Choosing Your ADHD Specialist Wisely

Selecting the right specialist for ADHD assessment and treatment is essential to ensure you receive high-quality care and improve the chances of your GP accepting a Shared Care Agreement (SCA). At Attention to Health, we provide all the key elements you should look for when choosing a specialist, ensuring a high standard of care.

1. Ensure They Follow National Guidelines

• Choose a specialist who adheres to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for ADHD diagnosis and management.

• Additionally, check whether they meet the Adult ADHD Assessment Quality Assurance Standard (AQAS), which helps assess the quality of an ADHD service and ensures that evaluations are conducted to a high standard.

• At Attention to Health, we follow NICE guidelines and AQAS standards, ensuring our assessments and treatment plans meet the highest clinical benchmarks.

• A well-documented and compliant assessment improves the likelihood of your GP accepting shared care.

2. Check If They Offer Shared Care Agreements

• Before booking an assessment, confirm whether the specialist has existing shared care arrangements with NHS GPs.

• Some clinics have established pathways for transitioning patients to NHS prescribing, while others do not.

• Attention to Health offers comprehensive support for Shared Care Agreements, including clear communication with GPs and structured reports designed to meet NHS requirements.

3. Choose a Registered Health Professional

• Ensure the specialist is registered with a recognised regulatory body:

• Doctors should be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) and be able to demonstrate a track record of working in the field of ADHD.

• Clinical Psychologists and Educational Psychologists should[DH1]  be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and ideally be a Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol) with the British Psychological Society (BPS).

• A specialist with experience in both NHS and private settings is more likely to provide a report that aligns with NHS requirements, increasing the chance of a successful shared care agreement.

• All our clinicians at Attention to Health are fully registered with their respective professional bodies (GMC, HCPC) and have extensive experience in ADHD assessment and treatment.

4. Enquire About Their Level of Experience and Quality Monitoring

• Ask how long the specialist has been assessing and treating ADHD and whether they have additional expertise in neurodevelopmental conditions.

• Check whether they undergo regular clinical supervision, peer review, or quality audits to ensure they maintain high standards of practice.

• If they work within an ADHD service, ask how the service monitors quality and whether they receive ongoing professional development in ADHD management.

• Specialists who take part in multidisciplinary team (MDT) reviews are more likely to deliver well-rounded assessments and treatment plans.

• At Attention to Health, we prioritise clinician development, regular peer reviews, and robust quality assurance processes to ensure the highest standard of care. We have weekly MDT reviews where we discuss  our current patients.

5. Ask About the Assessment and Reporting Process

• A thorough assessment should include:

• A full clinical history.

• Standardised ADHD rating scales.

• Consideration of co-existing conditions.

• A comprehensive treatment plan.

• Ask if the specialist provides a detailed report that meets NHS standards, as GPs are more likely to accept shared care when reports are clear, structured, and evidence-based.

• Attention to Health provides comprehensive, structured reports designed to facilitate shared care agreements, ensuring that NHS GPs have all the necessary information to support ongoing prescribing.

6. Consider Long-Term Costs and Prescribing Options

• If shared care is not possible, check if the specialist offers ongoing private prescribing and at what cost.

• Some clinics provide extended review intervals to reduce long-term costs for patients who remain in private care.

• Attention to Health offers both shared care support and private prescribing options, with transparent pricing and structured medication reviews to help manage long-term costs effectively.

By choosing a reputable ADHD specialist—whether a doctor with a specialist interest, psychiatrist or psychologist—who follows NICE and AQAS standards, is registered with the appropriate regulatory body, and monitors the quality of their work, you can improve the likelihood of receiving high-quality care and successfully transitioning to NHS prescribing.

At Attention to Health, we meet all of these standards, ensuring a professional and patient-centred approach to ADHD assessment and treatment.