NHS ADHD spending over budget by £164m as unregulated clinics boom
Exclusive: Total spending in England expected to double existing budgets, with funding for private providers rising threefold
TL;DR
- NHS overspends £164m annually on ADHD services, with spending projected to more than double budgets by April 2026.
- Spending on private ADHD services has more than tripled in three years, raising concerns about an under-regulated market and profit margins.
- Lack of regulation and oversight in private ADHD assessments has led to instances of patient harm due to poor continuity of care.
- High demand and stretched NHS services have resulted in long waiting lists, prompting some patients to use the 'right-to-choose' pathway for private assessments.
- The health secretary has launched a review into mental health condition diagnoses, including ADHD, amid concerns about sickness benefit claims.
- There are no formal rules requiring information-sharing between private neurodevelopmental services and NHS teams, increasing the risk of adverse outcomes.
- Some private providers delivering NHS-funded assessments are not registered with the Care Quality Commission, and some operate without an NHS contract.
- The Department of Health and Social Care states that all providers must meet the same safety and quality standards as the NHS, and responsibility for ongoing oversight remains with specialist clinicians.