Public debate often focuses on diagnosis rates, waiting times and cost. The people waiting are trying to keep their jobs, relationships and lives together while they wait.
The argument about ADHD and autism has become impossible to miss. Are there too many diagnoses? Are services overwhelmed? How should assessments be funded? How long is too long to wait?
Those are real questions. Assessment needs to be accurate, and public money needs to be spent properly. But while we argue about the system, people are still trying to get through an ordinary week.
On 9 October 2026, the government published its independent review into mental health, ADHD and autism. It reported that open ADHD referrals had passed 560,000 by the end of 2025, more than 17 times the figure recorded in 2019. The review also said that waiting lists reflect rising need and a system unable to keep pace. Even when an ADHD diagnosis is appropriate, it found, delays to support and treatment remain unacceptable.
That number tells us something about demand. It cannot tell us what is happening in each person’s life while they wait.
Life carries on during the wait
Someone waiting for an assessment might be trying to keep a job that is becoming harder to manage. They might be missing deadlines, falling behind on everyday tasks or using every bit of energy they have to appear as though they are coping.
Relationships can come under strain. Money can become harder to manage. Confidence can wear away after years of being told, directly or indirectly, to try harder.
Some may reach a point where they consider taking their own life. That is not a debating point. It is a person in distress who needs help now.
I hear versions of this in my work. Most of the people I support have a diagnosis. Many struggled for years to get one. By the time they find support, they may have spent a long time trying to understand why so much of life feels harder than it seems to for other people.
A diagnosis can make a huge difference. It can help someone understand their history and may open access to clinical treatment. It does not automatically repair the damage that has built up before the assessment. People can finally have an explanation and still need help with work, relationships, money, confidence or getting through the day.
Here in the North East, the current local position is set out on the ADHD assessment waiting-times page for the North East. The practical detail changes by area, so local information matters.
What if the assessment does not lead to a diagnosis?
Some people will go through an assessment and be told they do not meet the criteria for ADHD or autism. That decision can be clinically important. It does not erase the problems that led them to seek an assessment.
The government review makes a useful distinction here. It says underdiagnosis, misdiagnosis and overdiagnosis can all happen within the same system. The public argument often treats those as competing explanations. The review says they can exist at the same time.
Earlier support needs to become real
The government’s response to the review promises broader support before and without diagnosis, while keeping timely diagnosis and treatment available where clinically appropriate. That is a welcome direction. It is still a promise. It will matter whether people can find that support, access it locally and get help before their situation becomes worse.
Needs-led support should not become a polite way of saying that people can manage without assessment. Good assessment matters. So does help with the problems someone is facing today.
When we discuss ADHD waiting lists, I want us to ask what happens to the person in the queue. What can they access while they wait? What happens if they do not meet the criteria? What support is there after diagnosis, when the explanation arrives but daily life is still difficult?
A referral count can show the scale of demand. It cannot show what waiting is costing each person.
People are not just waiting for an assessment. They are trying to keep their lives going while they wait.
Questions about ADHD assessment waits
What can waiting for an ADHD assessment affect?
Waiting can overlap with difficulties at work, in relationships, with money, confidence and everyday tasks. The effect varies from person to person, and support needs can be present before an assessment.
Can I get support while waiting for an ADHD assessment?
Some practical support may be available before diagnosis, including peer support, workplace adjustments and coaching. Eligibility and availability vary by service and circumstances.
What if I do not receive an ADHD diagnosis after assessment?
Not meeting ADHD diagnostic criteria does not erase the difficulties that led you to seek an assessment. You can still discuss support for the problems you are experiencing.