Medicolegal Assessment (Neuropsychological)
Medicolegal Assessments include assessments done for legal and insurance related matters including:
CTP
Income Protection/Total and Permanent Disablement
Return to Work / Fitness for Duty
Assessments requested by solicitors
What to Expect
Your legal point of contact or claims consultant may have booked you in for Neuropsychological Assessment.
You should have received a letter with the time, date and location.
Please note that the assessment will take between 4 and 6 hours. It is a lengthy assessment broken up into several parts and will include breaks. The length of the assessment is necessary to attain a thorough understanding of your current complaints.
Preparing for the Assessment
Please bring your glasses and hearing aids (if you require them) and take your normal medication. Alcohol and recreational drugs should be avoided for at least three days before the assessment, preferably two weeks.
Please also bring brain imaging and other past reports.
As the assessment is lengthy, breaks will be given and you are encouraged to bring some snacks or money to purchase them.
Questions Before or After the Assessment
Please contact your legal point of contact or claims consultant in the first instance. If they are unable to answer all of your questions they can then contact me and pass your questions on and I can call you.
Reports
A copy of the report can be requested through your claims consultant and would typically be send to your GP.
Clinical Assessment (Neuropsychological)
Clinical Neuropsychological Assessments can be used for :
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) applications
Decision Making Capacity Assessments (e.g. for NCAT)
Diagnosis (e.g. Intellectual disability, Learning Disorders and Dementia)
Documenting cognitive functioning
Personalised strategies to assist in managing cognitive difficulties at home, work or study
Email: reception@aptpsychosocial.com.au
Phone: 02 8073 4698
Practice Location:
APT Psychosocial
88 Mountain Street, Ultimo, NSW
What to Expect
Physical injury, illness and ageing can affect the brain in different ways, one of these may include changes to cognitive functioning. Neuropsychological assessment is the evaluation of cognitive function, including memory, attention, thinking speed, language function, spatial skills, planning and reasoning. It can determine change in these areas over time, as a result of illness, injury, ageing or from difficulties during development.
Neuropsychological assessment involves undergoing tests in order to evaluate cognitive skills. The tests involve learning information, recalling facts and solving puzzles and can be pencil and paper, physical objects, computerised tasks as well as question and answer.
Clinical Neuropsychological assessment involves 3-5 hours of testing, with the time taken dependant upon the referral question. This can be broken up into multiple sessions if required. As the assessment is lengthy, breaks will be given and you are encouraged to bring some snacks or money to purchase them.
Preparing for the Assessment
Please complete all the forms request and return them prior to the assessment.
Please bring your glasses and hearing aids (if you require them) and take your normal medication. Alcohol and recreational drugs should be avoided for at least three days before the assessment, preferably two weeks.
Please also bring brain imaging and other past reports.
After the Assessment
A feedback session will be booked on a separate day following the assessment, this is usually several weeks after to allow time to collect additional information and to synthesise the assessment findings.
You will also receive a report which will contain a description of cognitive difficulties evidenced on testing, addressing the referral question, recommendations on where to go in terms of treatment as well as strategies to assist you, your families and/or carers, if necessary. If requested, comments on diagnostic clarification or capacity will also be addressed.
Autism Assessment (Neurodevelopmental)
Neurodevelopmental Assessment includes:
Autism Assessment
ADHD Assessment
Email: reception@aptpsychosocial.com.au
Phone: 02 8073 4698
Location:
APT Psychosocial
88 Mountain Street, Ultimo, NSW
Autism Assessment
What is Autism?
Everyone is neurodiverse, with all of us having unique ways we process information. Autistic people have a way of processing information what is not typical of most people and are commonly referred to as neurodivergent. These differences can impact on the way autistic people respond, process and experience the world. This is a combination of positives and negatives and its through the understanding of both that the autistic person can flourish.
