Thousands of people across Scotland are waiting for ADHD assessments, often for years. ADHD Scotland is developing affordable, not-for-profit assessment services to help improve access. Register your interest below to hear about future services.
Why get assessed and diagnosed?
There are many benefits to being assessed for ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions. A formal diagnosis can:
- help you understand your experiences, challenges and strengths
- provide access to treatment and support
- support requests for reasonable adjustments at work, college or school
- strengthen applications for benefits or other support where appropriate
- reduce feelings of self-blame by providing an explanation for lifelong difficulties
- connect you with ADHD communities and resources
Can ADHD medication help?
A formal diagnosis of ADHD can provide access to medication that can help people better control their attention, focus and ability to complete tasks. ADHD medications can also be helpful for the executive function, impulsivity and hyperactive aspects of ADHD. Medication can help people to achieve their education, work, or personal goals more easily. It doesn’t “cure” ADHD but it can reduce its impact and make it easier for us to cope and thrive.
For some people, access to medication is the main purpose and benefit of being formally diagnosed. For others, medication is either not suitable or not a priority.
Medication for ADHD can only be prescribed by someone medically trained and with relevant qualifications. This is usually by a psychiatrist or a specialist nurse.
What other treatments and support are available?
Other forms of treatment and support for ADHD are focussed around learning how to live well with ADHD. This is often referred to as “psychoeducation”. This helps people understand ADHD and learn practical strategies for managing everyday challenges, building on strengths, and improving wellbeing.
Psychoeducation can be provided by health professionals such as psychologists, nurse practitioners, and occupational therapists who have training in caring for people with ADHD. This can be on a 1:1 basis or in group settings.
Other treatments and therapies can be used to help people with ADHD such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and various forms of counselling. This can be to help people with ADHD manage the mental health, emotional, and relational difficulties that often accompany ADHD.
What support is offered to parents of children with ADHD?
Parenting a child with ADHD or other neurodevelopmental conditions can be challenging. Parenting techniques that are commonly used with neurotypical children can be ineffective or even harmful towards children with ADHD. Psychoeducation offered to parents is not because of poor parenting. It’s intended to equip parents with insights, skills, and strategies that help them parent the needs of their child.
Can ADHD coaches treat ADHD?
Specialist ADHD or neurodiversity “coaches” also work with adults with ADHD to help them learn how to manage their condition, harness their strengths, to live well, and to achieve their goals. ADHD coaches are not health professionals. They are however very knowledgeable about ADHD, often have ADHD themselves, and have been trained in techniques and methods that can help people with ADHD thrive.
Who can diagnose ADHD?
ADHD is usually assessed and formally diagnosed by specific health professionals who have specialist training in ADHD. These include psychiatrists, specialists ADHD nurses, and psychologists.
How can I access an assessments, diagnosis and treatment in Scotland?
Assessments for ADHD are carried out within NHS clinics and hospital services in Scotland. Your GP cannot assess you / your child for ADHD.
For children, this usually means by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, or via a paediatric service. Some health boards separate children’s mental health services from neurodevelopmental disorder assessments – mainly ADHD and autism. Referrals to CAMHS / similar services are usually made by or with the child’s GP. The diagnostic criteria for ADHD state that the difficulties the patient is experiencing should be evident in two or more environments. For children this is usually school and home. Therefore, referrals for assessments and assessment processes typically involve the child’s school.
For adults, a referral to adult mental health services or a specialist ADHD clinic is made by their GP.
Some people report difficulties accessing referrals because ADHD may not always be recognised consistently across education and health settings.
Growing awareness of ADHD has led to a significant increase in demand for assessments, placing considerable pressure on NHS services and contributing to long waiting times. Some health boards have now closed their waiting lists to adults, except those with the most severe co-occurring mental health difficulties showing signs of possible ADHD.
There are currently around 65,000 people on waiting lists in Scotland for neurodevelopmental assessments that include ADHD and autism.
ADHD Scotland Assessments, Diagnosis, and Treatment Services
We’re working towards launching paid, not-for-profit clinical services for adults and children with ADHD in Scotland. As a first step in a complex process, we’re exploring a not-for-profit psychologist-led ADHD assessment service for adults and / or children.
Initially, this service would focus on assessment and non-medication support. Access to ADHD medication would become available once a full medical service is operational.
If you’d like to register your interest in a psychologist-led service, please provide your details below. We’ll contact you with more information regards timing, pricing, availability, and how to book an appointment as soon as we have it.