ADHD assessment works differently in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in England you can also use NHS Right to Choose. This section sets out each route, what official sources say about waiting, and which providers each NHS board lists – with a page for every provider.
Docorix read the official pages named on this page on 30 October 2026. This is information, not medical advice, and Docorix is not part of the NHS and cannot make or speed up a referral. Waiting times, caps and provider lists change without notice: confirm with your GP and the provider before you rely on anything here.
Pick one answer in each row and your routes appear here.
| Local NHS service | Right to Choose | Self-pay | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Every UK nation runs its own | NHS in England | Any nation |
| First step | See your GP | GP must agree and refer – you cannot refer yourself | Set by the clinic |
| Who pays | NHS | NHS, to a provider holding an NHS contract | You |
| Wait | The NHS says waits vary and may be “several months or years” | Set by provider and board caps – for example NHS Devon asks for a 14-week minimum with a potential 52-week maximum, and NHS North East and North Cumbria says about 78 weeks minimum | Set by the clinic – Docorix does not publish clinic-advertised waits |
| After diagnosis | Specialist starts medicines; GP continues only under shared care | Some providers only assess – ask whether treatment is included | Your GP or health board may not accept the result; shared care is voluntary for GPs |
| Read more | NHS pathway | Right to Choose | Private assessment |
Sources: Source: NHS – ADHD in adults Source: NHS – Your choices in the NHS Source: NHS Devon – Devon Formulary and Referral, ADHD and Autism FAQ Source: NHS North East and North Cumbria – ADHD and autism Source: NHS inform (Scotland) – ADHD in adults
From the NHS page “ADHD in adults”. Source: NHS – ADHD in adults
780,430 referrals open at the end of June 2026, by how long they have been open.
| Open for | All ages | Aged 0 to 17 | Aged 18 and over | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 13 weeks | 93,965 | 26,840 | 67,115 | 12% |
| 13 to 52 weeks | 234,980 | 51,645 | 183,330 | 30% |
| 52 to 104 weeks | 192,090 | 51,075 | 141,015 | 25% |
| 104 weeks or more | 259,395 | 78,280 | 181,110 | 33% |
NHS England figures, June 2026 (edition August 2026), imported automatically. They count referrals in mental health services data that “may be for” an ADHD assessment and are still open, including people who have already had a first contact. “Open for” is how long the referral has been open, not a time to assessment. NHS England rounds the figures and hides small numbers, so rows may not add up exactly, and says data from February 2025 onwards is not directly comparable with earlier months. Docorix has not checked which providers’ waiting lists NHS England’s data includes. Source: NHS England – ADHD Management Information, August 2026 (published 27 August 2026)
These measure different things in different places – a target, a minimum, a maximum, a planning figure – and are not a ranking. The NHS’s own statement for the whole of England is that waits “vary” and may be “several months or years”. Source: NHS – ADHD in adults
In England your NHS integrated care board is the one that covers your GP practice – ask your practice if you are not sure. Choose it to see what it publishes.
One page for each provider that an NHS board lists for ADHD: which boards, adults or children, what the board says, its website and its Care Quality Commission entry.
The NHS says that if your ADHD symptoms are affecting your studies, work or relationships you should make an appointment with a GP. The GP may decide to refer you for an assessment with a mental health professional specialising in ADHD. The NHS says waiting times vary and you may have to wait several months or years.
The NHS says you can ask for an NHS appointment at any clinic, including a private clinic, if it provides ADHD services for the NHS in England. NHS England’s guidance says you can choose any clinically appropriate provider holding a qualifying NHS Standard Contract with any ICB or NHS England, that your GP makes the referral, and that the legal rights do not extend to self-referrals.
Not necessarily. NHS inform in Scotland warns that your health board or GP practice may not accept the outcome of a private assessment. In England, NHS Devon says GPs’ participation in shared care is voluntary. Ask your GP before you pay.
The NHS says ADHD medicines must be started and monitored by an ADHD specialist, and a GP can take over prescribing only if there is a shared care agreement.
NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board says Right to Choose applies to NHS individuals in England but does not cover Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. NHS England’s guidance describes the rights for the NHS in England. Docorix has not found an official equivalent in the other nations: ask your GP.
There is no single published figure. The NHS says waits vary and may be several months or years. NHS England publishes how long ADHD referrals have been open for each NHS board. NHS North East and North Cumbria says providers it funds are working to an approximately 78-week minimum wait for 2026/27, and NHS Devon says providers have been asked to support a minimum 14-week wait with a potential maximum of 52 weeks.
NHS – ADHD in adultsNHS – Your choices in the NHSNHS England – Plain English summary of the ADHD Taskforce report (9 December 2025)NHS England – ADHD Management Information, August 2026 (published 27 August 2026)NHS inform (Scotland) – ADHD in adultsSenedd Research – The growing demand for ADHD and autism assessments in Wales (7 November 2024)nidirect – Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)NHS Devon – Devon Formulary and Referral, ADHD and Autism FAQNHS North East and North Cumbria – ADHD and autismNHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire – Right to Choose (ADHD/ASD Patient Choice)