How to get an ADHD diagnosis, NHS or private
There are two main routes to an ADHD diagnosis as an adult in the UK: through the NHS via your GP, or privately. This page explains how each works, whether a private diagnosis is recognised, and what makes any diagnosis robust.
The short answer
To get an ADHD diagnosis, you need a full assessment by a specialist with training in diagnosing ADHD. Through the NHS, you start by asking your GP for a referral. Privately, you contact a provider directly and pay for the assessment yourself.
A private diagnosis is a clinical diagnosis like any other. Whether your GP then takes over any ADHD medication is a separate decision, called shared care, made by your GP practice. The strongest diagnosis, NHS or private, follows NICE guideline NG87 and comes with a detailed report.
The routes to an ADHD diagnosis
| Route | How it starts | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| NHS in Wales | GP referral to your health board's neurodevelopmental service | No cost to you. Waits vary by health board. |
| NHS in England | GP referral, and you may be able to choose your provider under Right to Choose | Right to Choose is part of the NHS in England only. |
| NHS in Scotland or Northern Ireland | GP referral to your local service | Right to Choose does not apply. |
| Private, anywhere in the UK | Contact a provider directly, no referral needed | You pay for the assessment. Check what is included, and whether they can prescribe. |
If you live in Wales, our page on private ADHD assessment in Wales explains why NHS Right to Choose is not an option for you and lists the seven Welsh health boards.
Getting diagnosed through the NHS
The NHS route starts with your GP. It helps to go prepared:
- Book a GP appointmentExplain at the start that you would like to discuss ADHD, so it is not left to the end of the appointment.
- Bring examplesWrite down how your difficulties affect work, home and relationships now, and any signs you remember from childhood.
- Ask for a referralYour GP may ask questions or use a screening questionnaire first. If they agree, they refer you to the adult ADHD or neurodevelopmental service.
- The assessmentWhen your appointment comes up, a specialist assesses you and decides whether you meet the criteria.
Your GP practice or health board can tell you the current wait where you live. If you are not sure ADHD is the right question to ask, read about adult ADHD symptoms first.
Getting a private diagnosis
Privately, you choose the provider and contact them yourself. You do not need a GP referral, though it is sensible to tell your GP and to ask your practice about shared care before you book. The assessment itself should cover the same ground as an NHS one.
At ADH-Me, an adult assessment is £895. It is carried out by one of our ADHD nurse specialists and independent prescribers (RMN, INP), and includes a clinical interview, rating scales, the QbCheck test, a detailed report and a feedback session. Our page on the adult ADHD assessment walks through each step, and what an ADHD assessment costs covers prices and the costs after diagnosis.
Is a private ADHD diagnosis recognised?
Yes. ADHD is diagnosed by a qualified clinician after a full assessment, and that is true whether the NHS or you paid for it. There is no separate, lesser kind of diagnosis for private patients.
What people usually mean by this question is: will my GP prescribe? That is a separate matter. Shared care is voluntary. Each GP practice decides whether it is comfortable taking over prescribing from a private specialist, guided by its health board's policy, and some decline. Read our guide to shared care in Wales before you choose any provider.
Before you book any private assessment, including with us: ask your GP practice whether they consider shared care for ADHD medication started by a private specialist, and what they would need to see.
What makes a diagnosis robust
NICE guideline NG87 sets out how ADHD should be diagnosed in the UK. Following it shows other clinicians, including your GP, how the diagnosis was reached. In plain terms, NG87 says a diagnosis should:
- Be made by a specialist psychiatrist, paediatrician or other appropriately qualified healthcare professional with training and expertise in diagnosing ADHD
- Rest on a full clinical and psychosocial assessment, including your developmental and psychiatric history, not on a rating scale or observation alone
- Find that your symptoms meet recognised diagnostic criteria
- Find that they cause at least moderate difficulties in your life
- Find that they show up in more than one important setting, such as work and home
Look for a provider that says its assessments follow NG87, uses validated rating scales, ideally adds an objective measure such as QbCheck, and gives you a detailed written report rather than a short letter. ADH-Me assessments follow NG87.
What a diagnosis does and does not do
A diagnosis gives you an explanation, and a report you can share with your GP, employer or university if you choose to. It opens the door to treatment options, including medication if that is right for you.
It does not guarantee medication, and not every private assessor can prescribe. At ADH-Me, our ADHD specialist prescribers can start medication and adjust the dose with you through medication titration, and we write to your GP once you are stable.
Where to start
- Not sure whether it is ADHD? Take the free adult screening, or read about the difference between a screening, a test and a diagnosis in ADHD tests for adults.
- Want to stay with the NHS? Book a GP appointment and ask for a referral.
- Ready to go private? Get in touch and we will reply personally. You can also have your assessment online by video.
Common questions
Is a private ADHD diagnosis valid?
Yes. A diagnosis made by a suitably qualified clinician after a full assessment is a clinical diagnosis, whether the NHS or you paid for it. What varies is whether a GP agrees to take over prescribing under shared care, which is a separate decision made by each practice.
Who can diagnose ADHD in adults?
NICE guideline NG87 says ADHD should be diagnosed by a specialist psychiatrist, paediatrician or other appropriately qualified healthcare professional with training and expertise in diagnosing ADHD. A GP can refer you but does not usually make the diagnosis.
Can I get an ADHD diagnosis without seeing my GP?
Yes, privately. You can contact a private provider directly without a referral. For an NHS assessment, you normally need a GP referral first.
Will a private diagnosis get me medication?
Not automatically. A diagnosis does not mean medication is right for you, and not every private assessor can prescribe. At ADH-Me, our ADHD specialist prescribers can start medication, if it is appropriate, and adjust the dose with you.
Ready to take the first step?
Start with a free screening, or get in touch. We reply to every enquiry personally.
Prefer to talk? Call 07909 440188.