Right to Choose ADHD Assessment in the UK - Your Complete Guide

You initiate the process by speaking to your GP. Here's what you need to do:

1. Book an appointment with your GP and explain that you want to access an ADHD assessment. You don't need a diagnosis already - you just need to describe your symptoms convincingly enough that your GP agrees a referral is justified.

2. Tell your GP explicitly: "I would like to use my Right to Choose and be referred to a private provider under NHS England's contract."

3. Your GP will need to place a referral into the NHS system. They may suggest their local NHS mental health service first, but you can decline and request Right to Choose instead.

4. The GP (or sometimes the NHS system automatically) will send your referral to NHS England's Right to Choose portal. From there, you can select a provider.

5. You'll get a letter or email with a unique referral ID. Use that to contact your chosen provider directly - they'll contact you to book your appointment.

Not every private provider accepts NHS Right to Choose referrals. These are the main ones you can currently access:

Psychiatry-UK is the largest provider and often has the shortest waiting times, typically 8-12 weeks. They have psychiatrists across the UK and offer both online and face-to-face appointments.

Clinical Partners has a nationwide network and also typically offers appointments within 10-16 weeks. They specialise in adult ADHD and are very experienced with the Right to Choose process.

ADHD 360 is another established provider with good availability. Their waiting times are similar, usually 12-16 weeks depending on location.

National Waiting Times Clinic operates in parts of England and also takes Right to Choose referrals.

Your GP should be able to give you current information on which providers are available in your area, or you can check the NHS website directly.

Some GPs are reluctant to refer patients for ADHD assessment. They might say things like "you're too old," "you would have been diagnosed by now," "you don't seem hyperactive," or "we're too busy." These are not valid reasons to refuse.

Your GP has a duty to refer you if they think ADHD assessment is clinically appropriate. They don't get to decide whether you have ADHD - that's the specialist's job. Their job is to decide whether referral is warranted based on your symptoms.

If your GP refuses to refer:

- Ask them to document their reason in writing on your medical record. This creates accountability.

- Request a second opinion from another GP at the same practice.

- Switch to a different GP practice. You have the right to register with any practice that's accepting new patients in your area.

- Escalate your complaint to NHS England. They take Right to Choose refusals seriously.

- Contact charities like ADHD UK who can sometimes intervene on your behalf.

In the vast majority of cases, if you persist, you will get a referral. The earlier you've completed any screening tools (like the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale), the harder it is for a GP to refuse.

Here's the complete journey from GP appointment to assessment appointment:

Week 1: GP appointment. Discuss ADHD symptoms with your GP. They agree a referral is appropriate.

Week 1-2: GP submits referral. Your GP places you on the Right to Choose referral pathway.

Week 2-3: You receive notification. You'll get a letter or email with your referral ID and information about choosing a provider.

Week 2-4: Choose your provider. Log into NHS England's Right to Choose portal or contact providers directly. Select Psychiatry-UK, Clinical Partners, or another eligible provider.

Week 2-6: Provider contacts you. Your chosen provider reaches out to confirm your appointment and may send questionnaires to complete in advance.

Week 6-16: Assessment appointment. You'll have a detailed assessment appointment, usually 60-120 minutes long, with a psychiatrist or senior clinician.

Week 16-20: Diagnosis and treatment plan. You'll receive your diagnosis (if ADHD is confirmed) and recommendations for medication, therapy, or both.

Ongoing: Shared care. If you're prescribed medication, your GP takes over prescribing from your private provider (usually after 3 months of initial titration). This is called a shared care agreement.

The whole process from GP appointment to diagnosis is typically 10-20 weeks. This is dramatically faster than NHS waiting lists, which often exceed 2 years.

Waiting times are the main reason people use Right to Choose. Here's the comparison:

Standard NHS referral through local mental health services: 2-3 years in most of the UK. Some services have waiting lists of 1000+ people. You might wait years without even being assessed.

Right to Choose referral through Psychiatry-UK: 8-12 weeks on average. In some areas, 4-8 weeks.

Right to Choose through Clinical Partners: 10-16 weeks depending on location.

Right to Choose through ADHD 360: 12-16 weeks typically.

This is not a small difference. You could wait 2-3 years for a local NHS assessment, or 2-4 months for a Right to Choose provider. That's the difference between waiting through your entire career or moving on with diagnosis and treatment.

If you've already been waiting 6+ months at your local NHS service, Right to Choose can often significantly reduce your wait.

This is crucial: the NHS pays for your Right to Choose assessment. You don't pay anything.

NHS England has contracts with private providers to deliver ADHD assessments. Your GP's referral puts you on these contracts. The provider bills NHS England; you receive a bill for £0.

This is sometimes not clearly explained by GPs, and some people mistakenly think Right to Choose means paying privately. It doesn't.

If you see a completely private provider (not on an NHS contract), you would pay out of pocket - usually £500-2000 depending on the provider. But the major providers mentioned above all accept NHS Right to Choose, so you won't pay.

After your Right to Choose assessment, if you're prescribed medication like methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin) or lisdexamfetamine (Elvanse), your GP prescribes it and the NHS pays for your medication too. Costs are capped at standard prescription charges (£10-15 per item in England).

Here are common things GPs say when patients request Right to Choose, and how to respond:

"You would have been diagnosed as a child if you had ADHD." - This is incorrect. ADHD in girls and women is often missed, and many people develop better coping mechanisms in childhood that break down in adulthood. Late diagnosis is entirely normal.

"You don't seem hyperactive." - ADHD manifests differently in different people. Inattentive type doesn't involve hyperactivity. Diagnosis isn't based on how you appear in a 10-minute GP appointment.

"Our waiting list isn't that long." - You still have the right to choose. A waiting list of 18 months is still long. Right to Choose exists precisely because standard NHS waits are too long.

"You'll need to try therapy first." - This is not a legal prerequisite for ADHD assessment. You can be referred directly for assessment.

"We're too busy to handle Right to Choose referrals." - This isn't your problem. GPs are contractually obliged to place referrals if clinically indicated.

If you encounter any of these objections, keep your response calm and factual. Referencing your Right to Choose statutory right (Section 75 NHS Act 2006) sometimes helps. If refused after persisting, escalate to NHS England directly.

Once you're scheduled for assessment, here's what typically happens:

Your provider will send questionnaires to complete beforehand. These usually include childhood history, symptoms, impact on work/relationships, family history of ADHD, and screening tools like the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) or Conners Rating Scale.

The assessment itself is usually 60-120 minutes long with a psychiatrist or senior clinician. They'll review your questionnaires, ask detailed questions about your childhood, school years, work history, and current symptoms.

They may test your attention, memory, and executive function (though this isn't always done).

They'll explore whether your symptoms are better explained by something else (depression, anxiety, trauma, sleep disorders can mimic ADHD).

At the end, they'll give you their diagnosis (or confirm you don't meet diagnostic criteria) and discuss treatment options.

You'll receive a written report, usually within 2-4 weeks, that you can share with your GP. Your GP uses this to initiate shared care prescribing if medication is recommended.

Navigating the Right to Choose system can feel overwhelming. My ADHD Path offers tools to make this easier:

My Navigator helps you understand your symptoms and prepare for conversations with your GP. It guides you through what to tell your doctor and what to emphasize.

My Letter Templates provide ready-to-send letters you can use if your GP initially refuses to refer you. These letters reference your statutory rights and are often very effective at changing GP minds.

My Pro AI Chat lets you discuss your specific situation with an AI trained on ADHD diagnosis criteria and the UK healthcare system. If you're unsure whether Right to Choose is right for you, or you're preparing for your assessment appointment, you can talk through your options.