ADHD - Right to Choose Referrals
ADHD CHILDREN
The Leys Health centre has made the decision to no longer provide Right to Choose referrals for children with possible autism or ADHD. This is because we believe this action will not provide the best care for your child.
Local CAMHS services have changed and now offer support as soon as the referral is accepted (within 3-4 weeks). Their waiting lists are also coming down.
A confirmed diagnosis is not necessary for support. Education and developing skills for both children and the adults around them is just as important as medication- this is provided whilst on the waiting list. Schools are also advised to follow this approach.
Schools are better placed than to do referrals as they know your child better than a GP
We now have a new service supporting children and young people’s mental health who can offer advice and support whether or not a referral is needed. If you are requesting a Right to Choose referral for your child we will offer you contact with the team.
ADHD ADULTS
GPs are not able to make a diagnosis of ADHD which is why a referral to a specialist is needed. If an ADHD diagnosis is subsequently made by the specialist, they may choose to offer medications to help manage the symptoms. These medications are potentially dangerous and therefore require careful monitoring and more formal annual reviews
In exercising choice, we have to make sure that the service selected is appropriate for your needs and fulfils various requirements for any particular condition. The specialist in an appropriate ADHD service is responsible for prescribing the medications, making any dose adjustments and arranging a yearly review which includes a physical assessment. The service should be led by a consultant psychiatrist. The service must also have an appropriate NHS contract. We are not able to refer you to a provider who does not fulfil these minimum criteria. There are many services which say they can be selected through Right to Choose but do not meet these criteria.
We have worked with commissioners to identify a shortlist of providers who have a contract with the NHS and have confirmed that they meet the appropriate service specification for diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. This list may be updated if new appropriate providers qualify.
They are currently as follows:
Current providers are:
Psychiatry UK (ADHD)
Dr J and Colleagues (ADHD and Autism)
Care ADHD (ADHD)
Clinical Partners (ADHD and Autism)
Oakdale (ADHD and Autism)
We are not able to support a NHS referral to any other provider at the moment, as we have an obligation to our patients to make sure that the service they are going to meets an appropriate minimum clinical standard.
You can choose to be referred to be seen privately by a private provider, but should you choose to follow this route and a diagnosis is made, your GP will not be in a position to prescribe ADHD medication or arrange monitoring. This must all be done through the private provider and you may need to check on the costs of ongoing treatment including prescribing and yearly reviews.
We recognise that living with a potential diagnosis of ADHD is quite stressful and getting support at this time is important. There are some charities that may be able to help with advice about where you can get support:
AHDD UK https://adhduk.co.uk/
ADHD Foundation https://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/
ADHD adult UK https://www.adhdadult.uk/