ADHD – Private assessments for children and young people

INFORMATION REGARDING PRIVATE ADHD ASSESSMENTS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Due to long waiting times for ADHD assessments for children and young people within the NHS, some people are deciding to attend private hospitals and clinics.

If you are thinking about using a private health provider, either by self-funding or private health insurance, we strongly advise you to first consider the information below:

Criteria for assessments conducted by private and/or non-NHS providers that allow a child or young person to be treated for ADHD without requiring additional formal assessment by NHS Highland clinician.

 If the private referral does not adhere to the criteria detailed below, NHS may not be able to recognise the diagnosis in regards of further NHS specific interventions i.e. regular medication prescribing.

• Assessments and diagnoses of ADHD will only be accepted by NHS Highland if made by a specialist psychiatrist; paediatrician; and/or an appropriately qualified health care professional with training and expertise in the diagnosis of ADHD.
• Assessments conducted out with NHS Highland must be described in a diagnostic report sent to NHS Highland as part of a formal referral. This diagnostic report must demonstrate that the following components of an assessment for ADHD were completed:
• A full and detailed neurodevelopmental history and description of symptoms the patient experiences.
• Personalised comment on why the patient was found to meet the criteria for ADHD diagnosis, including description of the standardised and age-appropriate questionnaires and tools used as part of the assessment process.
• Personalised comment on other common neurodevelopmental conditions that were identified as part of the assessment, and other common neurodevelopmental conditions or common mental illnesses that were considered and ruled out as part of the assessment.
• Evidence of a corroborative history undertaken.
• A standardised and age-appropriate functional assessment, describing the patient’s level of functional impairment due to ADHD symptoms.
• Patient assessments for ADHD must be conducted by the clinician either via a face-to face appointment or by video call.
• Referrals for treatment without additional formal assessment by NHS Highland must include the diagnostic report, as well as description of:
• Any comorbid illness.
• Assessment of risk including risky behaviours such as impulsivity and self-harm. Any offered, previous and/or ongoing treatment of ADHD, including any behavioural and environmental adaptations the patient has tried.

The above criteria (for assessments conducted by private and/or non-NHS providers that allow a patient to be treated for ADHD without requiring additional formal assessment by NHS Highland) are based on NICE guidelines on the diagnosis and management of ADHD (see: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management NICE guideline [NG87]).

Please be aware that your GP practice is contracted to provide National Health Services, in line with a General Medical Services (GMS) contract, on behalf of NHS Highland. It is not contracted nor obliged to provide private services out with this contract, unless local arrangements have been agreed with the Health Board.

Your GP would not usually be in a position to recommend a specific specialist and therefore patients are advised to do some research when deciding whether a healthcare provider is safe and suitable.