Autism Assessment
Autism assessments are available for adolescents and adults (12 years and above). The assessment has several stages and is quite detailed. The reason for this is to understand you (or your child/adolescent) as fully as possible. The assessment includes the use of gold standard assessment tools in order to assist in determining the diagnosis. For an adult seeking the diagnosis, this will be the most accurate if a family member or caregiver who knew you when you were young (around the age of 5) can also be available to answer questions. This would typically be your parents, but may include close aunts or uncles, grandparents or an older sibling. In line with best practice, some individuals may also need to see another psychologist or psychiatrist in order to provide an additional opinion, so that I get it right. This will be discussed at throughout the assessment process.
The stages for the assessment include
Pre-assessment – Completion of a series of questionnaires by you, your parent/care giver growing up, as well as someone who knows you at the moment.
In clinic assessment – This will be between one and three sessions, depending on how much you (or your child/adolescent) can manage each day. The assessment uses gold standard tools of autism assessment as well as tests of cognitive functioning.
Collateral
Developmental interview with parent / caregiver
Teachers – If you are still at school, with your consent, I will interview their teachers and have them complete questionnaires.
Additional information – you will need to bring all previous reports you have such as paediatrician, psychology, speech pathology, occupational therapy, school reports and NAPLANs.
Feedback Session
The feedback session(s) is designed to be educational and strengths based. The perspective taken at our practice is that autism is a “difference” in thinking and therefore feedback and education is focused on what this means for you, and how those around you can support you to flourish.
Report
This will provide an opinion on whether the DSM-5-TR criteria are met for autism. If criteria are met and the report is for an NDIS application, then the report will be written to support this application. A “Severity Level” will also be given if funding is going to be requested.
Other recommendations can also be addressed based on the referral question.
Pricing
Please contact the clinic for pricing. Pricing depends on detail requested and there are multiple price points. Factors which influence price include
Whether a report is required
Whether there is an NDIS application being made
Whether there are additional diagnoses you are wanting to explore (e.g. ADHD)
NDIS
The NDIS also does not fund assessments for diagnostic purposes, therefore an autism assessment cannot be claimed through NDIS. It can be used for supporting an application for NDIA. Please let us know in advance if this is your goal.
Medicare
Medicare offer a basic rebate for people who are up to 24 years (inclusive). The item code for this is 82000 – Complex Neurodevelopment Disorders and requires referral from a qualified medical professional such as a GP, Psychiatrist or Paediatrician. We will discuss this at the time of booking in.
Clinicians at APT
I am one of several Clinicians at APT who sees people for autism assessment. The wait time for an assessment with me is longer than the other clinicians.
ADHD Assessment (Neurodevelopmental)
Neurodevelopmental Assessment includes:
Autism Assessment
ADHD Assessment
Email: reception@aptpsychosocial.com.au
Phone: 02 8073 4698
Location:
APT Psychosocial
88 Mountain Street, Ultimo, NSW
ADHD Screening Assessment
What is ADHD?
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition which affects an individuals attention, self regulation, organisation, initiation and task persistence (amongst other things).
This can affect academic performance at school, an individuals relationships, occupational functioning and self esteem.
What does it involve?
ADHD Screening Assessments are available for adolescents and adults (16 years and above).
Assessment for ADHD typically involves multiple sessions of face-to-face or telehealth contact with both a clinical neuropsychologist and psychiatrist.
The number of sessions depends on the complexity of the patients’ presentation.
Opinion regarding diagnosis of ADHD and treatment recommendations for this is provided in a brief report.
ADHD Screening Assessment at APT involves
1. Neuropsychologist Appointment – 2-3 hours of assessment which includes a clinical interview and brief cognitive testing. We provide correspondence to the Psychiatrist. Appointments with the neuropsychologist can occur either over telehealth or at the Ultimo clinic.
2. Psychiatrist Appointment – our psychiatrist will incorporate the evaluation made by the neuropsychologist into their own clinical opinion and provide recommendations on treatment and management if the diagnosis of ADHD is made.
You will be given questionnaires to be completed prior to the neuropsychologist appointment.
Please note, as this is a complex diagnosis, you might also be asked for further information including:
copies of school reports (if they are still available)
Permission for us to obtain past medical records, or the clinician may ask to speak to:
a treating clinician
spouse/partner
close friend or relative in order to do the most accurate assessment of you.
This will be discussed with you at the time of your appointment and you have the choice to agree to or decline the request.