Plan to limit NHS diagnoses o ADHD attackit as ‘rationin’ healthcare

Proposals to limit the number o patients gettin a formal diagnosis for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder hae been attackit as rationin healthcare, an as a wey to push bairns an adults into self-diagnosis via social media.

These comments cam afore a government review due next week, which is expectit to state that patients wi ADHD symptoms shudnae automatically get a formal diagnosis, but shud be triagit an offert support withoot the need for formal clinical verification.

Details o this needs-based system, first revealit in the Times, wad mean NHS services focus on them maist acutely affectit by ADHD, sic as them at risk o self-harm or them that are unco unable to work.

Fowk that are no sae severely affectit micht no be referrit to NHS clinics for a formal diagnosis, but wud be offert help accordin to a holistic assessment o their needs, the report will say.

The government’s independent review o mental health conditions, autism an ADHD was commissioned in December by the then health secretary, Wes Streeting, amang concerns ower the sharp rise o fowk makin sickness benefit claims due to mental health, autism an ADHD diagnoses.

Led by Prof Peter Fonagy, a clinical psychologist an psychoanalyst at University College London, the interim review concludit that the current system forces bairns an adults to obtain a formal diagnosis simply to get support.

Official figures show that patients are waitin years to be assessit, wi 800,000 on NHS waitin lists. Meanwhile, complaints aboot autism an ADHD services in England hae mair than triplit in five years.

As a result, growin numbers o adults an young fowk wi ADHD are no in education, trainin or work, o whom aboot 100,000 are on health-related benefits due to their condition. The ADHD taskforce calculatit that the cost o undiagnosit, untreatit ADHD was £17bn.

Fonagy’s review will recommend that only patients who wad benefit from a formal diagnosis, sic as them needin medication, wud be referrit to ADHD clinics.

Under the proponit holistic needs-based assessment, patients wud be triagit accordin to their difficulties an ability to cope at school, college, work or ither settings. They wud be offert targetit early support, regairdless o whether they had a diagnosis or no.

Experts said sic support cud include one-to-one help for bairns to cope wi lessons, quiet rooms in schools, classes to help parents support bairns wi ADHD symptoms, an encouragin employers to offer staff wi ADHD flexible hours.

The final report is expectit to propose a similarly holistic approach to supportin fowk wi autism, an to mental health mair widely.

But experts said the proposals wad in effect introduce rationin o health services an that schools an workplaces were already able to offer early support withoot a formal diagnosis.

Henry Shelford, the chief executive o ADHD UK, said the review proposit rationin.

There is nae mild ADHD. Diagnosis requires evidence o a debilitatin impact on your life. We already hae a clinically drawn line o need.

Withoot a formal diagnosis, it appears we will be left to self-diagnose via social media. Schools an businesses shudnae be forced to rely on TikTok to ken when to put in adjustments an support.

Shelford said that, on average, a woman wi ADHD wad die nine years younger than her peers an a man seven years younger.

In almaist ony ither area, those numbers wad hae this treatit as a health emergency, but the stigma an misunderstaundin roond ADHD means instead we are treatit as an inconvenience an proponit to be disappeart, untreatit, from the waitin lists.

Diagnosis means fowk turnin their lives aroond, mair fowk in employment an succeedin in careers.

Investin in ADHD services, he said, offert a heich return on investment to the country, notin that last year, the NHS spent £574m on a single weight-loss drug because treatin fowk meant they cud get back to work. The same is true o ADHD, wi cheaper medication an better evidence.

Mel Merritt, the head o policy an influencin at the National Autistic Society, said: Denyin fowk a diagnosis will only waurin inequalities experiencit by fowk who are autistic an autistic fowk wi ADHD.

Andy Bell, the chief executive o the Centre for Mental Health, said: Fowk seekin support for their mental health need speedy access to effective help. Gettin a diagnosis can be helpful for fowk to understand the nature o their distress an to get the richt treatment for a mental illness.

But effective help can also be providit withoot the need for a diagnosis – for example in schools, workplaces an young fowk’s hubs. Nae ane shud be left withoot the richt mental health support, or made to wait for mony months for essential services, at risk o gettin waur while they are waitin.

A government spokesperson wud no comment on the forthcoming report, but said: Last December, we askit clinical psychologist Prof Peter Fonagy to lead an independent review, examinin the prevalence o – an support for – ADHD, autism, an mental health conditions. Prof Fonagy’s final report will be publishit shortly an will inform our new national approach in this area.