Most adults who suspect they have ADHD leave their GP appointment without a referral. Not because they aren't eligible — but because the ten-minute slot ran out before they could explain why they were there. This guide walks you through exactly what to bring, what to say, and how to ask for a referral under Right to Choose.
Why GPs are cautious about ADHD referrals
GPs are not ADHD specialists. They cannot diagnose ADHD themselves — only a psychiatrist or specialist nurse can. What they can do is refer you to a service that performs the assessment. Many GPs see a lot of patients who have read about ADHD online and want a quick answer, so they default to caution.
That caution is not personal. The way to get past it is to walk in with a clear, specific account of how your symptoms affect your life, and a clear, specific ask: a referral for an NHS-funded ADHD assessment under Right to Choose.
What to bring to the appointment
Three things make the difference between a 'let me think about it' and a referral sent the same day:
1. A symptom history. A short written list of the inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms you experience, with examples. The WHO ASRS-v1.1 screening form is the standard tool GPs recognise — completing it in advance saves time and shows you have done the work.
2. Evidence of impact. Be specific: missed deadlines at work, forgotten bills, relationship strain, jobs lost. GPs are trained to look for functional impairment — vague 'I struggle to focus' is not enough; 'I have been late filing my tax return three years in a row and was fined twice' is.
3. Evidence of duration. ADHD is a developmental condition — symptoms must have been present since childhood. School reports, parent recollections, or examples from your teens all help.
How to open the conversation
Don't ask 'do you think I have ADHD?' That puts the GP in the position of having to give a clinical opinion they aren't qualified to give, and they'll usually deflect.
Instead, say something like: 'I think I may have ADHD. I've completed the ASRS screening form and scored positive. I'd like to be referred for a formal NHS assessment. I'd like the referral to be made under Right to Choose to <provider name>.'
That sentence does three things in one breath: it names the condition, it shows you have screened, and it asks for a specific action. It also pre-empts the most common deflection, which is 'the NHS waiting list is years long' — Right to Choose is the answer to that.
Name Right to Choose specifically
Right to Choose is a legal right under the NHS Constitution that lets you pick any provider in England with an NHS contract for your assessment. The wait is typically 6–18 months instead of 1–7 years on the standard pathway, and it is fully NHS-funded — you pay nothing.
Bring the name of the provider you want to be referred to. Common Right to Choose ADHD providers include Psychiatry UK, ADHD 360, Care ADHD, and Innovate ADHD. Bring a referral letter template with the provider's referral address so the GP only has to sign and send.
If the GP says they need to think about it
Sometimes the GP will say they need to check with a colleague, look at the practice's policy, or get back to you. That is fine — politely ask when you should expect to hear back, and book a follow-up. If two weeks pass with no response, call the practice and ask.
If the answer comes back as a refusal, ask for it in writing with the clinical reason. Funding is not a valid reason to refuse a Right to Choose referral. We have a separate guide on what to do next.
Make it easy for the GP to say yes
The GPs who refer fastest are the ones presented with a complete pack: ASRS form filled in, a clear referral letter naming the provider, and a one-page summary of your symptoms and their impact. It saves the GP twenty minutes of admin and removes every excuse for delay.