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UK ADHD services shutting door to new NHS patients
Dozens of services struggling to cope with demand
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By Peter Clark (Senior Editor, Autism Info Center) Tuesday 18th November 2025 |
A BBC investigation has found that specialist NHS services for adults with ADHD in England are shutting their lists to new patients, struggling to cope with soaring demand.
The report identified 15 local areas that have halted referrals and 31 others that have introduced stricter criteria, significantly increasing difficulty in accessing support.
These findings, described as "disturbing" by Professor Anita Thapar, chair of NHS England's ADHD taskforce, highlight "enormous risks" for people needing help.
The situation exists despite NHS data already showing average waits of eight years after a person joins a waiting list.
Professor Thapar's taskforce is set to publish its own report recommending a complete overhaul of services.
It identifies under-diagnosis and under-treatment, calling for more joint-working between health, education, and justice systems, and urging greater involvement from community NHS staff, such as GPs and pharmacists, in supporting people with ADHD.
Source: BBC News (UK)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gpl150ze4o
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