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Adult ADHD Referral Process

Information for Healthcare Professionals

We accept referrals for adult patients (18+) requiring a specialist ADHD assessment and/or treatment.

All referrals must be submitted using our ADHD referral form. 

1. Confirm Clinical Appropriateness

Before referring, please ensure:

  • The patient is aged 18 or over
  • There is a clinical suggestion of ADHD
  • Symptoms are longstanding, with evidence or history suggestive of onset in childhood
  • Symptoms are causing functional impairment
  • Alternative causes have been considered
  • The patient consents to referral

2. Complete the Adult ADHD Referral Form

Referrals must be made using our referral form. Letter referrals alone may be returned.

Please include:

  • Full demographics and NHS number
  • Relevant psychiatric and medical history
  • Current medication
  • Risk assessment (including safeguarding where relevant)
  • Evidence of functional impairment
  • Completed Adult ADHD Self-Report Score (ASRS v1.1) form
  • Any other completed screening tools (if available) 
  • Confirmation of patient consent

Incomplete referrals may delay triage.

3. Submit the Referral

Referrals should be sent via:

Please do not send referrals to individual clinicians.

4. Triage and Assessment

Before referring, please ensure:

  • Referrals are reviewed by our clinical team
  • If accepted, the patient will be added to the waiting list and contacted directly
  • If further information is required, we will contact the referrer
  • Following assessment, a detailed clinical report will be provided

Where medication is clinically indicated, initiation and titration will be undertaken by our service in accordance with NICE guidance. Shared care may be offered in accordance with local prescribing arrangements. 

For patients who have undergone an ADHD assessment elsewhere and are seeking referral to our treatment pathway, a full diagnostic report must be provided. This will undergo clinician quality review against recognised standards, and where the report does not meet the required threshold, reassessment within our service may be necessary before treatment can proceed.

Right to Choose Referrals (England Only)

Under the NHS Right to Choose framework in England, patients have the legal right to choose their provider for a first outpatient appointment where the service holds an NHS contract.

If your patient wishes to be referred to us under Right to Choose:

  1. Confirm clinical appropriateness for ADHD assessment
  2. Document the patient’s request to exercise their Right to Choose
  3. Complete our Adult ADHD referral form
  4. Submit the referral directly to our service (not via local secondary care pathways) 

We will manage assessment and treatment under NHS commissioning arrangements where eligibility criteria are met.

Right to Choose applies to patients registered with a GP in England only.

Exclusions

We do not accept:

  • Urgent or crisis referrals
  • Referrals for medication only without full diagnostic assessment
  • Patients under 18 years

For urgent mental health concerns, please refer via appropriate local crisis pathways.