ADHD assessment waiting times in England
ADHD assessment waiting times refer to how long people typically wait for an NHS assessment after being referred for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Waiting times vary significantly across England and depend on local NHS services, referral pathways and available capacity.
This page provides independent, factual information about NHS ADHD assessment waiting times in England, based on published NHS data and reports. It explains how the referral process works, typical waiting time ranges, and why waiting times differ depending on where people live.
What is an ADHD assessment?
An ADHD assessment is a specialist clinical evaluation used to determine whether someone meets the diagnostic criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Assessments are carried out by trained healthcare professionals and may involve interviews, questionnaires and review of medical or developmental history.
ADHD assessments are available for both children and adults through the NHS. Access to assessment usually begins with a referral from a GP, school, or another healthcare professional.
This website does not provide medical advice or diagnostic guidance. If you have concerns about ADHD, you should speak to a qualified healthcare professional.
How NHS ADHD referral pathways work
In England, NHS ADHD services are commissioned and delivered locally. This means referral pathways and service availability can differ between areas.
In general, the process involves:
- An initial referral, often made by a GP or other healthcare professional
- Assessment by a specialist ADHD service
- Ongoing support or treatment if a diagnosis is made
There are separate NHS pathways for:
- Adult ADHD services
- Children and young people's ADHD services
Because services are commissioned locally by Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), access and waiting times can vary widely between regions.
Typical NHS ADHD assessment waiting times
Published NHS reports and data indicate that ADHD assessment waiting times in England can be very long, particularly for adults.
In many areas:
- Adult ADHD assessment waiting times can extend for several years
- Children and young people's ADHD assessment waiting times are often shorter but may still exceed one year in some regions
Waiting times are not fixed and can change over time. Factors such as referral volumes, staffing levels and local service capacity all influence how long people wait.
The figures discussed on this site are based on published NHS data and reports. Actual waiting times for individuals may vary depending on clinical priority and local circumstances.
Why ADHD waiting times vary by area
ADHD assessment waiting times differ across England for several reasons, including:
- Differences in how local services are commissioned
- Availability of specialist clinicians
- Demand for ADHD assessments in a given area
- Historical backlogs and service pressures
Because NHS ADHD services are managed locally, some areas experience significantly longer waiting times than others. This variation is one of the main reasons people search for ADHD waiting times by town or region.
ADHD waiting times by town and area
Unlike diagnostic services such as MRI or CT scans, ADHD assessment waiting times are not published in a central NHS dataset. There is no national system that routinely reports ADHD waiting lists by town, trust or region.
This means it is not possible to provide verified, town-level ADHD waiting time figures on this website. Information about ADHD waits is typically disclosed through individual NHS trust reports, Freedom of Information requests, or local service communications.
Browse local NHS context by county and town
The town pages linked below do not display ADHD waiting times. Instead, they provide local NHS context including which trust serves each area, published diagnostic waiting time data, and general guidance on accessing NHS services.
Berkshire
Derbyshire
East Sussex
Greater London
Greater Manchester
Leicestershire
North Yorkshire
Nottinghamshire
Somerset
Tyne and Wear
Warwickshire
West Midlands
About ADHD waiting time data availability
ADHD assessment waiting times are not routinely published in a centralised NHS dataset. As a result, the local town pages on this website do not display ADHD waiting lists or estimated wait durations.
If you need information about ADHD waiting times in your area, you may wish to contact your local NHS trust directly, speak to your GP, or submit a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to your Integrated Care Board (ICB). Some trusts publish waiting time information on their own websites.
Where the data comes from
Information on ADHD assessment waiting times is sourced from publicly available NHS England publications, reports from NHS trusts and Integrated Care Boards, and other official NHS data releases.
The data used reflects the most recently published information available at the time of update. Figures are typically reported as averages or ranges rather than exact individual waiting times.
All data is published under the Open Government Licence v3.0, which allows public use and republication of official statistics.
Important information for users
This website is an independent information resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the National Health Service (NHS) or NHS England.
The site does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment recommendations. Information is provided for general reference purposes only.
If you have concerns about ADHD or your position on an NHS waiting list, you should contact your GP or relevant NHS service directly.
Last updated: January 2026