Adult ADHD assessment

The short answer

An adult ADHD assessment is a structured clinical evaluation that decides whether you meet the criteria for ADHD. It is much more than a questionnaire. A good one looks at your life now and as a child, across work, home and relationships, and ends with a written report you can share with your GP.

At ADH-Me, a Comprehensive ADHD Assessment for adults is £895. It includes a clinical interview with one of our ADHD specialists, rating scales, the QbCheck online test, a detailed report and a feedback session. If you would also like to start medication, should it be right for you, Assessment + Titration is £1,395.

What an adult ADHD assessment involves

NICE guideline NG87, the national guidance for diagnosing ADHD, says a diagnosis should come from a full clinical and psychosocial assessment by a suitably qualified specialist, not from a rating scale alone. In practice, that means an adult assessment usually covers:

• Your story. What brought you here, and what daily life is like at work, at home and with other people.
• Your childhood. ADHD symptoms begin in childhood, and the diagnostic criteria require several symptoms to be present before the age of 12, so the clinician asks what you were like at school and growing up. School reports or a parent's memories can help, but are not essential.
• Rating scales. Standardised questionnaires that compare your experiences with ADHD criteria. For adults, ADH-Me uses the ASRS.
• Your wider health. Your mental and physical health, sleep, and anything else that could explain or overlap with your difficulties.
• A conclusion. Whether you meet the criteria for ADHD, explained in a written report and talked through with you.

Wondering whether a screening questionnaire or an online test is enough? Our guide to ADHD tests for adults explains the difference between screening, testing and a diagnosis.

Who an adult assessment suits

An adult assessment may be worth considering if:

• You have recognised yourself in descriptions of adult ADHD symptoms, and the difficulties go back to childhood
• They affect more than one part of your life, such as work and relationships, not just one stressful period
• You have tried hard to manage them and still feel you are working much harder than those around you
• A child in your family has been diagnosed and you see the same patterns in yourself
• You were assessed for something else, such as anxiety or low mood, and it did not fully explain your difficulties

Not sure yet? The free adult screening is a short questionnaire that helps you decide whether a full assessment is appropriate. It is not a diagnosis.

NHS or private in Wales

If you live in Wales, your NHS route is a GP referral to your health board's adult neurodevelopmental service. NHS Right to Choose, which many people in England use to reach an assessment, is part of the NHS in England and does not apply if your GP is in Wales. Waits vary by health board.

A private assessment is the main alternative. You contact the provider yourself and pay for it. Our page on private ADHD assessment in Wales sets out the Welsh routes in full, and how to get an ADHD diagnosis compares every route across the UK.

How ADH-Me assesses adults

1. Free screeningA short questionnaire to help you decide whether a full assessment is appropriate.
2. Get in touchWe reply to every enquiry personally and explain which package is most suitable for you.
3. Clinical interviewAn in-depth conversation with one of our ADHD specialists about your life now and as a child, online by video or, subject to availability, in person in South and West Wales.
4. Rating scales and QbCheckThe ASRS rating scale, plus the QbCheck test, which measures attention, impulsivity and activity at home on your computer.
5. Report and feedbackA detailed written report following NICE guideline NG87, and a session to talk through what it means.

The same clinician assesses you, and if you go on to medication, prescribes and reviews it too. You can do the whole assessment by video if you prefer. Our page on online ADHD assessment explains how that works and how to prepare.

What it costs

Every package and price is on services and pricing. For what to expect from prices elsewhere, and the costs people do not expect after diagnosis, read what an ADHD assessment costs.

After the assessment

If you are diagnosed, your options are discussed in the feedback session. Medication is one option, not an automatic next step. If it is right for you, our ADHD specialist prescribers can start it and adjust the dose with you through medication titration.

Once your dose is stable, we write to your GP to request a shared care agreement. Your GP practice decides whether to take over prescribing. If you live in Wales, read our guide to shared care in Wales and ask your practice before you book.