Delays in NHS assessments for ADHD and autism are worsening, with some English health boards now enforcing two-year minimum waits due to surging demand. Nearly a million people are currently on waiting lists for ADHD evaluations, while hundreds of thousands face similar backlogs for autism assessments, compounding pressures on specialist care. Experts warn the bottlenecks are exacerbating delays in medical support and access to critical services, reflecting broader challenges in adapting to rising diagnoses and public awareness. The growing crisis highlights systemic strain as the health service grapples with unprecedented referral volumes.
Assessment bottlenecks have knock-on effects, with delays in medical help and access to specialist support• NHS bodies in England impose two-year minimum wait for ADHD and autism assessmentsThat NHS boards have imposed minimum two-year waiting times for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism assessments shows a health service struggling to deal with the consequences of huge changes in understanding of and social attitudes to these conditions.Sharp rises in referrals for clinical assessments over the past six years mean nearly 1 million people in England are on ADHD waiting lists, with the average wait already over a year (64 weeks). About 295,000 await an autism assessment. Continue reading...
