Manage ADHD like diabetes, says NHSE taskforce

An inability to access NHS attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) services has resulted in a “significant growth” in the use of unregulated private providers, according to a report from a national taskforce.

The first report of NHS England’s ADHD taskforce found the long-waiting lists to access ADHD diagnosis and treatment services was resulting in “two-tier access… one for those who can pay and another for those who cannot”, which “drive health inequalities”.

Published on Friday, it called on policymakers to “shift rapidly to accessible, regulated and generalist models of care in the community, including primary care and other sectors outside the NHS”.

It called on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to reconsider that ADHD always requires a highly specialised, secondary care workforce.

“[NICE] should clearly define the meaning of specialist to enable greater involvement of primary care…this approach would align ADHD management with the way other common conditions, such as diabetes, are managed.” 

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Source: HSJ, 22 June 2025