80 Castleton, Ballyclare, BT39 0AZ email- templepatrickpediatrics@gmail.com
About Us
What we do
We are a Multi-Disciplinary Team of experienced professionals providing a timely private Autism Assessment and Diagnostic Service for young people aged up to 18 years old. Our team is made up of a Paediatrician, Specialist Speech and Language Therapists and a Specialist Clinical Psychologist. We each work jointly in the NHS and as Private Providers. Our aim is to ensure Families have rapid access to our assessment process with provision of our detailed diagnostic report outlining the Young Person’s strengths, weaknesses and recommendations of how they may best be supported. We passionately believe in helping improve awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder and ensure a thorough assessment is completed in adherence to current NICE Guidelines to enable families to access the most appropriate support for their child. As a team we also feel it is important to remember the positive attributes those diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder possess and consider the positives from Neurodiversity as well as the significant difficulties that may occur in an individual.
Our Team
Lois Fleming
Lois Fleming is an experienced Specialist Speech and Language Therapist working within the Health and Social Care Trust. She is a registered member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Lois has over nine years’ experience working with children and young people in various educational and clinical settings, who present with a range of speech, language and communication needs including Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Following the completion of her ADOS-2 training, Lois’ currently specialises in providing and delivering a high quality assessment and diagnostic service for children and young people, aged 2-18 years old, where concerns regarding ASD have been identified in keeping with NICE Guidelines
Linzi Smyth
Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Linzi is a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist working within a Health and Social Care Trust. She is an active member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and Health Professionals Council (HPC).
Linzi has over 10 years clinical experience in the assessment, diagnosis and management of children with a range of speech, language and communication disorders in a variety of settings. She specialises in the assessment and evidence-based management of young people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) aged 2-18 years.
In 2013 she completed an MSc in Autism Spectrum Disorders with Queen’s University, Belfast and is trained in the administration and scoring of ADOS-2 assessments. She is committed to providing a person-centred approach within her work underpinned by evidence-based practice.
Dr Suzanne McClure
Dr Suzanne McClure is an experienced Paediatrician working in the NHS in the Northern Trust as a Specialty Doctor in Community Paediatrics. She is also an Independent Sector Provider of Autism Assessments for the Belfast Trust Waiting List Initiative. Dr McClure qualified from Queen’s University in Belfast in 2001 and has worked in a number of hospitals in Northern Ireland since ,firstly for GP training and then subsequently for Paediatric Training including Royal Belfast Hospital For Sick Children. She became a Paediatrician and member of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in 2004. During her time as a Paediatrician Dr McClure has completed her Griffiths Developmental training, ADOS training with Dr Fiona Scott, DISCO Training with Dr Judith Gould at the Lorna Wing Centre, QB Testing training for ADHD and ADOS consensus training 2012 and 2017 as well as attending regular conferences on ASD and ADHD to keep her clinical skills up to date. During COVID Dr McClure was part of a regional working group who formulated best practice guidelines to allow Autism Assessments to continue over this period of time. Her NHS job involves a management role of Hub Co-ordinator which involves liaison with other services such as Education Authority and PHA.
As part of her NHS work Dr McClure is involved in Multi-Disciplinary Autism assessments and Child Development Clinic Assessments. As part of her ASD work Dr McClure is involved in carrying out ASD assessments in complex cases where other diagnoses need to be considered such as mental health problems or attachment disorders. She also has a review clinic in the NHS in which she is responsible for managing a wide range of difficulties.
Dr McClure served as joint chairperson of the executive committee of the Autism Clinicians Forum Northern Ireland for 10 years which was responsible for ensuring regular teaching and training for ASD Diagnosticians. She is also a member of the Ulster Paediatric Society. Dr McClure participates fully in annual appraisal and revalidation 5 yearly, has completed several Quality Improvement projects for Northern and is involved in regular peer review of complex cases and team teaching for TPC.
Dr McClure believes strongly that all Neurodivergent children and adults should be supported with a Neuro-affirmitive approach through the assessment and diagnostic process. The team's diagnostic reports provide evidence of why a diagnosis was provided but also celebrate the young person's many positive qualities as a result of their Autism,.
Dr Angela Dorrian
Dr Angela Dorrian is a qualified Clinical Psychologist who completed her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Queens University Belfast in 2005. She has post qualification experience of working with both children and adults, supporting them to manage a range of psychological difficulties. She has over 10 years’ experience of working directly with children, adolescents and their families in a variety of child care settings including acute hospital settings, community paediatrics and autism services.
Dr Dorrian has an interest in the assessment and intervention of children presenting with a possible Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She has worked as a diagnostician in autism assessment since 2012, and has experience of providing consultations to professional staff on complex case presentations. She is a current member of the Northern Ireland Autism Diagnosticians Forum (ADFNI), and has attended many post qualification training events including, ADOS II Training, Personal Construct Therapy in ASD, Differential Diagnosis (Coventry Grid), Dyadic Developmental Practice (DDP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Teenagers (DNAv Model). She has a specialist interest in females on the Autism Spectrum, and has attended training on adapting the diagnostic process for women and girls. She uses a variety of therapeutic interventions including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Brief Solution Focused Therapy, Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
Dr Angela Dorrian is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council which means she meets their standards of practice and adheres to their code of conduct. She currently works in the NHS as a Specialist Clinical Psychologist in Autism Assessment and Intervention.