As the clinical lead for ADHD Direct and a current NHS practitioner, I recently attended the 2024 ECNP (European College of Neuropsychopharmacology) Congress in Milan. For those unfamiliar, this event brings together around 6,000 psychiatrists, neuroscientists, neurologists, and psychologists from across the globe to share cutting-edge research and ideas in the field of neuropsychopharmacology. The ECNP aims to support innovative research, establish common European standards, and ensure best practices are implemented across disciplines. It’s a hub for collaboration, with the ultimate goal of improving public health and advancing treatments for brain disorders.
Imagine my surprise when, during one of the ADHD-focused sessions—where I was sitting with colleagues from Turkey, Austria, Romania, and Slovenia, discussing medication availability, service provision, and challenges in transition services for young adults—one of my colleagues on another table declared that private ADHD services in the UK are intentionally overdiagnosing ADHD to encourage ‘diagnosis shopping.’
Excuse me? That’s not just insulting, it’s incredibly ignorant.
Now, I’m not one to shy away from a healthy debate, but I take significant offense to the baseless claim that the private service I oversee would operate in such a way. When I questioned this colleague about her defamatory comment, her response? She “knew someone who got a diagnosis and said that.” Ah, the ever-reliable “someone said so” logic.
Firstly, let’s clear up a few things. We live in an era where misinformation about ADHD is already rampant, adding to the stigma that patients have to endure just to feel validated. Many individuals with ADHD face enormous barriers just to get a referral from their GP. Then, they’re often stuck waiting 4-5 years for an assessment—only to be told things like, “You can’t be that bad, you’ve got a job” or “You have a degree, so how could you possibly have ADHD?” It’s demoralizing, to say the least.
And then, if they manage to pull together the funds for a private assessment, they might face a national medication shortage. So, after finally getting a legitimate diagnosis, they can’t even get their prescription filled. To suggest these individuals are merely “shopping for a diagnosis” is both dismissive and absurd. People don’t wake up one day thinking, “I’m going to spend a large sum of money on a new diagnosis, just because I don’t have that many and I fancy another.” No. People seek an ADHD assessment because they’re struggling—often deeply, and for a long time. They’re failing in the simplest of tasks, be it in school, work, relationships, or home life.
By the time many of these individuals arrive for an assessment, they’ve hit rock bottom. They’ve researched tirelessly, spoken to friends, and looked for answers in places where they saw similar traits—whether that’s in family members, colleagues, or public figures. They’re not “shopping” for a diagnosis; they’re desperate for understanding and support.
And let me tell you about the clinicians I work with. They’re committed, intelligent, empathetic, and highly knowledgeable. They know ADHD inside and out—how it presents, how it impacts people, and how to correctly diagnose it. They rule out other conditions and communicate effectively with patients. They keep up to date with the latest research, undergo intensive in-house training, and are absolutely committed to getting it right. Personally, it’s a total privilege to work alongside each and every one of them. Many of my team members still work for the NHS, while others have left to focus on neurodivergent populations because they couldn’t provide the level of care they wanted within the constraints of NHS resources and politics.
So, let’s break down some myths:
- Working in private ADHD services doesn’t mean we’re providing substandard care.
- The clinicians in these services aren’t abandoning their ethics or standards.
- And, most importantly, patients with ADHD aren’t lacking in intelligence, self-advocacy, or individual thinking. They’re choosing reputable services that can provide the help they so desperately need.
To the colleague who made the claim—be careful when you make sweeping statements about your peers. Suggesting that a clinician working in a private setting is somehow inferior or unethical is not just nonsense; it’s dangerously defamatory. And it’s insulting to the patients we serve, who already face so many barriers just to get the care they need.
In an era of significant stigma, when patients are struggling to access any services at all, the last thing they need is more doubt and propaganda thrown into the mix. This isn’t evidence-based. It’s hearsay. It flies in the face of everything the ECNP stands for: translating research into better treatments, supporting public health, and advancing our understanding of brain function.
As my gran used to say, if you don’t have anything good to say… well, you know the rest. Let’s focus on facts, not unfounded claims. And let’s continue to support patients—whether in the NHS or private care—by providing them with the high-quality, compassionate services they deserve.
High Satisfaction Rates in Private ADHD Assessments – ADHD Direct
