Parents at 'burnout' waiting for ADHD and autism assessments

Group calls for new approach to support neurodivergent people

- EDEL KENEALY

Desperate parents in Renfrewshire have spoken of burnout and paying thousands of pounds for ADHD and autism assessments amidst a “system-wide crisis”.

Members of the Neu Narrative support group say they, or their children, have waited years for a diagnosis and have been exhausted by the process.

The group, established and run by the Star Project in Paisley, spoke out in the same month the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland (RCPsychiS) urged the Scottish Government to adopt a new public health approach to meet the needs of neurodivergent people.

The college said the number of people on waiting lists (65,000) was so vast that a new approach to support people without a diagnosis is needed.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde— which provides services to people in Renfrewshire — had in excess of 11,000 children waiting for an assessment for neurodivergence as of March this year.

It means children are often waiting between three and five years for a diagnosis.

Hundreds mores are also waiting on an assessment by community services for adults, delivered by Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership.

The situation has been described as a crisis by psychiatrists.