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<p>It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available
the appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population,
including access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessments, in
line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
The NICE guidelines for ADHD diagnosis and management aim to improve the diagnosis
of ADHD and the quality of care and support people receive. The NICE guidelines do
not recommend a maximum waiting time standard for ADHD diagnosis, either from referral
for an assessment to receiving an assessment, a diagnosis, or a first contact appointment.</p><p>There
is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting
times for assessment for ADHD. A specific assessment of the implications for departmental
policies of the number of people on a waiting list, or the number of assessments provided
each month for adult ADHD services in Leeds, is not currently planned.</p><p>The Department
is exploring options to improve data collection and reporting on ADHD assessment waiting
times nationally, to help improve access to ADHD assessments in a timely way, and
in line with the NICE guideline. In support of this, the National Institute for Health
and Care Research’s Policy Research Programme has commissioned a research project
to provide insights into local ADHD diagnosis waiting times data collection.</p><p>In
December 2023, NHS England initiated a rapid piece of work to consider ADHD service
provision within the National Health Service. The initial phase of work identified
challenges, including with current service models and the ability to keep pace with
demand. Following this initial review, NHS England is establishing a new ADHD taskforce
alongside the 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
people with ADHD and help provide a joined-up approach in response to concerns around
rising demand for assessments and support.</p><p>Alongside the work of the taskforce,
NHS England has announced that it will continue to work with stakeholders to develop
a national ADHD data improvement plan, carry out more detailed work to understand
the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from local health systems
who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services, to ensure best practice
is captured and shared across the system.</p>
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