You can get tested for ADHD through your GP, who refers you to an NHS specialist service, or through a private ADHD assessment provider that employs qualified psychiatrists or clinical psychologists. The NHS pathway in England begins with a GP appointment where you discuss your symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and receive a referral to a specialist ADHD service for formal diagnosis and treatment.
The NHS assessment process requires a GP referral to a specialist mental health service that diagnoses ADHD in adults or children. Your GP evaluates your symptoms during an initial appointment, gathering evidence about how inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity affects your daily functioning across multiple settings. The specialist service then conducts a comprehensive diagnostic assessment using NICE guidelines, which includes clinical interviews, symptom questionnaires, and examination of childhood history to confirm whether you meet diagnostic criteria for ADHD.
NHS waiting lists for ADHD assessments currently extend between 2-5 years in most England regions, with some areas reporting waits exceeding 60 months for adult ADHD diagnosis. The Right to Choose scheme gives patients in England a legal right to choose your mental healthcare provider from any qualified NHS-approved service, potentially reducing wait times to 12-18 weeks. You request Right to Choose at your GP appointment by naming a specific provider approved under the NHS Right to Choose mental health pathway.
Your GP requires specific information about ADHD symptoms you experience in at least two different environments—such as work, home, or social settings. You must demonstrate that symptoms have persisted for at least six months and cause significant impairment in your ability to pay attention, organize tasks, or control impulsive behaviors. The GP may decide to refer you immediately if symptoms clearly align with ADHD diagnostic criteria, or they may suggest monitoring if other conditions that could explain your difficulties need consideration first.
Adult ADHD assessment referrals strengthen when you provide childhood evidence, as ADHD symptoms must have been present before age 12 according to diagnostic standards. Your GP practice accesses your medical records to identify historical signs of behavioral difficulties, academic struggles, or previous mental health diagnoses that support an ADHD evaluation. People with ADHD commonly have inattentive symptoms alongside conditions like anxiety, major depressive disorder, or learning disabilities, which your GP documents to ensure the specialist assesses the full clinical picture.
Private ADHD assessments cost between £500-£2,000 depending on the provider, assessment complexity, and whether you need diagnosis for ADHD alone or combined autism and ADHD evaluation. A private diagnosis from a qualified psychiatrist or clinical psychologist holds the same clinical validity as an NHS diagnosis and supports shared care agreements where your GP prescribes ADHD medication under specialist guidance. Private assessment providers throughout the UK offer appointments within 2-8 weeks, eliminating the extended NHS waiting list that delays diagnosis and treatment for adults with ADHD.
Private ADHD specialists conduct assessments using the same diagnostic frameworks as NHS services, including detailed clinical interviews, standardized rating scales, and review of developmental history. The assessment today typically requires 2-3 hours of clinical contact spread across one or two appointments, where the clinician evaluates symptoms of both the inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive type of ADHD. Providers who specialise in adult ADHD assessments and diagnosis recognize that ADHD in adults often presents with predominantly inattentive symptoms rather than the hyperactive behaviors more visible in children and young people.
Shared care agreements enable your GP to prescribe ADHD medication following a private diagnosis, transferring prescribing responsibility from the private psychiatrist to your NHS GP practice. The care agreement requires the private specialist to provide a comprehensive treatment plan, diagnostic report, and medication initiation protocol that your GP reviews before accepting shared care. Your GP may be able to refuse shared care if they lack confidence in prescribing ADHD medication or if their practice operates under policies that restrict accepting private diagnoses for ongoing prescribing.
ADHD medication under shared care continues at NHS prescription charge rates (£9.90 per item in England), substantially reducing ongoing treatment costs compared to private prescription fees of £80-£150 monthly. The private ADHD service maintains responsibility for annual reviews, dose adjustments, and management of complex medication issues, while your GP handles routine prescription renewals and monitors basic health parameters. This collaborative model ensures diagnosis and support remain accessible after the initial private assessment investment.
The Right to Choose scheme gives patients in England under the NHS a legal right to select any qualified provider for specialist mental health assessments, including ADHD diagnosis services. This important right means you can bypass lengthy local NHS ADHD service waiting lists by requesting referral to faster NHS-commissioned providers that accept Right to Choose referrals. You exercise this right by informing your GP which approved provider you want to use, and your GP must honor this choice unless specific clinical reasons prevent it.
Right to Choose ADHD providers operate under NHS contracts but function as independent organizations that deliver faster access to assessment and treatment. These services typically offer assessment appointments within 12-20 weeks compared to multi-year waits through standard local NHS pathways. The assessment process, diagnostic criteria, and treatment recommendations remain identical to traditional NHS services because providers must follow NICE guidelines and employ qualified psychiatrists or clinical psychologists who specialise in ADHD.
