The average wait for an adult NHS ADHD assessment in England is now 2–7+ years. Some trusts have closed their waiting lists entirely. The good news: you don't have to be on it.
Right to Choose is a legal NHS right that lets you pick any NHS-contracted provider. Current waits: 6–18 months. Cost: £0.
Current NHS ADHD waits by region (2026)
Region
Standard NHS wait
Right to Choose wait
London
3–5 years
6–12 months
Manchester / Greater Manchester
4–6 years
6–15 months
Birmingham / West Midlands
3–5 years
6–14 months
Bristol / South West
2–4 years
6–12 months
Leeds / Yorkshire
4–7 years
9–18 months
Newcastle / North East
3–6 years
6–15 months
Waits are indicative and change month-to-month. Some ICBs have introduced informal activity caps — the pack flags your local status.
Why are NHS ADHD waits so long?
Demand exploded post-2020 — adult referrals are up ~400% since 2019.
Specialist capacity is fixed — psychiatrists trained in adult ADHD are scarce.
Funding pressure — some ICBs are limiting new referrals informally, even though they cannot legally refuse Right to Choose.
Three ways to get assessed faster
Right to Choose (free, recommended) — Ask your GP for a Right to Choose referral to an NHS-contracted provider. 6–18 months. Fully NHS-funded.
Private assessment (£500–£1,500) — Fastest (weeks), but you pay, and not every NHS GP will accept a Shared Care Agreement afterwards for medication.
Wait on the standard NHS pathway — Free, but realistically 2–7+ years.