NHS waiting times for ADHD and autism assessments stretch to two years

NHS boards have imposed minimum waiting times of two years for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism assessments, reflecting a health service under pressure from a sharp rise in referrals for these conditions.

The bottlenecks have knock-on effects for patients, leading to delays in accessing medical help and specialist support even after a diagnosis is eventually made.

Nearly a million on waiting lists

Referrals for clinical ADHD and autism assessments have risen sharply over the past six years, driven in part by growing understanding of and changing social attitudes toward these conditions.

Nearly 1 million people in England are now on ADHD waiting lists, with the average wait already exceeding a year at 64 weeks. A further 295,000 people are awaiting an autism assessment.

The scale of the backlog highlights the challenge facing the NHS as it works to expand assessment capacity to keep pace with rising demand, while patients face prolonged uncertainty over diagnosis and access to support.