Diagnostic Assessment

Private Diagnostic Assessment

In 2020 a BBC report found that at least 21,000 adults with potentially undiagnosed ADHD were sitting on NHS waiting lists in England. In some areas the waiting lists were up to five years long. [View Article]

It is both unfair and unfortunate that adults are having to consider private ADHD assessments in order to access timely interventions.

It isn’t clear why there is such as shortage in statutory services for adult ADHD. However, ADHD is not an easy condition to diagnose and can be a chameleon in terms of the symptoms that may manifest. Many of the symptoms such as anxiety, depression, sleep problems, mood instability and poor concentration also appear as symptoms in some mental health conditions.

Because there are no scans or tests that can diagnose ADHD, the assessment relies on the assessor taking a good history, asking others for information about when you were a child, and using their knowledge, skill and expertise to determine whether you have undiagnosed ADHD. A robust assessment is a considerable process which takes time and requires any assessor to have had specialist diagnostic training.

The assessment process offered by Care to Change is undertaken in two sessions:

• Screening assessment
• Diagnostic assessment

Both assessments are payable separately. Diagnostic assessment is undertaken only if indicated during your screening assessment. This means that you will only be paying for the stages of assessment you need.