Leeds Adult ADHD Service temporarily closes to non-urgent new referrals due to unsustainable demand
The Leeds Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Service temporarily closed to new referrals from 11 October 2024 in response to unsustainable levels of demand, and to work with partners to develop a new care pathway that meets that demand.
The service currently has a waiting list of around 4,500 people and receives around 170 referrals per month. It is currently resourced to see and assess around 16 people per month. This means the number of referrals it receives is over 10 times the number it can realistically see.
ADHD is a condition that affects people’s behaviour. People with ADHD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse. ADHD affects 2-4% of adults and can cause significant issues for people living with the condition. Find out more about it on the NHS UK website.
Dr Chris Hosker (pictured), Medical Director at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We know this will be distressing news for those currently on our waiting list, and people in Leeds seeking a diagnosis on the NHS. We apologise sincerely for any anxiety this causes.
“To address this issue, we must be open and honest with patients and the public about our overwhelming challenge. Our ADHD Service’s waiting list will just continue to grow if action is not taken. For example, if someone was to join the waiting list today, it would take well over 10 years for them to be seen.
“We believe it would be unfair and unethical to continue to take referrals. We therefore suspended new non-urgent referrals into our service from 11 October 2024.
“Our plan is to analyse our waiting list and prioritise people with the highest clinical need as quickly as we can. Whilst we are doing this, we will be working with local health and care partners, including the Leeds GP Confederation, to develop a new vision for adult ADHD services in Leeds with the aim of meeting this demand.
“We cannot currently give a timescale on how long this will take, but we will provide regular updates and share details on what this looks like as soon as agreements have been reached.
“Access to NHS ADHD services is a nationwide problem and not just a Leeds problem. Demand for ADHD services has massively increased in recent years, and the NHS has not been funded to meet this demand – with several other NHS services closing to new referrals across England over the last two years.”
Find out more on the Leeds Adult ADHD Service website.
Background information
ADHD assessments for children and younger people in Leeds
ADHD assessments for those under 18 registered with a GP in Leeds are carried out by the Neurodevelopmental Assessment Team within the Child and Young People’s Mental Health Service – hosted by Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust. Referrals to this service are still open but are also subject to high demand and long waits.
Advice and support for patients and carers
The Leeds Adult ADHD Service encourages people to access alternative help and support if they need it. This is detailed on their website.
Demand for ADHD services: the national context
NHS services have been overwhelmed by a huge rise in demand for adult ADHD assessments. This is a national problem, and not just limited to Leeds.
In April 2024 the Nuffield Trust reported on the issue, highlighting “a large variation between areas with some people waiting months and others waiting years for a first appointment.” It also states that part of the problem is there is no national data published on referrals or waiting times for ADHD assessments, which means that “the challenges can go unrecognised.”
Instead, it presents the rise in demand through national prescribing data. Between 2019/20 and 2022/23, there was a 51% increase in the number of patients prescribed medication for ADHD according to the analysis.
Read the full article on the Nuffield Trust’s website.
Other NHS providers that have already suspended referrals
LYPFT is not the first NHS trust to suspend new referrals for ADHD services. Examples of where other NHS Trusts have done this include:
Cheshire and Wirral NHS Foundation Trust
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Hereford and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust
National ADHD Taskforce
Earlier in 2024 NHS England announced it would set up a new attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) taskforce alongside government to improve care for people living with the condition.
The new taskforce will “bring together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting those with ADHD and help provide a joined-up approach in response to concerns around rising demand.”
The announcement highlights the growing demand issue by stating that ADHD was the second most viewed health condition on the NHS website in 2023, after Covid-19, with 4.3 million page views over the course of the year.
Read the full article on the NHS England website.
The Leeds Adult ADHD Service is contributing to the work of the national taskforce through the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, which is working with NHS England’s North East and Yorkshire regional team.
About ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects people’s behaviour. People with ADHD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse. ADHD affects 2-4% of adults and can cause significant issues for people living with the condition.
Symptoms of ADHD tend to be noticed at an early age and may become more noticeable when a child’s circumstances change, such as when they start school. Many cases are diagnosed when children are under 12 years old, but it is also diagnosed later in childhood. Sometimes ADHD was not recognised when someone was a child, and they are diagnosed later as an adult.
The symptoms of ADHD may improve with age, but many adults who were diagnosed with the condition at a young age continue to experience problems.
People with ADHD may also have additional problems, such as sleep and anxiety disorders.
Find out more about it on the NHS UK website.
About Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
We are the main provider of specialist mental health and learning disability services in Leeds. We also provide adult neurodiversity service in Leeds; we provide some specialist services across West Yorkshire and Humber & North Yorkshire, and we provide some highly specialised services across the North of England.
For more information please contact:
The Communications team.
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
T: 0113 85 55989
E: communications.lypft@nhs.net
Page last updated: 14th Oct 2024 6:25pm