You request Right to Choose by researching NHS-approved ADHD assessment providers before your GP appointment and bringing their referral information to the consultation. Your GP requires the provider's name, NHS contract details, and referral pathway documentation to process the Right to Choose referral correctly. Some GP practices unfamiliar with the Right to Choose mental health pathway may initially resist, but you can reference NHS England guidance that confirms your legal entitlement to choose your mental healthcare provider for ADHD assessment.
NHS Find services online list approved Right to Choose providers by region, though many providers accept referrals from across England regardless of your home location. You should verify that your chosen provider currently accepts new Right to Choose referrals, as some services temporarily close their referral pathways when demand exceeds capacity. The provider contacts you directly after receiving the GP referral to schedule your adult ADHD assessment and begin the diagnostic process.
ADHD testing for children and young people aged 4-17 follows a different pathway that often involves schools, parents, and pediatric specialists rather than adult mental health services. Parents who think their child has ADHD should first speak with their child's school to gather evidence of attention difficulties, hyperactive behaviors, or impulsivity affecting academic performance and peer relationships. Teachers complete standardized behavior rating scales that document ADHD symptoms observed in the classroom environment, providing crucial evidence for the GP referral.
The GP evaluates whether symptoms meet criteria for ADHD referral by considering developmental appropriateness, symptom severity, and duration of difficulties. Children with ADHD commonly display hyperactive-impulsive symptoms more prominently than adults, including excessive fidgeting, inability to remain seated, and frequent interrupting during conversations. The GP refers to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) or specialist pediatric ADHD clinics that conduct comprehensive assessments including parent interviews, teacher reports, and direct observation of the child.
ADHD diagnosis in children requires evidence that symptoms significantly impair functioning in at least two settings and have persisted for minimum six months. The diagnostic process considers alternative explanations including anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, trauma-related conditions, or learning disabilities like dyslexia that can produce attention difficulties. Specialists may recommend a trial period of behavioral interventions or cognitive behavioral therapy before confirming ADHD diagnosis, particularly for younger children where developmental maturity affects symptom presentation.
Free ADHD testing exists exclusively through the NHS pathway, where assessment and diagnosis services cost nothing at point of care regardless of your ability to pay. You access free assessment by registering with a GP practice, scheduling an appointment to discuss ADHD concerns, and accepting referral to your local NHS ADHD service or using Right to Choose to access faster NHS-contracted providers. The NHS in England provides comprehensive ADHD assessments, diagnosis, and initial medication titration without charges, though ongoing prescriptions incur standard NHS prescription charges.
Low-cost ADHD assessment alternatives include charitable organizations that offer subsidized evaluations for individuals experiencing financial hardship. Some mental health charities throughout the UK provide sliding-scale assessments priced at £200-£400 based on income verification, making private diagnosis accessible to people unable to afford standard private fees. University training clinics where psychiatry trainees conduct supervised assessments sometimes offer reduced-cost evaluations at £150-£300, though availability varies by region and academic term schedules.
Self-diagnosis tools and online ADHD tests cannot replace formal clinical assessment but help you recognize potential ADHD symptoms before seeking professional evaluation. These screening tools measure attention difficulties, organizational challenges, and impulsivity through standardized questionnaires that indicate whether formal assessment is warranted. You should never consider online test results as a diagnosis for ADHD, as proper evaluation requires clinical expertise to differentiate ADHD from other conditions that produce similar symptoms.
ADHD assessment pathways in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales differ from England's system, particularly regarding Right to Choose availability and service organization. Northern Ireland operates ADHD services through Health and Social Care Trusts, with waiting times currently ranging 18-36 months for adult assessments and 12-24 months for children and young people. Scotland's NHS boards manage regional ADHD services independently, creating variation in wait times from 12-48 months depending on health board area and service capacity.
Wales commissions ADHD services through local health boards that assess adults and children using NICE guidelines but without the Right to Choose scheme available in England. Welsh residents face waiting lists of 18-42 months for NHS ADHD assessment, with some health boards prioritizing children's services over adult ADHD diagnosis. Private ADHD assessment remains available across all UK nations at similar costs to England, and private diagnoses generally receive acceptance for shared care arrangements with GPs in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
ADHD service quality and accessibility varies significantly between NHS regions, with urban areas typically offering more specialized providers than rural locations. Some health boards employ dedicated ADHD specialists who focus exclusively on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis and treatment, while others assign ADHD assessments to general adult psychiatry services with longer waits. You can contact your local NHS mental health service directly to inquire about current waiting times and referral procedures specific to your area.
