“My experience with Neurospectrum has been outstanding from start to finish. I have felt supported, empowered, and meaningfully understood throughout every step of the expertly thorough assessment process.

The genuine care and investment from the whole team resonate through every stage, eliminating the feeling of discomfort from what could have been a very daunting process. Through this, Jake especially, has allowed me to perceive my ADHD as an ability, rather than a disability! I now understand myself deeply, and I have come away from this process with not only a diagnosis but a refreshed and much-improved perception of myself and my ability – and for that I cannot thank Neurospectrum enough.”

Adult Assessment for ADHD, County Durham

“I am exceedingly grateful for the help and care shown by Neurospectrum. I was apprehensive when I attended my assessment, but Dr Jake immediately put me at ease. After many years of struggling to feel understood it was so refreshing to be heard and validated. It was wonderful to get answers and have an opportunity discuss my strengths and ways to utilise these, rather than the assessment solely focusing on weaknesses. I really appreciated the dedication shown by Dr Jake who went above and beyond to ensure I understood the psychological report and knew how to access the support available to me. I really cannot begin to express how thankful I am. The whole experience was incredibly empowering and rewarding. I know from experience that this is not something to be taken for granted. The high-quality service and support provided by Neurospectrum is a rare find.”

Adult Assessment for Neuropsychological Examination, Gateshead

“I am just so incredibly relieved. For such a long time I have been feeling guilty for not pushing for an assessment sooner, and the prospect of going through CYPS … it was just too daunting. So having done this privately and so efficiently and to receive the news that she is neurodiverse is just a huge relief. Now she is beginning to understand who she is and what amazing talents she has, and she doesn’t have to pretend to be someone she is not anymore. It is like somebody has lifted the whole weight off her shoulders, and I couldn’t be more grateful for your time, effort and expertise. It has made such a huge difference to us all”

Child Assessment for Autism and ADHD, Newcastle upon Tyne

“Words cannot express the gratitude we feel towards those at Neurospectrum. The person-centred care and compassion our family have received has been truly heart-warming. Throughout the whole process the support we have received has been exceptional. Although this has been a challenging journey for our family, we have come through the other side feeling hopeful and optimistic at discovering our child’s many strengths, as well as learning about their difficulties. We have been equipped with personalised recommendations and strategies to support our child, leaving us feeling empowered. Dr Jake and his dedicated team are brilliant, and we cannot thank them enough. Without their expertise, support and encouragement on all levels, this could have been a long and frustrating journey for us all. ”

Child Assessment for Autism and ADHD, Newcastle upon Tyne

“We literally cannot thank you enough for the help, advice and support you and your team have given us over the last few months. It has helped not only our young person understand themselves, but it has given us greater insight into why they react in the way they react. You have also given us some valuable tools and techniques to help our young person on their journey through life. We would highly recommend yourself and Neurospectrum for anyone who needs its help and support. Nothing has been too much bother for you all and we have had some good laughs (sometimes hysteria has set in!) along the way. Thank you all so much and wishing you all a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and all the best for the future of Neurospectrum”

Child Assessment for Autism and ADHD, Newcastle upon Tyne

“My son has suffered with ADHD, anxiety and very low self-esteem which has impacted massively on his day-to-day life. Over the years we have sought help from many Doctors and professionals. Neurospectrum was recommended to us by a good friend who is also a Doctor. From our first meeting with Dr Hutchinson, we knew he was the doctor we had been searching for, for so many years. Jake has a genuine passion to help as well as a deep understanding, empathy and knowledge which was evident from our first meeting. He has a talent to connect with his patients on a level we have never experienced. Every session was well planned with follow up homework and finally a very detailed thorough report. Jake’s positivity and optimism rubbed off on our son who now doesn’t see himself as different but empowered and believes his ADHD is an advantage rather than disadvantage. After his 3rd session with Jake, he told me “I realise now my mind was in a knot and Jake has untied the knot”. As a mother who has watched her son struggle so much with mental health issues I cannot express my gratitude, or recommend Dr Hutchinson highly enough”

Adult Assessment for Neuropsychological Examination and ADHD Intervention, Newcastle upon Tyne

“We first began to look for help for our 20-year-old daughter as she was struggling with every aspect of her life and severely depressed and anxious as she just didn’t understand why she was feeling this way – we all were really struggling as a family and unsure of where to turn and we really felt helpless on how we could help her.

