Specialist nurse
A nurse with extra training in child mental health or neurodevelopment. They often run the appointments in between the doctor's ones, and are usually the easiest person in the team to reach.
Applies across the UK
Specialist nurses work inside NHS neurodevelopmental Neurodevelopmental A medical word for how the brain grows from childhood. Teams use it to name the assessment that looks at things like autism and ADHD. Read the full definition of Neurodevelopmental and mental health teams. They gather history, run reviews, monitor how a child is getting on with medicine, and are often the practical point of contact for a family between longer appointments.
How you meet one: through the team already seeing your child. You will not usually be referred to a specialist nurse by name.
Can they diagnose? Some nursing roles are qualified to carry out parts of an autism Autism Autism is a difference in how the brain develops. It shapes how an autistic child sees and experiences the world, how they communicate, and how they respond to things like noise, light and touch. Read the full definition of Autism assessment, but not all parts, so this is done within a multidisciplinary team. NICE NICE guidelines Expert advice that tells the NHS how to assess and treat health conditions. It is used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but not Scotland. Read the full definition of NICE guidelines also lists a specialist health visitor or nurse among the professionals who may contribute to an autism diagnostic assessment.
What to ask: whether they are your named contact, and how to reach them between appointments.
Related words
Where this comes from
- A national framework to deliver improved outcomes in all-age autism assessment pathways , NHS England. Checked 2026-08-09.
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