Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism

Autism and ADHD assessment services across North East and North Cumbria continue to experience exceptionally high levels of demand, resulting in longer waiting times. This reflects a national picture driven by increased awareness and changes in how people seek and access support.

To manage this pressure in a planned, fair and responsible way, the ICB has temporarily agreed revised activity plans with Right to Choose (RTC) providers for new autism and ADHD assessments. This approach is designed to protect existing services and ensure that people already in the system continue to receive safe and appropriate care. It is being applied consistently across all commissioned RTC providers.

It is important to be clear about what this means:

• New referrals are not being stopped or paused - referrals for autism and ADHD assessment can continue to be made.
• The revised activity plans apply only to Right to Choose providers and do not affect NHS Trust services.
• Children under the age of six are not impacted, as there are no RTC providers commissioned to assess this age group; these assessments continue through NHS Trusts.
• Providers will:
• Continue to see anyone with a booked appointment
• Prioritise and assess anyone considered clinically urgent
• Manage assessments for people already waiting within the agreed activity levels

As a result, people referred during 2025/26 may experience longer initial waiting times with RTC providers, but all existing referrals will retain their original referral dates. Anyone who already has an appointment, is part way through assessment, awaiting treatment, or receiving ADHD medication will continue to receive care without disruption.

Alongside this approach and immediate actions, the ICB is working closely with NHS providers and partners to redesign autism and ADHD services so they better meet the needs of our population. This includes:

• