New online neurodiversity assessment service first of its kind

AXA Health has developed an innovative Neurodiversity Assessment and Support service to help neurodivergent members harness their strengths and manage challenges and to assist in creating more inclusive workplaces.

The service, which is the first of its kind available as part of a UK corporate private healthcare scheme, will provide members with prompt assessments, diagnosis and onward assistance to empower and support them, whilst addressing the challenges of long wait times and access to expert practitioners. 

AXA Health understands how important it is for members to be able to access the right support, because: 

• an estimated one in seven people in the UK (15%) are neurodivergent, and half of that number do not know they are
• NHS open referrals are rising¹, and waiting times for a neurodiversity assessment can be long and stressful.

The online service, supported by ProblemShared, will offer an initial needs assessment and where appropriate,  diagnosis and a package of post-assessment support for: 

• autism
• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• dyslexia
• dysgraphia
• dyscalculia

The benefit will be available to add to corporate schemes at renewal, from early October 2022, and includes eligible family members (seven years and above). Onward support includes medication reviews for ADHD, post-assessment group sessions for autism and ADHD, as well as educational guidance.

Mike Dalby, Distribution Director, AXA Health said: “We’re really excited to launch this new service and help our clients support their neurodivergent talent, as well as their employees whose family members require neurodevelopmental assessments.

“This innovative service will help us deliver our promise of empowering individuals through better understanding their strengths and challenges and enable workplaces to create inclusive and supportive environments where people can thrive and be themselves.” 

“Working with ProblemShared will enable us to support members through the process, from initial assessment to diagnosis and support sessions, in a flexible way that works for them.”

Dr Nick Nabarro, Founder, ProblemShared added: “We are delighted to be working with such an innovative organisation, in an industry which has not typically catered for often-overlooked, neurodivergent people, who make up at least 1 in 7 of the population.

AXA Health is leading the way in driving a holistic, wrap-around service which is client-centred at its heart. ProblemShared’s Strengths-and-Challenges-based approach to our gold standard assessments focusses on the person in front of us and their potential, rather than an historic, deficit-based approach.

Together with AXA Health, we ensure that the neurodivergent members are provided with options for diagnosis, education, medication, practical assistance and further treatment where clinically appropriate. This new service represents real change and will provide true support for neurodivergent people to live their best lives.” 

Footnotes

1: Autistic children wait up to five years for an NHS appointment | Autism | The Guardian