Government doing all it can to improve ADHD services in England

The government says it's doing all it can to encourage professionals to make speedy ADHD diagnoses in line with NICE guidelines.

It's in response to a petition signed by over 13,000 people by Greatest Hits Radio to bring the wait time down, which figures show can be as long as four years in some areas.

There currently is no maximum recommended waiting time. That means you could be waiting indefinitely to find out if you have ADHD. Although, NICE guidelines state a diagnosis should be made as soon as possible.

The Department of Health's response says:

"We are promoting best practise examples to encourage professionals to make a diagnosis of ADHD as soon as possible and in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

"Diagnosis of ADHD can be challenging because there is no physical test for ADHD (such as a blood test). Additionally, people often have ADHD alongside other conditions. Symptoms of different conditions can overlap and hide the symptoms of ADHD e.g. autism, language disorder, dyspraxia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The NICE guideline does not recommend a maximum waiting time standard from referral for an assessment of ADHD to the point of diagnosis."

You can read their full response here.

But, the ADHD Foundation, a charity lobbying for change to the system, is asking why waiting times vary so widely across the country.

Tony Lloyd is the CEO of the charity. He says the response is a positive one and shows the government is working hard to improve the situation:

"The response to the petition is in many ways a fair one. I am aware that the Department of Health, working with NICE and the Department of Education, have been looking at a national strategy to improve access to healthcare for the 1 in 20 of the British public who have ADHD.

"There seems to be such a wide variation across the UK in terms of waiting times and quality of service."

CCG's set their own approach to ADHD services, which has lead to a postcode lottery for wait times. But, it's thought better healthcare services for those with ADHD across the board could lead to drastic savings for the country as a whole. Tony believes CCG directors haven't been fully educated on those long term benefits.

"A lot of them don't understand the links between ADHD and eating disorders and obesity, and we know that increases the risk of diabetes which costs the UK billions of pounds a year and can have a very seriously undermining impact on somebody's physical health."

People with ADHD are also more likely to develop other mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.

Research shows they're also twice as likely not to take up full-time employment. It's also suggested undiagnosed ADHD costs the UK billions every year.

The ADHD Foundation is calling for more awareness of the condition both publicly and within healthcare systems to combat the slow waiting times and make ADHD a priority for CCGs across the country.

Do you want to share your story about ADHD diagnosis? You can contact George at george.sharpe@bauermedia.co.uk