Dr Elena Ghetau 2023-05-16 Person 1 5 0

I was referred to Psychiatry UK by my GP after the mental health nurse at the practice told me I was showing signs of autism. During the first assessment (which lasted 30 minutes), Dr Elena did not actually assess me for autism but rather started to assess me for ADHD - at one point she clearly said 'ADHD is good news because it is controlled by medication'. I did not relate to most of her questions. She seemed to have made up her mind that I wasn't autistic based on my sister's questionnaire - I have not lived with my sister since I was 18, my sister also believes she is autistic and I did not think anything in the two accounts was contradictory. The differences in our accounts could be explained by very effective masking on my part. I complained to Psychiatry UK that I hadn't had an autism assessment and told Dr Elena that I felt invalidated by her approach. She agreed to meet me again. I still did not get an autism assessment. She told me 'we won't give you a diagnosis just because you ask for one'. I felt particularly hurt by this because I have spent 43 years struggling and I never even considered autism as a possibility before the mental health nurse told me my neurodivergence was extremely obvious. I do not trust this Dr and I made this very clear, requesting a second Dr to give the autism assessment (which I still haven't had) but I was told that this is not the policy of Psychiatry UK. My whole experience with Dr Elena has left me stressed, upset and highly confused. I did not get any answers and feel that she asked all of the wrong questions.