How to get an NHS ADHD assessment
Getting an NHS ADHD assessment usually starts with your GP. Because local waiting lists can stretch to several years, many adults in England now use the NHS Right to Choose pathway to be seen by a specialist provider far sooner — at no cost to them.
This guide walks through the route from “I think I might have ADHD” to a formal assessment.
Step 1 — Screen your symptoms
Before you see your GP, it helps to complete a recognised screening tool such as the ASRS-v1.1. It takes about a minute and indicates whether your symptoms are consistent with ADHD. It isn’t a diagnosis, but it gives you and your GP a clear, evidence-based starting point.
Step 2 — Speak to your GP
Book an appointment and explain your concerns. It can help to bring:
- Your screening result
- A few concrete examples of how ADHD-type difficulties affect your work, home life or relationships
- Any history from childhood — school reports, or memories of similar struggles
You do not need to justify your choice of provider. If you’d rather not raise it face to face, many people write their concerns down and hand them over.
Step 3 — Ask for a Right to Choose referral
Under the NHS Constitution, patients in England have a legal right to choose which provider carries out their assessment for most planned, non-urgent care — including ADHD. You can ask your GP to refer you to a specialist provider such as Rainbow Diagnostics through the NHS e-Referral Service.
A simple wording to use:
“I’d like to be referred for an NHS adult ADHD assessment under my Right to Choose, to Rainbow Diagnostics, through the NHS e-Referral Service.”
Step 4 — Your referral is sent
Your GP submits the referral electronically. Once it’s processed, a referral number (UBRN) is generated. Sending that number to the provider lets them book you in.
Step 5 — The specialist assessment
The provider arranges a full assessment against DSM-5 criteria, led by a GMC-registered specialist. A thorough assessment typically:
- Reviews your current symptoms and their impact across different settings
- Explores your developmental history since childhood
- Screens for other conditions that commonly travel with ADHD, such as anxiety or sleep problems
- Takes around 60–90 minutes, often carried out virtually
Step 6 — Diagnosis, report and next steps
If ADHD is diagnosed, you receive a detailed written report, a discussion of treatment options, and communication back to your GP. If medication is appropriate and agreed, your clinician can begin titration, with ongoing prescribing often continued via shared care with your GP.
What Right to Choose does and doesn’t cover
Right to Choose applies to your first outpatient appointment for planned care. It doesn’t cover urgent or crisis care, and it applies to adults (18+) registered with a GP in England. Referrals are always subject to clinical review and acceptance.
If you’re not sure whether you’re eligible, our eligibility check covers the four main criteria — or you can contact our team.
This article is general information and not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you or someone else is at risk, call 999 or NHS 111, or Samaritans free on 116 123.