Eight years, one standard: Purple House Clinic Lincoln on growth done right
When Alice Vine founded Purple House Clinic (PHC) Lincoln in 2018, she could not have predicted what was coming. Eight years on, the clinic has gone from a small private practice to one of Lincolnshire's most trusted specialist assessment services handling around 40 new enquiries and 333 clinical appointments every month and supporting 250 families a year. Neurodevelopmental assessments for autism and ADHD in children and adults now account for 55% of all clinical work, up from 12% when the clinic opened.
The growth reflects a region-wide crisis in neurodiversity support. NHS waiting lists for autism and ADHD assessment in Lincolnshire typically range from 12 to 18 months, with average wait times for ADHD through the NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) sitting at roughly 50 weeks, leaving thousands of families with no realistic route to diagnosis without private provision. Since 2018, PHC Lincoln has seen demand for its neurodiversity services increase by over 50%, a figure that has continued to climb year on year, driven by rising awareness, reduced stigma, and a persistent gap in statutory provision.
To meet that demand, Alice Vine has grown her team from her original team of two clinicians at launch to a full multi-disciplinary team of 19 today, including clinical psychologists, specialist practitioners, and administrative staff. Crucially, she has resisted the pressure, which is increasingly common in the private sector, to streamline assessments in order to increase throughput.
“Demand has grown enormously since we started, and I understand why families are desperate for answers,” said Alice Vine, Clinical Director and Founder, Purple House Clinic Lincoln. “But our response to that pressure has been to grow our team and our capacity and not to cut corners on the process. A child ADHD assessment with us involves around eight hours of clinical time. That’s non-negotiable, because the families we work with deserve the truth, not a quick answer.”
PHC Lincoln's assessments follow NICE Guidelines and use internationally validated diagnostic tools, which are widely considered the ‘gold standard’. ADOS and ADI-R for autism; the QB Test, Conners questionnaires, SNAP-IV, DIVA, and CAARS measures for ADHD, with trauma screening and cognitive assessments added where clinically indicated. All cases are reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team before any conclusion is reached. Assessments are completed within four weeks of a family confirming they wish to proceed.
The clinic’s growth has not come at the expense of clinical honesty. Around one in four people who attend an initial screening appointment do not go on to a full diagnostic assessment, which is evidence that the process is working as intended. In approximately 30% of cases where a diagnosis is confirmed, the team identifies a co-occurring presentation alongside the primary referral reason. Post-diagnostic support packages, available at reduced cost, are now taken up by around 30% of assessed clients.
Sarah Beddows, Neurodevelopmental Pathway Lead at PHC Lincoln serves clients across Lincolnshire from its base at The Terrace, Grantham Street, Lincoln. The clinic is accredited by the British Psychological Society and registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
For more information about the Purple House Clinic Lincoln and the different therapy, assessments and support it offers, visit www.purplehouseclinic.co.uk/psychologists-lincoln/ or contact 01522 868616.