Neurodiversity hubs in major UK cities increasingly provide integrated assessment services for ADHD and autism together, recognizing that many adults seek evaluation for both conditions simultaneously. These combined autism and ADHD assessments cost £1,500-£2,500 privately but save time and resources compared to pursuing separate evaluations. The assessment process examines overlapping symptoms and distinct features of each condition to provide accurate differential diagnosis.
An ADHD diagnostic assessment involves structured clinical interviews lasting 2-4 hours where a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist evaluates your current symptoms and developmental history. The clinician asks detailed questions about attention span, organizational abilities, time management, emotional regulation, and impulse control across different life domains including work, relationships, and daily responsibilities. You complete standardized rating scales like the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) or Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scales that quantify symptom severity and frequency.
The specialist requires evidence of childhood ADHD symptoms through school reports, parent interviews, or your recollection of difficulties before age 12. ADHD is thought to be a neurodevelopmental condition that begins in childhood, so assessment focuses on establishing that symptoms originated early in life rather than emerging in adulthood. Adults with ADHD often describe longstanding patterns of forgetfulness, difficulty completing projects, chronic lateness, and relationship problems that trace back to childhood but may not have been recognized or diagnosed at the time.
Clinicians systematically rule out alternative explanations by screening for other mental health conditions that could account for attention and concentration difficulties. The assessment considers depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and substance use issues that can mimic or co-exist with ADHD symptoms. The specialist evaluates whether symptoms represent a sign of ADHD specifically or reflect another condition requiring different treatment approaches.
A positive diagnosis of ADHD leads to development of a comprehensive treatment plan addressing both medication and non-medication interventions. The specialist discusses whether ADHD medication, specifically stimulant medications like methylphenidate or non-stimulant options like atomoxetine, would benefit your symptom management. Initial prescribing ADHD medication requires titration appointments where the clinician adjusts dosage based on therapeutic response and side effects over 8-12 weeks.
Treatment for ADHD extends beyond medication to include psychoeducation about ADHD, strategies to manage ADHD symptoms, and referrals for therapy when appropriate. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps adults with ADHD develop organizational systems, time management techniques, and coping strategies for emotional dysregulation common in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Some services offer group psychoeducation programs where people with ADHD learn about their diagnosis and share practical ways to help manage daily challenges.
The recommended approach for adults with ADHD combines medication with psychological support to address the full spectrum of ADHD impact on functioning. Your treatment plan should include regular review appointments to monitor medication effectiveness, adjust doses, and address emerging concerns about side effects or life changes affecting ADHD management. Information and support about ADHD remains available through specialist nurses, ADHD UK charitable organizations, and online resources that offer continued guidance after diagnosis.
Combined ADHD and autism assessments recognize the high co-occurrence rate of both conditions, with research showing 50-70% of autistic individuals also meet criteria for ADHD. You can request simultaneous assessment for both conditions when you book with private providers or when your GP refers you to NHS services that provide integrated neurodevelopmental evaluations. Autism assessments examine social communication differences, sensory sensitivities, and preference for routine and predictability, which the clinician evaluates alongside ADHD symptoms of inattention and impulsivity.
Differential diagnosis between autism or ADHD requires expert clinical judgment because both conditions affect executive functioning, social relationships, and emotional regulation. The assessment distinguishes whether attention difficulties stem from ADHD-related distractibility or autism-related intense focus on specific interests that excludes other information. Specialists evaluate social challenges to determine if they reflect ADHD-related impulsivity and poor social timing or autism-related difficulty reading social cues and understanding unwritten social rules.
Many adults discover they have both ADHD and autism after initially seeking assessment for only one condition, particularly when ADHD symptoms received attention first due to their impact on work performance. The assessment process today for dual diagnosis requires extended clinical contact—typically 4-6 hours—to adequately evaluate both conditions and their interaction. Treatment recommendations differ significantly between ADHD alone, autism alone, and combined presentations, making accurate diagnosis essential for effective support.
ADHD medication access depends on whether you received diagnosis through NHS or private routes and your GP's willingness to prescribe under shared care. NHS-diagnosed patients receive prescriptions directly from the diagnosing service during initial titration, with prescribing responsibility transferring to the GP once a stable medication regimen is established. Private patients must negotiate shared care agreements or continue paying for private prescriptions at £80-£150 monthly until their GP accepts prescribing responsibility.
Stimulant medications for ADHD require controlled drug prescriptions that your GP issues as 28-30 day supplies, preventing stockpiling and ensuring regular medication reviews. The GP monitors blood pressure, heart rate, and weight at routine appointments because ADHD medications can affect cardiovascular function and appetite. You collect prescriptions from your nominated pharmacy, which dispenses methylphenidate, lisdexamfetamine, or other ADHD medications after verifying prescription authenticity through controlled drug registers.
