NHS England, not my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, engage directly with Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), on this matter.

It is the responsibility of ICBs in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local populations, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

The ICB advises that in March 2025, it introduced a new interim policy under which the ICB will only fund new ADHD referrals for people aged under 25 years old at the point of referral. The ICB advises that this is due to concerns about the effectiveness of the current system locally, particularly for children and young people, and this policy will free up clinical time and funding to be reinvested in children’s ADHD services. The ICB has committed to undertake a comprehensive review of the entire ADHD assessment pathway, working with children, young people, and adults with ADHD, to ensure it meets their needs.

Nationally, NHS England has captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

NHS England, not my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, engage directly with Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), on this matter.

It is the responsibility of ICBs in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local populations, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

The ICB advises that in March 2025, it introduced a new interim policy under which the ICB will only fund new ADHD referrals for people aged under 25 years old at the point of referral. The ICB advises that this is due to concerns about the effectiveness of the current system locally, particularly for children and young people, and this policy will free up clinical time and funding to be reinvested in children’s ADHD services. The ICB has committed to undertake a comprehensive review of the entire ADHD assessment pathway, working with children, young people, and adults with ADHD, to ensure it meets their needs.

Nationally, NHS England has captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

Due to the unprecedented demand for ADHD diagnosis and treatment nationally and locally across all age groups, the Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB advises that it has implemented an interim measure which is intended to ensure that those patients most in need are prioritised and that those who can self-manage are supported to do so.

Under the interim measure, referrals for adult ADHD assessments are being triaged, and assessments are progressed only for people who also have co-occurring complex psychosocial co-morbidity and/or co-existing secondary care mental health needs, to ensure needs are assessed and resources are utilised on those who are most in need. General practitioners are still able to refer patients to Right to Choose providers if the need for an ADHD assessment is clinically indicated.

Nationally, NHS England has captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and to provide support to address people’s needs.

There is no single established dataset that can be used to monitor the numbers of people diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis for ADHD by gender in England.

For the first time, NHS England published management information on ADHD waits at a national level on 29 May 2025 as part of its ADHD data improvement plan. NHS England has also released technical guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) to improve the recording of ADHD data, with a view to improving the quality of ADHD waits and diagnosis data as well as publishing more localised data in future. NHS England has also captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. An interim report was published on 20 June, with the final report expected later this year, and we will carefully consider its recommendations.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has regular discussions on a wide range of matters with NHS England.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.

It is for the responsible clinician to decide on the most appropriate treatment plan to manage ADHD in discussion with their patient. This decision is based on the clinician’s expertise regarding treatment options, evidence, risk and benefits and the patient’s personal circumstances as part of a shared decision-making process. The NICE guidelines on ADHD set out the considerations that healthcare professionals should take into account when considering treatment options.

Shared care within the NHS refers to an arrangement whereby a specialist doctor formally transfers responsibility for all or some aspects of their patient’s care, such as prescription of medication, over to the patient’s general practitioner (GP). The General Medical Council (GMC) has issued guidance on prescribing and managing medicines, which helps GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities. The GMC has made it clear that GPs cannot be compelled to enter into a shared care agreement. GP practices may decline such requests on clinical or capacity grounds. If a shared care arrangement cannot be put in place after the treatment has been initiated, the responsibility for continued prescribing falls upon the specialist clinician. This applies to both NHS and private medical care.

There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for assessment and diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, it may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.

On 29 May, NHS England published management information on ADHD waiting lists at a national level for the first time, as part of its ADHD data improvement plan.

NHS England has released technical guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) to improve the recording of ADHD data, with a view to improving the quality of ADHD waiting list data and publishing more localised data in future, and has also captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services. This information is being used to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

NHS England also established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. An interim report was published on 20 June, with the final report expected later this year.

The Government has recognised that, nationally, the demand for assessments for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years, and that people are experiencing severe delays in accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will make the National Health Service fit for the future, recognising the need for early intervention and support, without the need for diagnosis.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for making appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including access to ADHD and autism assessments, in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce to better understand the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. An interim report was published on 20 June 2025, with the final report expected later in the year, and we will carefully consider its recommendations.

The NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB is working with regional and local partners, including Parent Carer Forums, to coproduce and redesign pathways of care to focus on addressing the health and social needs that arise in neurodiverse children, young people, and adults. The Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has also launched a 12-month pilot programme working with schools and community care providers to better support children, families, and professionals while they wait for autism assessments.

My ADHD—attention deficit hyperactivity disorder—diagnosis in May this year helped to answer questions about my life and to put support in place to improve it, but we know that over 300,000 children are waiting for an assessment and that untreated ADHD affects educational attainment, employment prospects and health outcomes. Will the Secretary of State set out the Department’s plans to improve access to assessments and treatment for ADHD? Will he work across Government to develop a long-term, joined-up approach to ADHD care?

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available the appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including decisions on local referral processes for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessments, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. General practitioner teams can already refer patients for an ADHD assessment, both for adults and school-age children, where this is clinically appropriate and indicated according to NICE guidelines.

NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce which is bringing together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. An interim report was published on 20 June, with the final report expected to be published later in the year, and we will carefully consider its recommendations.

We recognise that diagnosis rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are lower in women and girls and lower than the best evidence on prevalence. This may reflect differences in how ADHD present in males and females, which may make ADHD more difficult to identify in women and girls.

ADHD assessments should be undertaken by appropriately skilled clinicians who consider several factors before coming to a clinical decision. Integrated care boards and health professionals should have due regard to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines when commissioning and providing health care services, including ADHD assessment services. NICE guidelines on ADHD set out considerations for clinicians when assessing for ADHD, including highlighting that ADHD may be under-recognised in women and girls.

NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce which is bringing together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. An interim report was published on 20 June 2025, with the final report expected to be published later in the year, and we will carefully consider its recommendations.

The Department has not issued guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) or general practices (GPs) on supporting patients with private attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses to transition into National Health Service care.

It is the responsibility of the ICBs in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including access to ADHD services, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

Shared care with the NHS refers to an arrangement whereby a specialist doctor formally transfers responsibility for all or some aspects of their patient’s care, such as prescription of medication, over to the patient’s GP.

The General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates and sets standards for doctors in the United Kingdom, has made it clear that GPs cannot be compelled to enter into a shared care agreement. GPs may decline such requests on clinical or capacity grounds.

The GMC has issued guidance on prescribing and managing medicines, which helps GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities. In deciding whether to enter into a shared care agreement, a GP will need to consider a number of factors such as whether the proposed activity is within their sphere of competence, and therefore safe and suitable for their patient’s needs. This includes the GP being satisfied that any prescriptions or referrals for treatment are clinically appropriate.

If a shared care arrangement cannot be put in place after the treatment has been initiated, the responsibility for continued prescribing falls upon the specialist clinician, and this applies to both NHS and private medical care.

The Department has not issued guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) or general practices (GPs) on supporting patients with private attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses to transition into National Health Service care.

It is the responsibility of the ICBs in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including access to ADHD services, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

Shared care with the NHS refers to an arrangement whereby a specialist doctor formally transfers responsibility for all or some aspects of their patient’s care, such as prescription of medication, over to the patient’s GP.

The General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates and sets standards for doctors in the United Kingdom, has made it clear that GPs cannot be compelled to enter into a shared care agreement. GPs may decline such requests on clinical or capacity grounds.

The GMC has issued guidance on prescribing and managing medicines, which helps GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities. In deciding whether to enter into a shared care agreement, a GP will need to consider a number of factors such as whether the proposed activity is within their sphere of competence, and therefore safe and suitable for their patient’s needs. This includes the GP being satisfied that any prescriptions or referrals for treatment are clinically appropriate.

If a shared care arrangement cannot be put in place after the treatment has been initiated, the responsibility for continued prescribing falls upon the specialist clinician, and this applies to both NHS and private medical care.

The Department has not issued guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) or general practices (GPs) on supporting patients with private attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses to transition into National Health Service care.

It is the responsibility of the ICBs in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including access to ADHD services, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

Shared care with the NHS refers to an arrangement whereby a specialist doctor formally transfers responsibility for all or some aspects of their patient’s care, such as prescription of medication, over to the patient’s GP.

