ADHD care costs soar as NHS turns to private sector

The NHS is overspending by £164m a year on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder services, with an increasing amount going to unregulated private assessments, a Guardian investigation has found.

- Sarah Marsh Carmen Aguilar García Rachel Hall

Analysis shows that total spending on NHS ADHD services is expected to be more than double existing budgets. Further data shows the amount spent on private ADHD services has more than tripled over three years.

Experts have said assessments provided by private providers can be unreliable, pointing to cases in which patients have been harmed by poor continuity of care after private diagnoses.

Demand for ADHD assessments has reached record levels as awareness of the condition has increased and NHS services have become stretched, with more than half a million now waiting for an assessment.

Last month the health secretary, Wes Streeting, announced a review into the diagnosis of mental health conditions such as ADHD amid concern over the numbers of people with such conditions claiming sickness benefits.

Research shared with the Guardian shows spending on ADHD services is estimated to reach £314m by April 2026, more than double the year's budget of £150m set aside for this area of healthcare. The figures, which cover 32 of England's 42 integrated care boards (ICBs), raise concerns that other services could face cuts to offset the £164m overspend.

Nineteen ICBs also gave data on how much of their ADHD budget went on private companies, showing the NHS's increasing reliance on outsourcing. It showed spending had more than tripled in three years, from £16.3m in 2022-23 to £58m last year.

This has raised concern that firms are making millions from what critics say is an under-regulated market.

Due to how the data is collected, it could include some spending for other neurodiversity conditions.