ADHD Diagnosis
Recently Diagnosed or Waiting for an ADHD Assessment
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR SUPPORT
Whether you have recently received an ADHD diagnosis, are waiting for an assessment, or are wondering whether ADHD may explain some of the challenges you experience, it can be difficult to know what to do next. For some people, receiving a diagnosis brings relief and greater understanding.
For others, it can raise new questions about education, employment, relationships, health, treatment and what support is available. If you are still waiting for an assessment, long waiting times can be frustrating and isolating. NHS waiting times for ADHD services can extend for months or years in some areas, but there may be other routes to assessment and support while you wait. The NHS confirms that adults in England may be able to access a clinic with a shorter waiting list through Right to Choose.
Waiting for an ADHD assessment?
Your GP is usually the first point of contact if you think you or your child may have ADHD. They can discuss symptoms, how these affect day-to-day functioning, and whether referral for a specialist ADHD assessment is appropriate. Before approaching your GP, some people may find it helpful to have a professional ADHD pre-screening with an appropriately qualified psychologist or ADHD specialist.
A pre-screening is not a formal diagnosis, but it can help identify whether the pattern of difficulties being experienced is consistent with ADHD or another neurodivergent profile and whether further specialist assessment may be appropriate. At Nutritious Minds Clinic, Dr Rachel Gow, Chartered Psychologist, Child Neuropsychologist and Nutritional Neuroscientist, provides ADHD and neurodivergence pre-screening for children, adolescents and adults.
The pre-screening process can include a detailed developmental and clinical history, consideration of current difficulties across different areas of life, and appropriate screening measures for ADHD and other neurodivergent conditions. Following the consultation, Dr Gow can provide a written summary of the findings and, where appropriate, a professional referral letter for your GP, asking them to consider referral to the relevant local child, adolescent or adult ADHD service for a full clinical assessment and formal diagnostic opinion. The outcome of pre-screening will depend on the individual findings.
In some cases, another explanation or neurodevelopmental profile may need to be explored rather than, or alongside, ADHD. It can also be helpful to prepare for any GP or specialist appointment by making a note of difficulties experienced across different areas of life, including childhood and developmental history, education or employment, attention and concentration, organisation and time management, impulsivity or hyperactivity, emotional regulation, relationships and social functioning, sleep, eating and everyday routines, and the extent to which these difficulties affect day-to-day functioning.
Comprehensive Assessment & Differential Considerations
A comprehensive ADHD assessment should consider not only whether ADHD symptoms are present and cause meaningful impairment across different settings, but also whether other factors may better explain, contribute to, or coexist with those difficulties. These may include substance misuse or addiction, bereavement, unresolved trauma, anxiety or clinical depression, sleep difficulties, nutritional insufficiencies and relevant medical conditions such as coeliac disease. Where the presentation is complex, a broader psychological, psychiatric or medical assessment may therefore be appropriate before conclusions are reached about diagnosis.
lease note that pre-screening does not replace a formal diagnostic assessment and does not guarantee an NHS referral or diagnosis. Referral decisions remain with the GP and relevant specialist service.
Right to Choose
If you live in England, you may have a legal right to choose an alternative NHS-funded provider for your first outpatient mental health appointment, provided the service and provider meet NHS requirements and the referral is clinically appropriate.
THIS IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS YOUR RIGHT TO CHOOSE
For ADHD, this can sometimes allow your GP to refer you to an NHS-contracted independent provider with a shorter waiting time than your local NHS service. Your GP must make the referral; privately self-referring to a provider does not automatically make that assessment NHS-funded.
Before choosing a provider, it is worth checking their current waiting times, whether assessments are offered online or face-to-face, and whether they assess adults, children or both. You should also ask what happens if ADHD is diagnosed, including whether medication initiation and titration are available, how ongoing prescribing and shared-care arrangements are managed, and whether any follow-up support is included.
The NHS advises discussing available providers with your GP and considering what happens after diagnosis, including access to treatment and ongoing support.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT NHS PATIENT CHOICE
What is happening with ADHD assessment policy?
YOU MAY HAVE SEEN RECENT HEADLINES SUGGESTING THAT THE NHS COULD RESTRICT WHO RECEIVES A FORMAL ADHD DIAGNOSIS.
In 2025, the Government commissioned an independent review, chaired by Professor Peter Fonagy, examining mental health conditions, ADHD and autism in England. The review is considering rising demand, waiting lists, clinical practice, the role of diagnosis and whether support could be better matched to an individual’s level of need. Recent reporting has described proposals for a more needs-based triage system, where people with the greatest functional impairment or those likely to require medication could be prioritised for specialist ADHD clinics. ADHD UK and other organisations have raised concerns that such an approach could restrict access to formal diagnosis and create inequalities in care.
THERE IS CURRENTLY NO NEW LAW STATING THAT ONLY PEOPLE WITH “SEVERE ADHD” CAN RECEIVE A DIAGNOSIS.
The independent review’s published interim report specifically says it is not making final recommendations at this stage. The final recommendations and any subsequent policy decisions should therefore be distinguished from current NHS rights and diagnostic practice.
Nutritious Minds Trust Charity will continue to monitor developments and update this page as national guidance changes.
Recently diagnosed?
Receiving an ADHD diagnosis can help make sense of longstanding experiences, but diagnosis is only one part of the picture. It can be helpful to learn more about ADHD and how it affects you personally, while also identifying your strengths and the areas where you may need additional support. You may wish to discuss treatment options with your clinician, consider reasonable adjustments at work, university or school, and explore practical strategies for organisation, planning and executive functioning.
It is also worth looking at the wider factors that can influence day-to-day functioning, including sleep, nutrition, physical activity and overall brain health. Support with emotional regulation, relationships and confidence may also be valuable, as can connecting with other neurodivergent people and families who may share similar experiences.
There is no single approach that suits everyone. Support should be individualised around your needs, circumstances, preferences and goals.
Support while you wait
You do not necessarily need a formal diagnosis before receiving every type of support. For children and young people, NHS guidance makes clear that schools should provide support based on a child’s needs and that a formal diagnosis should not be required before appropriate SEND support is considered.
Adults may also be able to request reasonable workplace adjustments based on the difficulties they experience, depending on their circumstances. Our community support groups offer a welcoming space for adults, parents and carers affected by ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence to connect, share experiences and access practical information.
DISCOVER NUTRITIOUS MINDS TRUST SUPPORT GROUPS
Looking for personalised professional support?
Nutritious Minds Clinic provides multidisciplinary, evidence-informed support for children, adolescents and adults, including people with ADHD and other neurodivergent profiles. Support may include nutritional neuroscience, psychiatry, coaching, emotional regulation, educational support, nutrition and wider brain-health approaches according to individual need.
The Clinic is separate from Nutritious Minds Trust Charity and operates as a professional practitioner network.
Other useful organisations
For guidance on ADHD assessment, diagnosis and support, you may wish to speak with your GP, local NHS ADHD service, school SENCO, university disability team or occupational health service, depending on your circumstances. Nutritious Minds Trust Charity can also provide general information, guidance and practical support where this falls within our current scope and capacity.