and safeguarding
The postholder is required to practise within professional scope, maintain registration, and follow all Vertis Health policies, NHS-aligned governance standards, and safeguarding procedures. The postholder will maintain mandatory training, attend supervision, and evidence ongoing CPD appropriate to the role.
Indicative job plan (37.5 hours per week): - Clinical activity (assessments/feedback): 1822 hours per week
- Report writing and clinical documentation: 810 hours per week
- MDT/governance/audit/incident learning: 35 hours per week
- Service contribution/admin/liaison (information gathering, letters, calls): 24 hours per week
The job plan will be reviewed at 3 months and annually to ensure alignment with service need, quality standards, and clinical risk.
