If you're on a waiting list
- Think before you leave the list. Some people keep their NHS place while they look at other options. Ask your GP practice how it works locally.
- Ask about shared care before you pay for anything. If you're diagnosed privately, whether your GP takes over prescribing is their decision. Read our guide to shared care in Wales.
- For children, ask the school now. Support under the Additional Learning Needs system shouldn't wait for a diagnosis. See the Welsh Government parent and carer toolkit.
- Right to Choose isn't available in Wales. Here's why, and what your options are.
- If you're considering a private assessment, compare what's included, not just the price. What an assessment costs.
About these figures
The figures come from health boards' replies to Freedom of Information requests made by the charity ADHD UK in May 2026, and we're grateful for that work. We read every reply in full. Each board's panel links to its source. Figures refer to dates between March and June 2026.
Years to see everyone waiting is the number of adults waiting divided by the number assessed in a year. It assumes assessments carry on at the same pace and that nobody new joins the list. New referrals keep arriving, so someone joining today is likely to wait longer. For children, Hywel Dda and Cwm Taf Morgannwg gave ADHD-only assessment numbers, so we work it out the same way. The other boards assess autism and ADHD together, so for them we show ADHD UK's own estimate.
Boards count differently: Aneurin Bevan and Powys include people still awaiting triage or a decision, and Swansea Bay doesn't separate adult ADHD referrals from general mental health outpatients. Betsi Cadwaladr hasn't answered yet. Context from Senedd Research, July 2026. Map boundaries: Office for National Statistics, Local Health Boards (April 2022), Open Government Licence.
We update this page when new figures are released. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.
