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ADHD: Private clinics exposed by BBC undercover investigation


Patients are being offered powerful drugs and told they have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) after unreliable online assessments, a BBC investigation has discovered.

Three private clinics diagnosed an undercover reporter via video calls. But a more detailed, in-person NHS assessment showed he didn't have the condition.

Panorama spoke to dozens of patients and whistleblowers after receiving tip-offs about rushed and poor-quality assessments at some private clinics, including Harley Psychiatrists, ADHD Direct and ADHD 360.

The investigation found that:

  • Clinics carried out only limited mental health assessments of patients.
  • Powerful drugs were prescribed for long-term use, without advice on possible serious side effects or proper consideration of patients' medical history.
  • Patients posting negative reviews were threatened with legal action.
  • The NHS is paying for thousands of patients to go to private clinics for assessments.

Commenting on Panorama's findings, Dr Mike Smith - an NHS consultant psychiatrist - said he was seriously concerned about the number of people who might "potentially have received an incorrect diagnosis and been started on medications inappropriately".

"The scale is massive."

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Source: BBC News, 

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