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ADHD Diagnoses and Medication

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Referrals and Medication

As a practice, we are committed to supporting patients with neurodevelopmental diagnoses, both children and adults.

We are mindful that pressures on NHS services have increased in recent years, and that often patients seek private diagnosis and treatment as a result. This page sets out the practice’s policy on acknowledging diagnosis and taking over treatment where requested.

This document considers national and local guidance, specifically NICE guidance, and the Surrey Prescribing Advisory Database.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can affect many aspects of a person’s life. However, diagnosis is complex and requires a specialist, usually a consultant psychiatrist to do this.

GPs are not able to make a diagnosis of ADHD and a referral is needed to an ADHD specialist. If an ADHD diagnosis is subsequently made by the specialist, they may choose to offer medications to help manage the symptoms. These medications are potentially dangerous and therefore require careful monitoring.

The Adult NHS ADHD service in Surrey is provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership (SABP) and for children this is provided by Mindworks. Once a diagnosis is made, the specialist is responsible for initiating medications, making any adjustments until the dose has been stabilised. The specialist will also remain responsible for arranging an annual review, which includes a review of your ADHD symptoms, your medication and a physical assessment. Once an established dose of the appropriate medication has been established, we may take on responsibility for on-going prescribing and monitoring under a shared care agreement with the NHS service specialist, however responsibility for prescribing and monitoring remains with the specialist. If a shared care plan is not agreed then care of the patient remains the responsibility of the NHS specialist service.

Alternatively, patients can exercise their ‘right to choose’ and ask to be referred to a private provider who has an existing contract to provide NHS services. This may be because the wait times are shorter. Details of right of choose providers can be found at https://adhduk.co.uk/right-to-choose

You need to be aware that should you choose to be referred to a private provider, and a diagnosis is made, we will not be in a position to prescribe ADHD medication or arrange monitoring. This is because the private providers may not be able to offer the same follow-up or monitoring as NHS specialists. As a practice, we will not enter into a shared care agreement with a private provider. Getting the ADHD medication must all be done through the private provider and you should check on the costs of ongoing treatment including prescribing and yearly reviews.

Often private providers have their own referral process however will provide a standard referral form which contains the appropriate information. We cannot completed individual referral forms or provider portals as this is not required under an NHS contract and the provider should not use this as a reason to reject a referral. We may need information from you in order to complete a referral to a private provider on your behalf. Failure to respond to a request for information about your referral in a timely manner, will result in your referral request being cancelled.

If a patient who has been diagnosed by a private service wishes to receive their ADHD treatment on the NHS from their GP, they will still need to be referred to an NHS mental health specialist for an assessment. This referral will still need to go through the NHS waiting list.

If the NHS mental health specialist feels the patient meets NHS criteria to start ADHD medication, a shared care agreement may then, depending on assessment, be agreed between the NHS specialist and GP. if no shared care is agreed then the care of that patient remains with the specialist service.

We have been receiving requests for cardiac examinations/ECGs/BP and pulse checks for patients who are seeing a specialist for their ADHD before being prescribed medications. These tests are the responsibility of the specialist who is assessing and prescribing, we do not have the capacity to do them in general practice.

If a specialist asks us to complete these assessments for them we will be writing back to let them know this is their responsibility to arrange.

For further information on ADHD please visit the NHS website – https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/

Date published: 22nd August, 2024
Date last updated: 10th October, 2025

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