Private ADHD assessment for adults

Absolutely. While ADHD starts in childhood, many people aren't diagnosed until adulthood. This is particularly common in women and those with the inattentive presentation. An adult diagnosis requires evidence that symptoms were present in childhood, even if not formally identified at the time.

An adult assessment typically includes a detailed clinical interview, standardised rating scales, developmental history (often with input from a family member who knew you as a child), and screening for other conditions. Appointments commonly run from about 1.5 to 3 hours, though clinics vary — check the clinic’s own figure.

It's helpful but not always essential. While clinicians prefer collateral information from a parent or someone who knew you in childhood, many adults are assessed successfully without this. You may be asked to provide school reports or other historical evidence instead.

35 of these clinics accept NHS Right to Choose referrals for adults. If you are registered with a GP in England, your GP can refer you to an approved provider with the NHS funding the assessment. Right to Choose does not guarantee a shorter wait — waiting times vary by provider, and some local NHS areas (ICBs) restrict or pause referrals — so compare each clinic's current wait time below.

Treatment typically includes medication (both stimulant and non-stimulant options), therapy (particularly CBT adapted for ADHD), and coaching strategies. 153 clinics offer shared care arrangements for ongoing prescriptions through your GP.

You can share your diagnostic report with your GP. A report from a psychiatrist or specialist clinician at a properly regulated clinic (registered with the CQC in England, or HIS, HIW or RQIA in the devolved nations) will set out the assessment and its recommendations. Whether your GP then takes over prescribing is a separate decision — a GP is not obliged to enter a shared care agreement, and NHS England’s independent ADHD Taskforce (April 2025) reported that support for GPs to prescribe ADHD medication is patchy.