The ADHD Charity ADHD Embrace:
“The initiative for more GPs to be trained in diagnosing ADHD and prescribing medication for ADHD is supported by ADHD Embrace.
It is estimated that 5% of the UK population has ADHD. Today diagnosis rates still largely lag below due to long waiting lists to access ADHD diagnosing services as well as there being waiting lists for prescription services for medication once diagnosed.
ADHD Embrace works to ensure that young people with ADHD are understood, supported and ultimately thrive. Early intervention and support can significantly improve the outcomes of those with ADHD and as a result accessing diagnosis and prescription services is vital.”
Commissioning GP:
Dear Jeremy,
Thank you for your presentation last week. I applaud your proposal and support this approach within Merton/SWL.
Currently I am the clinical lead for LD/ND in my borough.
Having an NHS service funded via ICB across London is ideal, given that we are only at the tip of the 3% prevalence iceberg.
Your talk was powerful, by reminding commissioners that the patients should be at the centre of commissioning.
Parents Experience of current children's service:
Our daughter, age 13 and in year 8 was recently diagnosed after waiting 2 years. She is now waiting for access to medication where the queues are said to be around 1 year. In the meantime her challenges within the school environment have escalated and she has been experiencing Emotionally Related School Avoidance for the past year. Her mental health and access to education have been severely impacted which we believe could have been avoided with better access to early diagnosis and support.
Patient stories on youtube:
Patient experience:
ADHD is a very serious learning disability that isn't really taken as seriously as it needs to be. You see that physically he's not interested, but mentally as well is what you can not see. I have ADHD... the mental side of it is like having your brain tell you 3 or 4 different stories at a time on top of what ever you're currently engaged in. I can be sitting around fully engaged in a subject, and my brain will be telling me all about the things I did last summer, the things I could do next summer, the things I should go and buy, the movie I saw a year ago, the food I ate last night, the food I ate 6 months ago. (Those are things my brain just went through typing this) it's exhausting. I get 5 hours of sleep at night, I wake up ready to go, no matter what my physical exhaustion is, my mind says LETS GO NOW!
Patient experience:
I cannot express enough gratitude for the care and support I've received from Dr. Gray. Navigating the mental health system, especially concerning ADHD, has been an incredibly challenging journey for me. Before finding Dr. Gray, I struggled to get the help I desperately needed, often feeling lost in long waiting lists and bureaucratic processes.
Dr. Gray not only took the time to understand my struggles but also advocated for my right to appropriate care. He worked tirelessly to ensure I was placed on the right waiting lists, which eventually led to my ADHD diagnosis and treatment. While the process was long and frustrating, Dr. Gray never wavered in his support.
Even more impressively, he was able to prescribe ADHD medication for me and has been diligently monitoring my progress. This has made an enormous difference in my life, allowing me to manage my symptoms effectively while waiting for further treatment from Psychiatry UK.
I strongly believe that GPs like Dr. Gray should have the ability to treat ADHD. He has proven that with the right training and dedication, GPs can provide essential care for ADHD patients.
Parents experience
My daughter was experiencing various difficulties at school and was becoming sad and anxious about going to school. She wasn’t making firm friendships, was withdrawing in on herself, and had several gastro symptoms (getting sick, stomach pains etc) which were investigated through a colonoscopy and endoscopy. It was suggested that she may have ADHD and this was the start of the journey to diagnosis.
I cannot express enough how the diagnosis has changed my child's view of herself. She has gone from being anxious with low self esteem and calling herself ’stupid’ and ‘dumb’ to developing her confidence and owning who she is.
I feel, in the strongest of terms, that it should not be the privilege of those who can afford a private consultation to get a diagnosis in a reasonable time frame. Diagnosis isn’t a magic bullet, but without it one cannot get access to medication which is much needed for some, and it can provide a platform for self-knowledge, allow parents to understand their children more and to get them the support they need to thrive.
Parent in the ADHD Embrace Community
Dr Guy Northover Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and Chief Clinical Information Officer Anathem.AI
Anathem addresses the three main barriers to placing neurodiversity in primary care:
1: cultural differences between administrative tasks and report writing.
2: effective triage and pathways so that those people who need a complex secondary care assessment (due to comorbidities or other complexities) get that assessment rapidly
3: high quality governance and assurance processes that are trusted throughout the ICS and all organizations.
Anathem has come about because of the challenges in driving effectiveness alongside quality and efficiency from within an NHS trust.
I am also a real believer in neurodiversity sitting better in primary than secondary care. My wife is a GP in Bucks and reminds me daily of what causes her frustrations and inefficiencies.