Skip the waiting list with Right to Choose

If you’ve looked into an NHS ADHD assessment, you may have been quoted a wait of several years. Right to Choose is the legal route many adults in England use to be seen far sooner — still on the NHS, still free.

What is Right to Choose?

Right to Choose is a legal right under the NHS Constitution. For most planned, non-urgent care in England — including ADHD assessment — you can choose which NHS or NHS-approved provider you are referred to, rather than being sent automatically to your local service.

It has existed for years and is used across many specialties. ADHD is simply one of the areas where it makes the biggest difference, because local services are so heavily oversubscribed.

Why it helps with ADHD

Local NHS ADHD services are often overwhelmed. Waits of two to five years are common, and in some areas longer. By choosing an approved provider with shorter waits, you can be assessed in a fraction of the time — at no cost, because the NHS funds the assessment.

Choosing a different provider:

• Does not cost you anything — it’s NHS-funded
• Does not require you to justify your choice
• Does not affect your place on any local waiting list

Who is eligible?

Right to Choose for ADHD generally applies if you:

• Are 18 or over
• Are registered with a GP in England
• Have concerns about possible ADHD
• Are not already under a specialist for the same condition

It covers your first outpatient appointment and does not apply to urgent or crisis care.

How to use it

1. Screen your symptoms with a validated tool such as the ASRS-v1.1.
2. Ask your GP for a Right to Choose referral to your chosen provider through the NHS e-Referral Service.
3. Send your referral number (UBRN) to the provider so they can book you in.

If you’d prefer not to ask your GP yourself, many providers — including Rainbow — can contact your GP practice on your behalf, with your consent, after you complete the screening test.

A note on how providers differ

Right to Choose lets you pick a provider, but quality still matters. Look for a service that is CQC-regulated, carries out full DSM-5 assessments led by GMC-registered specialists, and communicates clearly with your GP afterwards — not one offering a quick questionnaire in place of a proper clinical assessment.

You can read more about how the pathway works, and exactly what to say to your GP, on our Right to Choose page.

This article is general information and not a substitute for professional medical advice.