After contacting Dr Jake Hutchinson for help due to a recommendation – from our very first conversation I felt a weight was lifted. He was so friendly, understanding and obviously passionate about helping people.

After our first face to face meeting with Jake we all left so much happier and grateful to have found Jake and his clinic. Every member of staff we met were so welcoming and friendly. We were all made to feel at ease, and everything was explained fully. Jake and his team highlighted our daughter’s strengths rather than focusing on her weaknesses and this has given her confidence to start to believe in herself.

Within just a few months our daughter already seems happier in herself and we as a family understand her more and can help and support her better due to the wonderful sessions at the clinic with Jake and his team. Family have also commented on the huge positive difference in our daughter, and we can’t praise Jake and his team at Neurospectrum enough for their part in this. We have been able to put a lot of provisions in place for our daughter at university which is helping her in her studies which we were not even aware of until Jake advised us of all the help and support, we could access.

The help and support and knowledge the team has at Neurospectrum has been invaluable to our daughter and our whole family. We honestly don’t know where we would be right now if we hadn’t begun this process with them. We feel like our family is now on a good path and the future looks bright thanks to Jake and his amazing team.”

Adult Assessment for ADHD, County Durham

Our family, our journey: To fully understand our journey, we need to go back to the very beginning when in October 2001, our first-born son entered the world. At that time, and to this very day, my one and only goal in life was to ensure he was happy and lived his life to the fullest potential. When our second son was born in April 2007, our lives changed once more, however the dreams for the future remained, for our children to grow and prosper, and live a life of which we could all be proud. This would become our pledge and life goal, and for many years we nurtured, supported and championed our children to be the very best version of themselves they could be. For a long time, this was enough, however we knew the day would eventually come when this was no longer enough and we would begin to fall, and many years down the line, when that day came, we will forever be grateful that it was Dr Jake Hutchinson who was there to “catch” us.

Our second son first met Dr Jake back in August 2021 at the age of 14 years and from that very first meeting his life began to change for the better. He had always lacked confidence in his own ability, he had been let down for many years by an education system so rigid that it couldn’t see the beauty and many talents diversity brings to the world. Our son had spent his whole life believing he wasn’t as clever as others, wondering why he couldn’t sit still even for one second, and why he was always in trouble at school. He was essentially heading for failure in his education, and as a family we shared in his disappointment, frustration and anger, for we knew he had many hidden talents to offer the world but knew the time had now come when he needed help and support to understand where he was going wrong, and how we could better support him to achieve his dreams.

He was understandably apprehensive about meeting Dr Jake, terrified even, yet he need not have worried, for it was evident from the very start that Dr Jake was exactly the kind of person our son needed. He was kind, caring and compassionate, and he drew on his expertise and indeed own life experiences, putting him at ease instantly. Indeed, our son later told me that after that very first appointment “for the first time in his life, he felt that he had truly been understood”. Following a comprehensive assessment, our son was subsequently diagnosed with ADHD, a detailed report was shared with school along with an extensive list of recommendations, and as a result, a robust support plan is now in place for him in school. In addition, our son has commenced on medication to help with his ADHD symptomatology, and he is now thriving in all areas of his life, he is achieving academically, and looking forward to a brighter, happier and more fulfilled future.

Our first son first became involved with Dr Hutchinson and the Neurospectrum team in December 2021 as he was beginning to struggle with many aspects of his adult life. Communication was a major issue at work, and he was in real danger of losing his job which was beginning to have a detrimental effect on his mental health. We had long since suspected our first son of having Autism, but over the years he had developed an incredible ability to put on a pretence of neurotypical behaviour, so much so, that the authentic son we knew and loved was rarely revealed outside of our home. The love and support we had given him throughout his life were no longer enough and we were beginning to fail him too, failing in our pledge that we had made all those years back and we knew the time was right to seek out support for him. We decided once again to enlist the support of Dr Jake, and the Neurospectrum team did not disappoint. As time was of the essence, especially with the situation at work, the assessment was carried out with the upmost efficiency and a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder soon followed. This has allowed our son for the first time in his life to have a deeper understanding of his own difficulties for which he was able to seek further support from Access to Work and in turn this has had a positive impact on his working life. He is beginning to move forward in a more meaningful way, and it is true that none of this would have been possible if not for the care and compassion shown by the Neurospectrum team.

