I have been asked questions about getting assessed/diagnosed a few times recently and so in the tradition of publish don’t send here are my notes including any updates as appropriate
OK, this is likely to be a long process. Keep notes of what happens and when as that will come in handy later. I would also recommend starting to journal about how ADHD affects you in real time.
Before you start it is worth reading this from ADHDUK about Adult ADHD.
Take this standard screener also from ADHDUK.
In order to start the process for an NHS or Right to Choose assessment you will need to speak to your GP and ask them to refer you. They will ask some questions and if clinically appropriate will refer you for an assessment (alternatively you could pay for a private assessment).
- Before you speak to your GP it is worth identifying the issues which have led you to seeking a diagnosis. Make a list of them and make sure that you can describe how they affect you.
- Speak to people who have known you a long time and see how they would answer the questions on the screener about you.
- If you have them look at your school reports and anything else you have from that time which might suggest inattention, hyperactivity (physical and mental) or dysregulation.
- Do you have anybody in your family with neurodevelopmental conditions or who you can see ADHD traits in? ADHD is highly genetic.
- The GP might ask you why you want a diagnosis. It is worth thinking about that before your appointment. My GP said “You have obviously done OK, why do you need a label”! My answer was that I have not done OK, that I have struggled all of my life and that I wanted to see if my struggles were down to ADHD.
Sometimes they are not well informed and can say things such as, you can’t have ADHD, you have a degree or you got good exam results. This is a myth and if they say this you may want to get a second opinion from a different GP.
Waiting times are extremely long (years) at the moment . Currently you can ask for a referral via Right to Choose. Some Integrated Care Systems (ICS) which replaced Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) are challenging this but currently (March 25) this is still your legal right. Scroll down this page to reach a table showing waiting times per provider and of there is a secondary waiting time for medication titration. If you are told you cannot use right to choose there is a letter you can use the support your request here.
Once you are referred to a provider you will join their waitlist and will be be invited for an assessment (often via a video call). They are likely to ask you for some information ahead of the assessment, I was asked to do an online task.
If you are diagnosed they will inform you and will ask if you would like to try medication. If you choose to do this you will go through a process called titration which will allow the clinician to try you on a dose of a medication and identify the right dose and medication for you.
With or without medication, you will also benefit from learning about ADHD, working on strategies to deal with challenges and coaching to help you make changes in your life to support your diagnosis.
You can apply to Access to Work for this support. You do not need a diagnosis however this is also a very slow process and can take over a year to reach the front of the queue.
NB: co-occuring conditions both mental and physical are common. Once your ADHD is well managed you might see some other traits which you want to look into.
The NHS page on ADHD in Adults
If you would like to book a call to ask any specific questions please complete this form and I will make contact ASAP
