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."
Source: BBC News,
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