NHS bodies impose two-year minimum wait for ADHD and autism assessments

At least four NHS integrated care boards in England now require people with suspected ADHD or autism to wait a minimum of two years before they can be assessed, as health leaders struggle to meet surging demand for diagnoses and cannot afford the cost of assessments.

In total, 15 integrated care boards covering 19 million people have introduced methods of rationing ADHD and autism assessments, according to the reporting. These include limiting the number of assessments paid for each year and using “clinical prioritisation” criteria to restrict assessments to those with the most serious signs.

West Yorkshire’s board has imposed a two-year minimum waiting time for assessments carried out by independent providers, after the cost of assessments rose from £7 million in 2023-24 to £21 million last year. The board says the move is designed to equalise waiting times and make the system fairer for all patients, while patients facing significant risks to their safety, physical health, mental health or education may be prioritised for urgent assessment.

Other boards named in the reporting include North East and North Cumbria, Somerset, Devon, and Kent and Medway.

The charity ADHD UK described minimum waits as “heartless and dangerous”, warning that long delays could damage children’s school success, deny people necessary support and increase the risk of suicide.

Referrals for clinical assessments have risen sharply over six years, leaving nearly one million people in England on ADHD waiting lists with an average wait of 64 weeks, while about 295,000 people await an autism assessment.

Sources

• UK Pulse: Four NHS bodies impose two-year minimum wait for ADHD and autism assessments (original reporting: The Guardian)
• Briefly: Two-year NHS waiting times reveal system’s struggle with rise in ADHD and autism awareness
• EGazette: NHS Bodies in England Impose Two-Year Minimum Wait for ADHD and Autism Assessments