Key facts
- NHS bodies in England are imposing minimum two-year waits for ADHD and autism assessments.
- The delays are due to surging demand and budget constraints faced by NHS integrated care boards (ICBs).
- Fifteen ICBs, covering 19 million people, have implemented rationing measures for assessments.
- Patient groups warn these delays can harm educational outcomes, life management, and increase suicide risk.
- The West Yorkshire ICB introduced a two-year wait after its assessment costs rose from £7 million to £21 million.
- There are 960,000 people waiting for an ADHD assessment and 295,000 for an autism assessment in England.
Several NHS integrated care boards (ICBs) across England are implementing minimum waiting times of up to two years for ADHD and autism assessments, citing soaring demand and budget pressures. These rationing measures, affecting 19 million people, include limiting annual assessments and using clinical prioritisation to restrict access to the most severely affected individuals.
Patient advocacy groups have strongly criticized these policies, with ADHD UK calling them "heartless and dangerous" and warning of severe consequences for individuals' education, employment, and mental health, including an increased risk of suicide. The National Autistic Society highlighted that a diagnosis is often necessary to access support, and delays can significantly hinder children's development and life participation.
The disclosures come ahead of the publication of a government-commissioned review by Prof Peter Fonagy into the significant rise in diagnoses of mental illness, ADHD, and autism. The report, delayed until next month, is expected to detail the strain on the NHS and the increasing reliance on private providers, which can cost thousands of pounds for an assessment.
Specific ICBs have implemented varying wait times. West Yorkshire ICB introduced a two-year minimum from referral, a decision driven by a tripling of its assessment costs to £21 million. Other regions like North East and North Cumbria have minimum waits of around 78 weeks, while Somerset has a 52-week wait and Devon has 14 weeks. Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have restricted assessments to priority cases.
Independent healthcare providers urged the NHS to utilize all available capacity, including private clinics, to address the backlog of over a million people waiting for assessments. NHS leaders acknowledge the frustration but cite the need to balance budgets against overwhelming demand, deeming the current situation unsustainable.