Private ADHD Assessments for Adults
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can affect each adult differently, and many people only recognise the signs when demand from work, relationships or parenting arises.
The right ADHD diagnosis means you can move forward with confidence, knowing you can access the expert support you need to thrive.Online ADHD assessments for adults are available UK-wide where clinically appropriate, and also at our in-person clinics in SE England.
We’re with you every step of the way
How an adult ADHD assessment works
To be able to help you in the most positive way, we first need to fully understand your neurodevelopmental makeup and needs. Our specialist team will conduct a thorough, expert adult ADHD assessment to ascertain if you do, or don’t, have ADHD.
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Screening
If you think you may have ADHD, our free screening process will give clarity and insight. It will be carried out by our psychology team, led by a consultant clinical psychologist. If the results are indicative of ADHD, we’ll recommend a private adult ADHD diagnostic assessment to give a definitive answer.
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Understanding you Better
Before we arrange your assessment, we ask someone who knows you well (ideally since you were young) to fill in a report form and an online screening tool, so we can understand more about you and how you were as a child. This is because neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD are always with us, right from birth. A better understanding of your strengths and needs helps our clinical team with their assessment, but if you don’t have someone who can help give details, don’t worry. We’ll still be able to carry out your adult ADHD assessment and would just ask you to bring as much information as you can about how you were as a child. For example, old school reports.
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Diagnostic Assessment
The ADHD diagnostic assessment is carried out by either a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist, who are experts in identifying ADHD in adults. During the appointment, they will carry out a thorough clinical interview using the DIVA-2, which covers questions about how your symptoms or traits are impacting your life at home and at work, your relationships, plus what you were like as a child. They will compile all the information that has been gathered during and prior to the assessment and consider this against the DSM-5 criteria to determine whether you do, or don’t, meet the threshold for a diagnosis of ADHD. The outcome will be explained to you on the day, along with recommendations for adjustments at home and work as well as support options available to you.
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Diagnostic Report
Following the assessment, we will provide you with a comprehensive report giving a full breakdown of the assessment and our findings. The assessment outcome will be clear and easy to understand. It will include both our recommendations and helpful signposting for post-diagnostic support and treatment available at Psicon.
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Treatment and Support
If the results of the assessment indicate that you have ADHD, we will go through all the relevant support options with you. This usually looks like a ‘menu’ of possibilities (including medication and therapeutic options), and we’ll help you select those you feel would work best for you. If you choose to opt for medication to treat your symptoms, a specialist prescriber will assess your suitability for treatment, carry out some routine tests and, if appropriate, initiate a treatment plan for you. After your first prescription, you will be asked to have regular reviews with your prescriber, who will monitor the efficacy of the medication and any side effects you might have. When you and your clinician feel that the treatment is working and a stable dose has been reached, we will make a referral to your local NHS ADHD service or GP, who will take over the management of the prescriptions and routine monitoring.
Understanding Adult ADHD
Cherishing unique minds
Many adults are neurodivergent; this is true for millions of people. Having ADHD doesn't mean you have a trait that needs changing, but that your brain processes attention, time and motivation differently from neurotypical people. An adult ADHD assessment is the first step to understanding your unique way of thinking.
However, unrecognised ADHD can cause significant challenges in work, relationships and daily life. Through professional assessment and diagnosis, we can provide strategies, support and therapies to help you harness your strengths and move forward with clarity, confidence and direction.
Online assessment services for adult ADHD are available to people across the UK where appropriate, with in-person assessments at our clinics in Kent and Hampshire.
Signs of adult ADHD
You may be experiencing…
Although there are many things that ADHD people share, every person’s brain is unique, so adhd can be experienced in different ways.
Personal challenges
Personal challenges
Adults with ADHD often find it difficult to get into a hobby or interest or find that they can be very passionate about something but then quickly become interested in something else. People can get drawn into endless scrolling and get frustrated with themselves for not being able to develop more healthy strategies to cope with stress.
Challenges at work
Challenges at work
Many adults with ADHD struggle to reach their potential at work because of the challenges they face in managing time, resources, and relationships. Adults who have ADHD don’t just struggle to pay attention; they can also ‘hyperfocus ’, meaning they find it difficult to stop a task and budget their time.
Challenges in relationships
Challenges in relationships
It can be very difficult to maintain relationships and meet your partner’s needs at the same time as ensuring your own needs are met. Impulsivity can be very difficult to manage and lead to many arguments – knowing if you have ADHD can help others understand that this can’t always be helped.
Challenges at home
Challenges at home
Keeping on top of housework, finishing DIY projects, dealing with bills and doing the chores are a very different challenge for adults with ADHD. While many of us will dislike these kinds of tasks, ADHD makes them incredibly difficult despite the very best efforts. The stress that often comes from feeling that these jobs are mounting up can be very distressing.
Testimonials
Some words from our patients
We've helped thousands of patients over the years, and here are some of their thoughts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Anything you’d like to ask us?
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 ADHD assessment process includes a free screening stage, carried out by our psychology team and led by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist. 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.
We typically request input from someone who has known you since your early years to provide supplementary information during the assessment process, helping us understand your developmental history. The Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM-5) specifies that ADHD symptoms must have been present in childhood for a diagnosis to be made. However, we recognise that some people may not have access to someone who can provide this historical context. While having this additional perspective is valuable, its absence won't prevent the ADHD assessment from proceeding. In such situations, we encourage you to share relevant historical documentation that might provide insights into your earlier experiences - such as academic records or previous assessments.
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.
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.
Get in Touch
We're with you at every step
Every mind is unique. Many adults live with ADHD, and while managing attention, time and organisation can bring daily challenges, we believe that with professional assessment, understanding and targeted support, you can unlock your full potential. That's why we provide private ADHD assessments specifically for adults.
Please note that you are submitting an enquiry for Psicon’s private service, where the assessment is self-funded. If you are seeking an NHS-funded referral or wish to access the ‘Right to Choose’ pathway, please click here and request a referral through your GP.