The General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates and sets standards for doctors in the United Kingdom, has made it clear that GPs cannot be compelled to enter into a shared care agreement. GPs may decline such requests on clinical or capacity grounds.

The GMC has issued guidance on prescribing and managing medicines, which helps GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities. In deciding whether to enter into a shared care agreement, a GP will need to consider a number of factors such as whether the proposed activity is within their sphere of competence, and therefore safe and suitable for their patient’s needs. This includes the GP being satisfied that any prescriptions or referrals for treatment are clinically appropriate.

If a shared care arrangement cannot be put in place after the treatment has been initiated, the responsibility for continued prescribing falls upon the specialist clinician, and this applies to both NHS and private medical care.

NHS England has established an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) taskforce which is bringing together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. An interim report was published on 20 June 2025, with the final report expected to be published later in the year.

For the first time, NHS England published management information on ADHD waits at a national level on 29 May 2025 as part of its ADHD data improvement plan. NHS England has also released technical guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) to improve the recording of ADHD data, with a view to improving the quality of ADHD waits data and publishing more localised data in future. NHS England has also captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

The Greater Manchester ICB has recently conducted reviews of both children and young people’s and adult ADHD pathways. The ICB has been working with people with lived experience and has developed new service models which aim to provide earlier, fairer, and more effective ADHD support locally. The ICB expects to begin implementing these pathway changes in the coming months.

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

The independent ADHD taskforce, commissioned by NHS England, is bringing together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. An interim report was published on 20 June. The ADHD taskforce's final report is expected to be published later this year, and we will carefully consider its recommendations.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including assessments and support for people suspected or confirmed as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Lord Darzi’s independent review of the National Health Service, published September 2024, highlighted that the demand for assessments for ADHD has grown significantly in recent years and that there are severe delays for accessing ADHD assessments.

The independent ADHD taskforce, commissioned by NHS England to consider these issues and how to address them, recently published its interim report. The report recommends the need for timely access to needs-based support, including practical help for people showing signs of ADHD, such as coaching, classroom tools, and parenting advice. The taskforce's final report is expected to be published later this year, and we will carefully consider its recommendations.

The Government is also supporting earlier intervention for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through the Early Language Support for Every Child and the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools programmes. The Government will be investing in support for pupils with SEND more widely, enabling transformation of the SEND system to make mainstream schools more inclusive and to improve outcomes.

For the first time, NHS England published management information on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) waits at a national level, on 29 May 2025, as part of its ADHD data improvement plan. It has also released technical guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) to improve the recording of ADHD data, with a view to improving the quality of ADHD waiting time data and to publishing more localised data in future. NHS England has also captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce which is bringing together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors, to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. An interim report was published on 20 June 2025, with the final report expected later in the summer.

The ADHD taskforce's final report is expected to be published later this year.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment services and referral pathways, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.

On 5 April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance to help ICBs and the National Health Service to deliver improved outcomes for children, young people, and adults referred to an autism assessment service. This includes guidance on identification and referral for autism assessments. Since publication, NHS England has been supporting systems and services to use this guidance to support the delivery of autism assessment pathways.

In respect of ADHD, NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce which is working to bring together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors. The taskforce is working to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, and to make recommendations for improvement. The interim report was published on 20 June 2025, with the final report expected in the summer.

If an individual suspects their child is autistic or has ADHD, they should speak to a general practitioner (GP) or a health visitor, for children under five years old, and after the appointment the GP may decide to refer them for an assessment. Further information can be found on the NHS website.

Lord Darzi’s independent review of the National Health Service, published September 2024, highlighted that demand for assessments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that there are severe delays for accessing ADHD assessments.

For the first time, NHS England published management information on ADHD waits at a national level on 29 May 2025 as part of its ADHD data improvement plan, which has also released technical guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) to improve the recording of ADHD data, with a view to improving the quality of ADHD waits data and publishing more localised data in future. NHS England has also captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce which is bringing together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. An interim report was published on 20 June, with the final report expected in the summer.