ADHD Services for Adults

This often depends upon how quickly we receive the pre-assessment information, but once we've received all questionnaires, we aim to provide an assessment appointment within four to six weeks.

Yes, we can provide treatment for ADHD in the form of medication for clients who have been diagnosed and are deemed suitable for treatment. Before deciding whether medication is the right option for you, you will need to meet with a specialist prescriber who will discuss the benefits and risks of treatment and carry out some medical observations (blood pressure, pulse, height and weight). We will also usually ask your GP to carry out an ECG and sometimes routine blood tests prior to deciding if medication is a safe option for you. If you and the clinician agree that medication is appropriate, we will provide you with a treatment plan and give you your first prescription. You will need to be regularly reviewed to monitor for any side effects and to ascertain if your symptoms are being adequately managed. Sometimes the clinician will need to adjust the dose or type of medication you are prescribed, and this will happen alongside monitoring until you reach a stable dose and you and your clinician feel your ADHD is being adequately managed. We will then ask your GP to take over monitoring and prescribing, but we will always be available to you and your GP for ongoing specialist advice and support.

We ask someone who knows you well to support the assessment process by giving extra information. This is because the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM-5) states that to meet the threshold for a diagnosis of ADHD, symptoms/traits/behaviours must have been present from childhood. Put simply, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition caused by physiological differences in the brain, so will have been with you all your life. However, we understand that some people won't have anyone to support the process, and while this can make it trickier to conclude the assessment, it won't prevent the assessment from going ahead. If you aren't able to find someone to support you, we would advise you to bring as much information as you can that shows your strengths and needs as a child, for example old school reports.

Our assessments fully comply with NICE guidelines, and we use the highest quality and well-regarded clinical model within our service. We are also a trusted NHS provider and often support different NHS Trusts and ICBs with waiting lists. This means a diagnosis made by our service will be accepted by the NHS.

Our adult autism assessment process includes a free screening stage, carried out by our psychology team and led by a consultant clinical psychologist. They will look at information contained within your referral, as well as scores from a well-researched and clinically validated screening tool. This information will show whether ADHD is indicated, or not. And even though it’s not diagnostic, it will enable you to make an informed decision as to whether to proceed with a full assessment before making any financial commitment. However, it is important to understand that despite the screening process being positive for ADHD, sometimes the outcome of the assessment will be a non-diagnosis. This means you don't meet the threshold to be diagnosed with ADHD. If this is the case for you, our clinical team will still be able to provide recommendations for further support and we may even be able to ask your GP to make an onward referral for another type of assessment should this be clinically appropriate.