CQC has announced plans to regulate all ADHD and autism diagnostic assessments in England, including services that offer diagnosis without treatment. For care managers helping people navigate assessment services, the useful question is what a provider is actually registered to do.
On 9 October, CQC said the Department of Health and Social Care had asked it to take on this wider role. It currently regulates services offering both diagnosis and treatment, but says existing legislation does not let it regulate services providing diagnosis alone. The planned change would close that gap.
Now for the small print, which is doing some unusually heavy lifting: CQC will take on the new responsibility once new regulations are in place. Its announcement gives no start date. This is a plan to expand oversight, not confirmation that every diagnosis-only service must already be CQC-registered.
The government says the intended coverage includes NHS-funded assessments, privately funded assessments and people paying for themselves. It also wants earlier support based on need, rather than making a diagnosis the only route to help. Timely diagnosis and treatment remain important where clinically appropriate.
Our practical recommendation: review any assessment services you refer people to. Check their current registration and the activities it covers, ask about clinicians’ qualifications, assessment methods and follow-up support, and make sure people know how to raise concerns. A registration badge is worth checking, not just admiring.
A diagnosis-only service being outside CQC’s current scope is not, by itself, evidence of poor care or unlawful practice. Equally, the proposed reform is no reason to postpone support someone needs now. Keep explaining the distinction clearly to staff and families, and watch for the actual regulations and implementation guidance.