ADHD waiting lists ‘clogged by patients returning from private care to NHS’

Private clinics sometimes lack staff who are qualified to prescribe medication. ongkarnThanyakij/Getty ImagesPrivate clinics sometimes lack staff who are qualified to prescribe medication. ongkarnThanyakij/Getty ImagesADHD waiting lists ‘clogged by patients returning from private care to NHS’NHS trust warns that people with ADHD in England are facing gaps in care caused by difficulties with private assessmentsWaiting lists for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in England are being clogged by patients returning to NHS care after difficulties with private assessments, a trust has warned. The major NHS trust said people referred by GPs to private clinics using health service funding were increasingly asking to be transferred back after care stalled. These include cases where private clinics are able to diagnose ADHD but their assessments do not always comply with guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, or where providers lack staff with the appropriate qualifications to support continued prescribing. The consequences for patients can be severe.