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ADHD assessments: patient information

Healthcare Central London accepts adult ADHD referrals via the NHS e-Referral Service (eRS) under the Right to Choose pathway. 

We do NOT accept self-referrals.

Person on video call

What to expect from your ADHD assessment appointment

Our assessments are online or in-person with a consultant psychiatrist, or specialist ADHD Clinical Assessor.

We will send information on how to join the virtual call ahead of your appointment. 

What the assessment covers:

  • A detailed clinical interview 
  • Standardised ADHD rating scales 
  • Exploration of your strengths, challenges and lived experience 
  • Consideration of co-occurring conditions 
  • A clear, evidence-based diagnostic decision 
  • Time for questions and clarification 

We do not expect you to mask or present symptoms in a particular way.  

Our focus is on understanding your day-to-day experience and how it has developed over time.

After the assessment

You will receive:

  • A comprehensive diagnostic report – this is an official letter that explains what your assessor has diagnosed from your appointment, written in clear, accessible language 
  • Information about support options and next steps 
  • If needed, guidance on medication and a prescription  
  • We will also share your report with your GP 
  • Be mindful of the content of your report and who else you may wish or wish not to share it with. 
Woman taking medicine

Medication and titration

If you are diagnosed with ADHD and advised to take medication, our clinicians will help you find the right dose with check-ins as required. 

If you do not want to start medication, we can help to provide advice and guidance locally, you will be returned to your GP. 

Click here for more information on prescribing

Ongoing care

Once your medication dose is stable, we will issue a Shared Care Agreement with your GP. 

  • If your GP agrees to the shared care, you will be returned back to them and receive monthly prescriptions from your GP. 
  • If your GP does not agree, you will continue to receive prescriptions from us. 

We also support you with an Annual Review to check how you are managing with your ADHD medication and discuss any changes if needed. 

Frequently asked questions about assessments

  • Yes. Your GP must complete the referral. You can use this letter to ask your GP to make the referral.

  • Yes. We offer online appointments and will explain how these work in advance. 

  • Yes. You can make appointment changes by contacting us by email at hcl.adhd@nhs.net.

  • Yes. We provide prescriptions for you to collect at a community pharmacy of your choice. 

  • Yes, your assessor needs to be able to see you as part of the assessment.  

  • Yes. You can take breaks at any time, and the session can be paced to suit you. 

  • Yes. You are welcome to have a support person with you during the assessment. 

  • Yes. Adjustments are part of our service. You can request them at any stage. 

  • This is very common. We aim to make the process calm, respectful and predictable. You can tell us what helps you feel more comfortable. 

  • We will explain the outcome clearly and discuss other possible explanations or next steps. 

  • You can write things down, take your time, or share information in advance or ask your support person to help. We adapt to how you communicate best. 

  • A consultant psychiatrist is a fully qualified medical doctor who has completed specialist training in psychiatry and holds a senior clinical role. 

    They lead the team which includes specially trained and qualified ADHD assessors and healthcare professionals who support you when starting ADHD medication (known as tritators).  

    Consultant psychiatrists: 

    • Diagnose mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions 
    • Prescribe and manage medication 
    • Lead and oversee clinical services 
    • Work with psychologists, GPs and other professionals 
    • Make complex clinical decisions 

    In the UK, consultant psychiatrists are regulated by the General Medical Council (GMC). 

  • Our service is led by Dr Balu Pitchiah, an award-winning Psychiatrist. He has worked with more than 25,000 neurodiverse patients, with a particular focus on high-functioning autism, ADHD, and neurodivergent women in the perimenopausal stage.

  • Titration is the process of finding the right dose of medication for you. Your clinician will start you on a dose and adjust it gradually over time, checking how well it works and whether there are any side effects. The goal is to reach a dose that helps manage your symptoms safely and effectively. 

  • Yes. We follow NHS and GDPR standards to keep your information secure. 

  • Yes.

  • We want you to have the best possible experience when using our services. If something hasn’t gone well, we want to hear from you so we can put things right and learn for the future. Here is our complaints policy:

    Talk to us first

    Most problems can be sorted out quickly by speaking to a member of staff at the time. Please feel free to tell us what’s gone wrong, we’re here to help. 

    How to complain 

    If your concern cannot be resolved straight away, you can make a formal complaint. 

    Please tell us as soon as you can so we can understand what happened and investigate properly. 

    You can make a complaint: 

    • by email via hcl.contactus@nhs.net 
    • in writing by sending a letter to Healthcare Central London, 25 Chapel Street, London NW1 5DH 

    We accept complaints from: 

    • the patient 
    • someone acting on the patient’s behalf (with their permission) 

    If your complaint is on behalf of a child, please ensure you say this in your complaint. 

    When should you make your complaint? 

    It’s best to make your complaint within a few days or weeks of the issue. 

    However, we can usually look into complaints made within 12 months of the event, or within 12 months of when you first became aware of the problem. 

    If more time has passed, don’t worry, still contact us. We’ll let you know if we can investigate. 

    What happens after you complain 

    Here’s what you can expect: 

    • We will acknowledge your complaint and let you know what will happen next. 
    • We will look into the issue, which may include speaking to relevant staff or reviewing records. 
    • We will respond to you with what we found, what we learned, and what we are doing to improve. 

     We will respond to your complaint within 21 days.

    Your information 

    We take your privacy seriously. 

    If someone complains on your behalf, we may need your permission before we can discuss your care with them. 

    If your complaint is on behalf of a child, please ensure that this is communicated clearly in your complaint. 

    If you’re not happy with the outcome

    If you feel your complaint has not been resolved, you can ask for an internal review. 

    We will explain how this works and help guide you through the next steps. 

    For information about the NHS complaints procedure, visit NHS England » Feedback and complaints about NHS services 

    You can also contact an independent complaints advocacy service called HealthWatch. Further information about HealthWatch can be found at Welcome to Healthwatch | Healthwatch 

    If you are unhappy with the response you have been given, and want an independent review of the complaint, please write to: 

    Health Service Ombudsman for England, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP.  

    Alternatively you can contact NHS England at PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT or via phone at 0300 311 22 33  or an email at England.contactus@nhs.net  

  • In some areas of the country, Integrated Care Boards or ICBs are restricting how many appointments providers can do for ADHD diagnosis.

    This decision is put in place by the ICB not by Healthcare Central London.

    It may mean that even if you are successfully referred into our service, we cannot book your appointment straight away.

    If this impacts you, we will contact you and explain the situation.

    We appreciate how difficult some patients may find this. Here are some resources to support you:

    • Get more advice and guidance via the NHS website here: ADHD in adults – NHS 
    • Samaritans provide confidential emotional support if you are anxious, depressed or suicidal. Call the 24-hour helpline 08457 90 90 90 
    • If you need help for a mental health crisis or emergency, you should get immediate expert advice and assessment, get advice from NHS 111 if you need urgent help for your mental health.
    • If you are concerned about an immediate risk of harm – either to yourself or someone else – then phone 999. 

     

  • At the start of the meeting, your clinician will ask for your consent to use transcription software. The transcript is only available to your clinician to use in their reporting and is automatically deleted from the transcription platform after 30 days. The notes will stay in the patient record for quality purposes. No audio is recorded.

  • Once we receive your completed questionnaires, we will let you know we have them and we will keep you informed on how long it will be until you have your assessment appointment.