Words will never seem enough, and we cannot begin to express the gratitude and affection we as a family have for Dr Jake and the team at Neurospectrum, for without them, it is incomprehensible to imagine the direction our lives would have taken. It is rare to see such passion and commitment to improving the lives of others, and it is testament to Dr Jake and his team that we can now rest in the knowledge that both our children will go on to achieve their full potential in life, and in turn as parents we can at last realise our only dreams and aspirations for our children. We consider ourselves truly blessed and will forever be grateful to have crossed paths with Dr Jake Hutchinson and his team and we wish them all the very best for their future endeavours.

Child ADHD and Adult Autism Assessment, Family in Northeast England

My experience with Dr. Jake and the Neurospectrum team has been quite simply life changing.

I went into Neurospectrum simply looking for a diagnosis, but what I received was so so much more than that. Dr. Jake helped me to really understand my condition and gain a new appreciation of how my brain works. I left his office feeling somehow superhuman, rather than broken.

I could not recommend Neurospectrum highly enough. I only wish I’d been to see them sooner.

Adult ADHD Assessment, Country Durham

The Girls who are Overlooked: A diagnostic assessment with Neurospectrum ensured that our daughters needs were finally recognised by school

An assessment with Neurospectrum has transformed our daughter’s wellbeing – she is finally receiving the support she is entitled to. Her anxiety has improved, she is making friends and growing in confidence.

Before we found Neurospectrum I repeatedly raised concerns about my daughter’s emotional wellbeing with her school and questioned if she had learning needs due to persistent spelling difficulty. We were repeatedly met with the same response – “there’s insufficient evidence in school of SEND”. This was a judgement the school made without our involvement. They would not support us with a referral to CYPs and we were not even offered access to the school SENCO to discuss our concerns further. No assess, plan, do, review cycle was initiated. Due to our persistence the school eventually agreed to offer some counselling, even so this wasn’t sufficient. Our daughter needs went without assessment and there was no specialist SEND support offering. We kept trying to communicate this to her school, but they didn’t seem to take our concerns seriously; our relationship with school grew tense as patience’s waned on both sides.

Our daughter masked in school and internalised her anxiety. She told me that she would go to the toilets and retch, had frequent headaches and would wander round the playground at breaktime with no one to play with. Every night at home she was anxious and tearful in response to the trauma she was going through at school. We felt helpless – because she hid her difficulties during school hours, they would not take our concerns seriously.

In our desperation we opted for an assessment with Neurospectrum, and this turned out to be the best decision of our lives. A classroom observation with Neurospectrum’s specialist nurse practitioner identified that our daughter was in fact presenting with numerous signs in school – signs that the teacher had never noticed. Being female, our daughter was skilled at masking and managing her need for movement, she kept it contained in the classroom, but she couldn’t hide it from Neurospectrum. This alone was so validating, finally someone could see what we saw too. Post diagnosis, our Neurospectrum package included a feedback meeting with school – school finally had to acknowledge her needs, which they had failed to identify and put in place accommodations and supports under the Equality Act 2010.

I didn’t want other families to go through our pain, so raised a complaint in the hope that the school could learn from our experience and improve their practice with regards to identifying SEND in females.

Unbelievably the school defended their practice, and our complaint was not upheld. No learning was gained or recommendations for improvements to practice were made, which saddens us greatly. Teachers need increased awareness of how females present with ASD and ADHD. As girls can so easily go ‘under the radar’ there is gender inequality in access to SEND support.

Dr Jake and the team ensured that our daughter’s needs are now formal recognised. She’ll now be able to access the support she’s entitled to throughout her school life and beyond. Our daughter is open and proud about her diagnosis; she has a clear understanding of her strengths and talents as well as her challenges. Her anxiety has improved, and she has started to make some new friends.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Neurospectrum to any family who can relate to our story.

Child Autism and ADD Assessment, Newcastle upon Tyne

An outstanding service!

