ADHD UK Assessment
If you suspect that you have ADHD, it is important to talk about it with your GP. They can discuss your symptoms and inquire about any other mental health conditions you might be suffering from.
NHS patients in England are legally entitled to choose their own mental healthcare provider. This includes accessing ADHD assessment services.
What is ADHD?
ADHD is a mental illness that affects the way that signals are transferred between brain cells. This can cause difficulties with learning, organization, and paying attention. It can also make managing problems like self-control and making the right choices more difficult. People with ADHD are often angry and frustrated, and find it difficult to handle routines and tasks others find easy. They may also experience difficulties with emotions like anxiety, low mood and depression.
People suffering from ADHD are often misdiagnosed, or receive wrong treatment. NHS services are struggling to cope with the increasing demand for assessments and some areas have delays of more than two years. Some have stopped taking new referrals altogether, according to the BBC's Freedom of Information requests. The Freedom of Information requests reveal that a few doctors have stopped accepting referrals altogether.
Doctors are required to consider the claims of people who think they have symptoms of ADHD seriously, and refer them to an assessment. They must adhere to NICE guidelines which require that the assessment be carried out by an expert ADHD nurse or psychiatrist (or any other "appropriately-qualified healthcare professional" (NICE)).
If you're waiting to be considered for an NHS assessment, it is possible to take the matter into their own hands and request an individual diagnosis. This is possible through the Right to Choose path, which allows a doctor to recommend them for an ADHD assessment to a preferred provider. To make this happen, the GP must discuss with the patient about their concerns and explain why they'd like to be assessed for ADHD symptoms by a psychiatrist.
Many private ADHD assessment providers offer titration of medication through the NHS following the assessment. The largest is Psychiatry UK, who provide information on how to use their service through Right to Choose, including a downloadable letter that you can hand to your GP.
Common Symptoms of ADHD
ADHD symptoms can impact the ability of a person to concentrate and maintain control over their emotions. The symptoms include hyperactivity, inattention and the tendency to be impulsive. While a large number of people struggle with these challenges but those who have the characteristics for an ADHD diagnosis face issues that are significantly over the norm for their age or development. These issues can hinder their ability to perform at work and home and can cause issues in relationships.
Inattention is when a person struggles to stay focused and engaged and is often easily distracted and losing their focus on what they are doing. They might also have difficulty planning and following instructions. Hyperactivity can be a common manifestation of ADHD. It could include excessive fidgeting or talking. Impulsivity refers to the tendency to act without thinking about consequences, or to seek immediate satisfaction.
Some people suffering from ADHD might have trouble making and maintaining friendships. They may also be frequently criticized by other people for their lack of attention and recklessness. Depression, low self-esteem or anxiety can also be experienced by people with ADHD. People with ADHD can face problems throughout their lives. For example, when they leave the family home to study or work. New stressors, like relationship problems, financial pressures, and parental expectations can also impact them.
It is important to speak with your GP in the event that you suspect you may have ADHD. They can help you determine whether an NHS ADHD assessment is helpful and recommend an appropriate service that meets your needs. This could be a Community Mental Health Service or an specialized Neurodevelopmental Service.
During your consultation, your doctor will ask you questions about your family life and your social life. They will also carry out an exam to rule out other conditions, such as depression and anxiety. They will also examine any reports or assessments from the past and will review your medication.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists warns that ADHD services are struggling to handle demand, and waiting lists for assessments are lengthy. In order to better understand the scale of the issue we made FOI requests to each NHS trust in England that manages ADHD services and discovered that, on average, people wait longer than six months to get an appointment.
ADHD symptoms in adults
Untreated ADHD symptoms can create problems for adults that are more difficult than the children's. They may have issues with relationships issues, career challenges and a general feeling of under-achievement. They may have trouble keeping their job, adhering to corporate rules or meeting deadlines. They may also have trouble managing their finances and end up in debt as a result of purchases made on impulse. They might have difficulty staying healthy due to a poor diet or the inability to sit or focus for long periods of time.
Adults with ADHD are more difficult to diagnose and treat than children. This is due to the fact that medical professionals have preconceived notions of how people with ADHD look. This is especially true if the person is of color, was a female at birth, or does not speak English natively. Furthermore, those who suffer from ADHD can be more likely to suffer from mental health issues that mirror the symptoms of ADHD such as depression or anxiety.
adhd assessment online is characterized by restlessness and an inability or unwillingness to sit still. Adults suffering from this disorder are also more likely to be overwhelmed and stressed, causing them to feel overwhelmed by the daily situations. They might also have a hard time controlling their emotions, and suffer from depression, anxiety or low self-esteem.
Adults with ADHD may not be aware of their condition until they reach adulthood and experience more stress and demands. The symptoms may not be evident until they leave school or their parents' home, and might continue to cause them problems as they assume new roles at work and in life.
In an effort to reduce the issue of delays in receiving an NHS ADHD assessment, Nice has endorsed the use of an online test to help speed up diagnosis. The test will be available to psychiatrists and pediatric specialists in England to evaluate the six-to-17-year-olds. The QbTest is able to determine if an infant or young child is suffering from the three main signs of ADHD which are hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity. It will cut down on the time it takes to identify ADHD and improve the outcomes for children and young people with the disorder.
ADHD symptoms in children
If your child's symptoms are serious enough to have an impact on their daily life, then you may seek out your GP for a referral to an expert nurse or psychiatrist. You can then have an assessment with a specialist who will cover general mental health and the assessment of ADHD. Nurses or psychiatrists can prescribe medication to treat ADHD symptoms.
The assessment should be semi-structured in order to permit the collection of symptom and impairment information, which is critical in determining ADHD. The assessment should contain open-ended questions that are honest and encourage a candid response. The assessor can employ real-life scenarios to go deeper than the "snapshot" clinical impression. It is recommended to explore all DSM symptoms and criteria.
It is important to screen for other mental disorders, especially those that can be similar to ADHD symptoms or are often co-occurring with it, like depression and bipolar disorder. It is also crucial to investigate if there is an history of substance abuse and/or eating disorders, as they could have a major impact on the outcome of an ADHD diagnosis, especially when not treated.
The NHS assessment process is often long and frustrating for those with ADHD. This is usually due to an inability to understand the criteria for assessment and the fact that many healthcare professionals have preconceived ideas about what a person with ADHD 'looks like'. This can result in people being misdiagnosed, or not diagnosed in the first place, and often leads to lengthy waiting lists for assessments.
After the assessment the results should be clearly documented in an official report that explains whether or not the ADHD assessment criteria have been met. The report should also include the diagnosis and a discussion of the next steps (usually an appointment with your GP for shared management). This may include a brief overview of treatment options. It is important to keep in mind that the test is only the start of the management journey. It is essential that a discussion of the larger educational and psychosocial aspects of managing ADHD are included in the post-diagnostic discussions that NICE recommends.