The recent legal challenge brought by Govan Law Centre against NHS Tayside marks a critical moment for adult ADHD services in Scotland. The action highlights what many patients and clinicians have known for years: persistent delays and barriers to ADHD assessment are not isolated issues, but systemic failures that leave people without timely, appropriate care.
Freedom of Information responses cited in the case indicate that NHS Tayside has not provided adult ADHD-only assessments for several years, despite hundreds of people remaining on waiting lists. The current approach, which restricts referrals to those with additional mental health conditions, effectively excludes adults whose primary difficulty is ADHD. For those individuals, the message has been clear and damaging: wait indefinitely, seek private care if you can afford it, or go without answers and support.
ADHD Direct fully supports this legal action on behalf of patients across Scotland who deserve better and faster healthcare. Every day, we work with individuals and families who have been left in limbo by NHS pathways that are either inaccessible or non-existent. Many arrive exhausted after years of struggling without diagnosis, reasonable adjustments, or treatment. Others face worsening mental health, employment difficulties, relationship breakdowns, and financial strain, not because help does not exist, but because it is unavailable to them in practice.
ADHD is a recognised neurodevelopmental condition with clear diagnostic criteria and evidence-based treatment pathways. Early and accurate assessment can be life-changing. It allows people to understand themselves, access support, and participate fully in work, education, and family life. When NHS systems fail to provide this, the consequences are profound and long-lasting.
This legal challenge is not about blame. It is about accountability, equality, and patient rights. It raises serious questions about whether current practices meet the duties set out under NHS legislation and equality law, and whether people with ADHD are being indirectly discriminated against through service design and omission.
We stand with patients, advocates, and legal professionals calling for reform. Access to ADHD assessment should not depend on geography, financial means, or the presence of additional diagnoses. It should be timely, fair, and consistent across Scotland.
Read more about the legal challenge here:
