Waiting for an Autism or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) assessment can be difficult, and we want to keep you informed about the current situation and what we’re doing to improve access to these services.
Across England, referrals for Autism and ADHD assessments have increased significantly in recent years. Unfortunately, the NHS does not currently have enough capacity to meet this growing demand, without negatively impacting other essential services, which means waiting times are longer than we would like.
Update on your Right to Choose provision – October 2025
When you were referred, you had the right to choose which provider would carry out your assessment and treatment. In some cases, this could mean a shorter wait, but this is not always guaranteed.
To help manage demand and ensure services are delivered fairly, NHS England asked Integrated Care Boards to work with providers to agree on what’s called an Indicative Activity Plan.
This is essentially a shared understanding of:
- How many assessments a provider can carry out
- The maximum amount of time people should be waiting for an assessment in their location
- What funding is available to support this work.
In 2025, we have increased the capacity of our Right to Choose provision by 167% compared to last year. However, many providers have already reached the limit of what they can deliver under this plan. As a result, some patients will not be seen for a new assessment this financial year (1 April 2025 - 31 March 2026).
You can ask to be referred to a different NHS provider if your assessment hasn't started yet. However, due to high demand across all services, this may not result in a shorter wait. If you stay with your current provider, you will remain on their waiting list and be
seen according to their process. If a clinician believes you need to be seen urgently, there are plans in place to make sure this happens.
You will not be discharged from your provider while you are receiving treatment, and any reviews of medication will continue.
Private Assessments
We know some patients have chosen to seek private assessments. It’s important to be aware that NHS services, including GPs, are not required to prescribe medication recommended by private providers. This decision will always be based on clinical judgement and NHS prescribing guidelines.
Development of Autism and ADHD pathways
We know that long waits for assessment and diagnosis can have a real impact and keeping you safe and supported remains our highest priority. We understand that you or your child may need help now and we are working hard to make sure support is available, even before a formal diagnosis is made.
Here’s what we’re doing to improve services and make support easier to access:
- Support before diagnosis: We are expanding services that offer advice and guidance around Autism and ADHD, including new ways to access help sooner. This includes using digital tools and improving how you receive support from services, as well as making it easier to get advice on medication. We will shortly publish details on our website of how and when people can access these services.
- Strengths and Needs Assessments: By March 2026, every child in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will have access to a joined-up team of professionals who can offer tailored advice and support. These teams will work across education and healthcare and will be available to anyone with concerns – helping to meet needs while waiting for a diagnosis.
- Redesigning the diagnostic pathway: We are working to improve how assessments are carried out, including using new technology and making the process of prescribing and reviewing medication more efficient. We will talk with local groups and people who have real-life experience to help shape the design. A new assessment pathway will be designed by March 2026.
While we make these improvements, we are not yet able to give a specific timeframe for when you, your child, or the person you care for will be seen. We know many of you have already been waiting a long time, and we are truly sorry for the delay.
Reducing waiting times is a top priority, and we will continue to keep you updated as progress is made. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to improve these essential services.
Please note that we are unable to respond to individual cases or receive personal details. If you have questions about your place on the waiting list, please contact your chosen provider directly.
If you are worried about your health or wellbeing while you wait, please speak to your GP. Further information on what support you can access in the meantime can be found below.
Support while you wait
Support for adults:
- Text ‘HANTS’ to 85258 for free, confidential text support (24/7)
- Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, available 24/7
Support for children and young people:
- Childline – call 0800 1111 or use online chat
- Shout – text YM to 85258 (24/7)
- Papyrus HOPELINE247 – call 0800 068 4141 or text 88247
If anyone feels in crisis:
- Call 111 for urgent NHS advice
- Call 999 in an emergency
You may also find exploring the following helpful:
- Visit the Autism Hampshire hub
- Visit Waiting Well for advice and support for individuals on neurodiversity waiting lists across the UK
- Find out more on the NHS webpages for ADHD in adults and ADHD in children, and Autism
- The National Autistic Society have an online community and a helpful advice and guidance page
- ADHD UK is a charity run for people with ADHD by people with ADHD
- The Health for Teens website has a broad range of useful health information, including about ADHD and autism. All articles and videos have been developed by trusted NHS school nurses and health and wellbeing experts
- Explore local support groups or charities
- Talk to your GP about self-management strategies, or if you are worried about your or your child’s wellbeing.
More information on urgent mental health support can be found here.