ADHD Service

Attention Deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how the brain develops, causing ongoing problems with paying attention and/or being very active and impulsive, overall making everyday life difficult.

According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), it is estimated that 3-4% of adults have ADHD, (NICE, 2025)

NICE: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Symptoms

Symptoms of ADHD can vary between individuals, the 3 core subtypes are:

Inattention-

easily distracted and forgetful,
hard to organise your time
struggle to follow order and instructions or finish tasks entirely
losing items easily such as; phone, keys, wallet etc
short attention span
does not notice when they need to eat, drink, sleep

Hyperactivity-

having lots of energy
very talkative
excessive fidgeting
focus on specific topics or activities without noticing

Impulsivity-

being restless
interrupting conversations consistently
making important decisions without thinking about the result of it
finding it hard to wait for their turn

ADHD can be manifested through all symptoms types or only be presented through one.

Women are more likely to present ADHD through inattention and so can find symptoms are much harder to detect

If you believe you may have these any of these ADHD symptoms or your ADHD symptoms are affecting your studies, work function or social relationships, speak to your GP about getting referred into this service to find out what support is available for you.

Assessment

During your assessment, the process will be with a specialist ADHD clinician where they will discuss with you through a holistic discussion about your:

current behaviours and symptoms that are impacting your day-to-day functioning
childhood and psychiatric history
social relationships

Monitoring and medication

Most common medication prescription may include:

Methylphenidate- NHS Medicines: Methylphenidate
Lisdexamfetamine- NICE Medicines: Lisdexamfetamine
Dexamphetamine- NICE Medicines: Dexamphetamine
Atomoxetine- NICE Medicines: Atomoxetine

It is crucial that after your ADHD assessment and medication prescriptions, you attend annual reviews.

This ensures whichever treatment you may be using is monitored for its effectiveness and is tailored to your needs including observational checks

These observational checks will include testing:

Blood pressure
Pulse rate
Weight

Any potential side effects or impacts may prevent you to from continuing your treatment. These reviews allow you to express any concerns and issues with the treatment to alter them to fit your needs.

The New Model of Care

Our new ADHD Local Enhanced Service (LES), aims to:

help reduce waiting times for assessment/ diagnosis and medication adjustments during ongoing monitoring and reviews.
ensure patients are supported with the right care for their level of need- using the newly formulated Needs-Led Categorisation tool

Service Pathway

You can enter our ADHD service through a referral from your GP

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Once transferred into the service (in line with our criteria), you will receive an appointment with a Neurodevelopmental Practitioner (NDP)

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During your NDP appointment, they will use a Needs-led categorisation tool- a conversational coaching approach to holistically understand your needs, circumstances and symptoms that you may be experiencing.

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Once reviewed you would then be matched to the most appropriate interventions available, based on whether your level of need is; low, medium or high.

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These interventions will include all patients receiving an online self-management information pack, and those patients requiring greater support can be eligible for a diagnostic assessment or referral to more complex secondary care.

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If a diagnostic assessment is confirmed and medication has been prescribed, regular medication follow up appointments will be in place to ensure a stable dosage is confirmed.

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Finally once stabilised on the most suitable medication dosage, 12 month annual reviews and 6 monthly observational reviews for ongoing monitoring would be in place to provide support across the years and ensure the treatment is the correct option for you.