Non-stimulant ADHD medications like atomoxetine or guanfacine serve as alternatives when stimulants cause unacceptable side effects or when a patient has contraindications to stimulant use. These medications take 6-8 weeks to reach full therapeutic effect compared to stimulants that work within hours, requiring patience during initial treatment. The specialist determines which medication class suits your specific ADHD presentation, considering symptom profile, co-existing conditions, and previous medication responses.
The complete ADHD assessment timeline spans from initial GP appointment through final diagnosis and treatment initiation, with duration varying dramatically based on chosen pathway. NHS standard routes require 24-60 months total time including pre-referral GP visits, waiting for specialist appointment, assessment completion, and diagnosis feedback. Right to Choose pathways reduce this timeline to 16-28 weeks from GP referral to diagnosis, assuming prompt GP action and provider availability.
Private assessment completes within 4-10 weeks from initial inquiry to diagnosis, including provider research, booking, assessment appointment, and receiving the diagnostic report. You schedule follow-up appointments for treatment planning and medication initiation within 2-4 weeks after diagnosis. The condensed private timeline proves crucial for adults whose ADHD symptoms severely impact employment, relationships, or mental health and cannot wait years for NHS assessment.
Post-assessment delays occur when services schedule follow-up appointments for treatment discussion or medication initiation months after delivering diagnosis. You should clarify expected timelines for all stages when booking assessment to avoid unexpected waits between diagnosis and treatment access. Some private providers include treatment initiation in their assessment package, while others require separate appointments at additional cost for medication titration and ongoing care.
ADHD specialists must hold qualifications as psychiatrists or clinical psychologists with specific training in assessing and treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder across the lifespan. You verify credentials by checking the General Medical Council register for psychiatrists or the Health and Care Professions Council register for clinical psychologists. Legitimate ADHD assessment providers employ registered healthcare professionals who can provide their registration numbers for independent verification.
Providers who offer information and support about ADHD beyond basic assessment demonstrate deeper expertise and commitment to ADHD care. Specialist services employ ADHD nurse specialists who provide psychoeducation, medication monitoring, and ongoing support between psychiatrist appointments. Multi-disciplinary ADHD clinics include access to occupational therapists who address executive function difficulties, psychologists offering ADHD-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, and peer support groups where adults with ADHD share experiences and coping strategies.
Healthcare providers advertising "ADHD testing" using only online questionnaires or brief consultations lack the rigor required for legitimate diagnosis. Valid ADHD diagnosis requires clinical interview, developmental history review, symptom rating scales, and consideration of differential diagnoses—components impossible to complete adequately in under 90 minutes. You should avoid services promising same-day diagnosis or assessment without thorough clinical evaluation, as these raise concerns about diagnostic accuracy and adherence to professional standards.
How do I get officially tested for ADHD?
You get officially tested for ADHD by scheduling a GP appointment to discuss your symptoms, receiving a referral to an NHS specialist ADHD service or Right to Choose provider, or booking directly with a private psychiatrist or clinical psychologist who conducts diagnostic assessments. The official diagnosis requires a comprehensive clinical evaluation following NICE guidelines by a qualified mental health professional with ADHD assessment expertise.
Where can I get an official ADHD test?
You can get an official ADHD test through NHS specialist mental health services accessed via GP referral, private ADHD clinics employing consultant psychiatrists, or NHS-contracted providers accepting Right to Choose referrals in England. All legitimate testing locations must employ registered healthcare professionals qualified to diagnose mental health conditions using standardized diagnostic criteria and assessment tools.
What is the 30% rule for ADHD?
The 30% rule for ADHD refers to research suggesting people with ADHD demonstrate executive functioning and emotional regulation approximately 30% behind their chronological age. This concept helps explain why adults with ADHD may struggle with responsibilities that peers manage easily and why children with ADHD exhibit emotional responses resembling younger children despite typical intelligence.
How much can ADHD testing cost?
ADHD testing costs £0 through NHS pathways including standard referral or Right to Choose schemes, while private assessments range from £500-£2,000 depending on provider expertise, assessment complexity, and inclusion of post-diagnostic support services. Ongoing costs include ADHD medication at NHS prescription rates (£9.90 per item) under shared care or £80-£150 monthly through private prescriptions until your GP accepts prescribing responsibility.
Get in touch with us. Start your therapy journey today. We'd love to hear from you at The Healing Hub Wellness, whether you're seeking ADHD assessment, have questions about our services, or want to discuss your specific needs. You can reach our office at 707, Sierra Quebec Bravo, 77 Marsh Wall, London, England, E14 9SH, call us on 0203 105 0908, or email info@thehealinghubwellness.co.uk to begin your path toward diagnosis and support.
The Healing Hub Mental Wellness Ltd is dedicated to promoting emotional well-being and personal growth.
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