My Response to the BBCs coverage of the NHS ADHD waiting list

You may have seen the BBC investigation revealing that many areas in the UK have ADHD NHS backlogs for adult ADHD assessments, with some regions requiring at least eight years to clear the waiting lists. About half of the services have such extensive delays, affecting at least 196,000 adults across the UK.

Key Findings Include:

• Rising Demand: Referrals have increased fourfold since 2019, causing long waits.
• Capacity Issues: Some trusts, like Sheffield, have waiting lists over 6,000, assessing only a few patients per year.
• Patient Impact: Long waits have devastating effects, with some patients resorting to private diagnoses or experiencing severe mental health issues.
• The government acknowledges the delays as part of broader NHS issues, and experts emphasize the need for timely access to life-changing care.

To many of us, this has come as no great surprise, and it is commendable that the BBC have picked this up. However, it's barely a year since the BBC broadcast an edition of Panorama highlighting rogue private ADHD clinics and effectively demonizing people who were forced to use them. What they didn't address at the time was the root cause: people face 3-8 year waiting lists, with some areas not even taking new referrals. It is not because they want to get a "false" ADHD diagnosis; it's because the public system is failing them. This was as true then as it is now.

It's a pity that this wasn't highlighted a year ago, despite efforts by myself and many other neurodiversity advocates to raise awareness of the issue, including directly with the BBC.

The investigation also fails to mention that the NHS Right to Choose is being compromised by large numbers of GPs who are increasingly refusing to accept shared care plans. These agreements allow GPs to prescribe medication on the NHS for those forced to go private.

They equally fail to mention the global ADHD medication crisis. Millions of people are uncertain if they will get their medication each month, often having to approach multiple pharmacies to find stock, with no support, help or guidance from GPs, pharmacists, or specialists from the NHS.

ADHD is not a joke, is a debilitating and potentially life-threatening condition, as untreated, it brings with it the significant risk of anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. How many severe medical conditions have a waiting list of 8+ years? I have recently spoken to several people who are waiting for care on the NHS, who are desperate and, in some cases suicidal. In any other area of medicine, this would be seen as unacceptable. Yet, because it is mental health, specifically ADHD, it is disregarded, and people are ridiculed for seeking support.

I urge all media outlets to pick up this story and campaign for sufficient funding for the NHS to help the millions of people impacted by ADHD who are stuck on waiting lists. Additionally, I encourage individuals to contact their MPs and journalists to campaign for increased NHS funding to assist those in need. The voices of those affected by these long waits must be heard, and urgent action is required to ensure that everyone has access to timely and adequate healthcare.

#MentalHealthCrisis #ADHDAwareness #Neurodiversity #NHSFunding #HealthcareReform #SupportADHD #RightToChoose #MentalHealthMatters #StopTheStigma #CampaignForChange