How do I get support for Adult ADHD in the UK?
March 19, 2022 11:11 PM
For various reasons I have recently become fairly sure that I have ADHD. How do I access support for this as a 40-year old in the UK?
I have contacted my GP and been placed on a waiting list for an assessment. That waiting list is currently somewhere between 18-24 months long and I don't wish to wait that long.
Being 40 years old I have already developed a lot of (what I now realise are) coping strategies, so I am primarily interested in getting an official diagnosis and medication to treat the problem rather than on advice on how to live with ADHD etc.
I am willing to pay to go private, but my GP was unable to advise me how to do so. I have never received private health care before and I don't know where to start. Googling "adult adhd assessment" and so on yields way too much information, most of which is irrelevant to me. Some of the "clinics" that come up in searches have websites that look really sketchy, full of SEO-bait, etc.
Ideally what I would like is the name of a company or organisation that I can visit, pay them the money, and they will assess me and tell me whether or not I have ADHD and then if I do, help me to get medication. I live in Surrey in the South-East, so I imagine this would probably be somewhere in London?
I have contacted my GP and been placed on a waiting list for an assessment. That waiting list is currently somewhere between 18-24 months long and I don't wish to wait that long.
Being 40 years old I have already developed a lot of (what I now realise are) coping strategies, so I am primarily interested in getting an official diagnosis and medication to treat the problem rather than on advice on how to live with ADHD etc.
I am willing to pay to go private, but my GP was unable to advise me how to do so. I have never received private health care before and I don't know where to start. Googling "adult adhd assessment" and so on yields way too much information, most of which is irrelevant to me. Some of the "clinics" that come up in searches have websites that look really sketchy, full of SEO-bait, etc.
Ideally what I would like is the name of a company or organisation that I can visit, pay them the money, and they will assess me and tell me whether or not I have ADHD and then if I do, help me to get medication. I live in Surrey in the South-East, so I imagine this would probably be somewhere in London?
Elsewhere, I've seen ADHD Direct recommended - they're in Glasgow but do online assessment. This reddit thread also suggests The Edinburgh Practice, who do offer online counselling so may do online assessment too. No personal experience of either of them myself, but plenty of folk in that thread do.
posted by penguin pie at 3:21 AM on March 20, 2022
posted by penguin pie at 3:21 AM on March 20, 2022
I saw someone at this clinic via my GP, but they also offer private services. I don't believe they are scammy and the psychiatrist appears to be known nationally. It looks as if they have bases in Southampton, Oxford and Windsor, but my appointments have been virtual. They have a note saying they are not taking new referrals until June, though.
You are welcome to contact me via MeMail if you would like more information about my experience of the process of diagnosis. Bear in mind that if you are diagnosed privately but want to receive medication on the NHS I believe that can be a bit tricky to resolve, though the clinic will be able to advise you. There have been some discussions on Mumsnet about how to be assessed in the UK which you might find useful.
posted by paduasoy at 5:59 AM on March 20, 2022
You are welcome to contact me via MeMail if you would like more information about my experience of the process of diagnosis. Bear in mind that if you are diagnosed privately but want to receive medication on the NHS I believe that can be a bit tricky to resolve, though the clinic will be able to advise you. There have been some discussions on Mumsnet about how to be assessed in the UK which you might find useful.
posted by paduasoy at 5:59 AM on March 20, 2022
I was in adhd support groups when I was in London, but I'm not there or connected to those now.
Find the closest online or in person adhd support group, because you need to ask people local to you. It can really depend what area you are in, in terms of how you are referred, or your best private options, and sometimes you want to know who to *avoid*.
You need local knowledge, not someone elsewhere in the UK, so yeah, I would suggest looking up the closest adult adhd support group and getting all the local gossip.
I used to go to this meetup at Costa coffee
https://aadduk.org/help-support/support-groups/london-adult-adhd-support-group/
posted by Elysum at 7:06 AM on March 20, 2022
Find the closest online or in person adhd support group, because you need to ask people local to you. It can really depend what area you are in, in terms of how you are referred, or your best private options, and sometimes you want to know who to *avoid*.
You need local knowledge, not someone elsewhere in the UK, so yeah, I would suggest looking up the closest adult adhd support group and getting all the local gossip.
I used to go to this meetup at Costa coffee
https://aadduk.org/help-support/support-groups/london-adult-adhd-support-group/
posted by Elysum at 7:06 AM on March 20, 2022
My partner (London based, a similar age to you) asked their GP for a referral to these folks and successfully got an NHS funded diagnosis and meds.
There was still a bit of a waiting time but it was a lot faster.
I believe you can also just give them money for the diagnosis.
So first (well second, but quite close second) hand experience of resolution.
Also do feel free to memail me if you have further questions.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 3:07 PM on March 20, 2022
There was still a bit of a waiting time but it was a lot faster.
I believe you can also just give them money for the diagnosis.
So first (well second, but quite close second) hand experience of resolution.
Also do feel free to memail me if you have further questions.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 3:07 PM on March 20, 2022
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You may or may not want to Google ADHD co-occuring conditions and read over the other issues which may affect you. It will be useful to discuss these when you make an appointment.
posted by mani at 12:10 AM on March 20, 2022