“Worrying” ADHD backlog could have “extremely severe consequences” says leading UK expert
Date: 26th July 2024
A leading attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) specialist has warned the country’s assessment and diagnosis backlog is “really worrying” and could have “extremely severe consequences”.
A BBC News investigation published today found it would take more than eight years for the NHS to see all adult patients waiting for ADHD assessments in many parts of the UK.
Dr Leon Rozewicz, a Priory consultant psychiatrist and one of the UK’s leading ADHD specialists, said: “The scale of the backlog for people seeking NHS ADHD assessments is really worrying.
“The delay prevents people from accessing the support and treatment they need to be able to live their life and, in some cases, has extremely severe consequences for them in work, in their social lives, in academic study, and for their overall mental health.
“70% of people with ADHD have psychiatric co-morbidities, which means they have other mental health issues too, most commonly depression and anxiety.
“A lack of an ADHD diagnosis can prevent them from getting to the root cause of their other mental health conditions, and this all plays into the widespread, escalating mental health crisis we are experiencing in the UK right now.
“The issue is clearly one of resources, across the country’s entire range of mental health services."
He added: “In my ADHD clinics at Priory I am seeing a dramatic increase in demand. Thankfully, for those who access it, the treatment does work.
“The right drugs can significantly reduce people’s anxiety, improve their ability to focus and reduce their hyperactivity, while therapy support enables people to better understand their condition, how it impacts on their life, and how they can successfully manage it.
“A diagnosis of ADHD allows people to request reasonable adjustments at work and education. “Every day I see the positive impact that the right support and treatment can have on people. The effect is truly life-changing.”
Priory, which is the UK’s largest independent provider of mental health and social care services, has a range of information available about ADHD, including assessment and diagnosis as well as ongoing support and treatment, at www.priorygroup.com/mental-health/adhd-treatment/adhd-assessments-for-adults.
ENDS
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About Priory and MEDIAN Group
Priory is the UK’s largest independent provider of mental health and adult social care services. Priory treats more than 70 conditions, including depression, anxiety, addictions and eating disorders, as well as children’s mental health, across its nationwide network of sites. Priory also supports autistic adults and adults with a learning disability, Prader-Willi Syndrome and brain injuries, as well as older people, within specialist residential care and supported living facilities – helping as many people as possible to live their lives.
Priory is part of the MEDIAN Group, the leading European provider of high-quality mental health and rehabilitation services. The MEDIAN Group comprises: Priory in the UK with 280 facilities and 5,000 beds caring for 28,000 people, MEDIAN in Germany with 120 facilities and 18,000 beds caring for 256,000 patients, and Hestia in Spain with 14 facilities and 2,000 beds caring for 10,000 people in Spain, with more than 30,000 employees across the group.