I recently commissioned an assessment of one of my clients. Jake and the team including a specialist Nurse and OT were so thorough spending hours with my client and his family not only assessing but intently listening to concerns. The team are welcoming, friendly and it is clear that they have a lot of experience given the ever-changing communication and support to engage the client throughout the assessment(s).

In my professional and personal experience I have not ever experienced such detail and determination from clinicians to ensure they fully understand the situation and limitations/barriers that individuals face. Using up to date assessment materials, varying interviewing techniques and observations we received the most comprehensive and detailed report which (after years of fighting) will provide my client and his family with the evidence required to get him services and the educational provision he so desperately needs.

We cannot thank everyone enough and would 100% recommend Neurospectrum.

Gemma Armstrong, Regional Manager JSP Case Management

As a SENDCO I have worked with Dr Hutchinson (known as Dr Jake to the boys).

He is an exceptional practitioner and his enthusiasm for his work and his desire to help young people reach their potential is infectious.

His practice is professional, caring and empathic. He really gets to know his clients and he has a highly trained and experienced team of allied professionals to aid diagnosis and give worthwhile and practical recommendations.

As a SENDCO the recommendations and feedback meeting that Jake presents are essential.

I would recommend Dr Hutchinson to any parent or teacher who is concerned about the young person in their care and who would like honest, reliable and kind assessment. There aren’t many practitioners like Dr Hutchinson, he really understands his clients and takes his time to explain his assessment findings. I literally couldn’t do my job without him!

Kim Cartmell, Head of Support for Learning (Juniors) Newcastle School for Boys

I would like to thank Neurospectrum for your support and understanding from first phone call to diagnosis.  All communication was excellent and we really appreciated your individualised approach and feeling listened to. I remember showing our daughter the visual story with the photos of the building and steps for the first assessment and being struck her reaction that this was really helpful for her. This was the beginning of me understanding just how much she had masked and how these social etiquette things I took for granted she actually didn’t understand.

The process was truly multidisciplinary and not just a tick box exercise. The strengths and challenges approach was brilliant for our daughter. She really doesn’t see that she has a disability or a disorder. She now understands herself better and we do too.

Child Autism Assessment, Northumberland

From the moment we walked through the doors at Neurospectrum, I knew we were in the best place to get the help my son needed. Every member of the team put him at ease immediately. Dr Hutchinson’s knowledge is second to none and through his expertise and insight, I’m able to understand my son and his needs so much better.

The assessments are extremely detailed but are undertaken with a friendly and gentle approach so that my son didn’t feel he was under scrutiny. He masks at school and in social settings but Dr Hutchinson and his team were able to pick up on every little detail.

In addition to supporting my son, Dr Hutchinson has offered valuable assistance to me in navigating a world that I didn’t really understand. Now we have a diagnosis of ASD we feel understood, supported and actually empowered. If anybody has any concerns about neurodiversity then Neurospectrum is the way forward. I honestly don’t know where we would be had I not made that call.  Jake and his team have been the bright light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

Child Autism Assessment, Newcastle upon Tyne

Your service is very special, I literally spent days searching on the Internet trying to sift through the many different clinics, (from Oxford to Buckinghamshire) looking for somewhere that wouldnt just offer an assessment but that would provide support to an individual, throughout the assessment process. I was so very concerned that because of our daughter’s masking, and her intolerance to uncertainty, she could have been diagnosed with anxiety and a full diagnosis wouldn’t be achieved.

So without doubt, I would describe your service as awesome – we are really looking forward to going through the final parts of the assessment with her and also excited to see our son start his journey at Neurospectrum.

Adult Autism and ADHD Assessment, North Tyneside

Massive thanks to you and your team for all of your support, your report and recommendations were so helpful in the process and referenced a lot within the decision ruling, an amazing outcome and one the young person has even shed a tear over, he is so happy!!

Child Medico-Legal Assessment, Newcastle upon Tyne

I cant really put into words, how much we appreciate you supporting our daughter and the magic of Neurospectrum. It is such a relief to see her finding answers to the many questions, that she has about herself. As a parent it has been so worrying to see her feeling so overwhelmed and as she became older, incredibly lost.

I thank you for spending your time replying to her emails and giving her the information and answers she needs. Thank you for all the support, guidance, time and your honesty. It is so very much appreciated.

Adult Autism and ADHD Assessment, North Tyneside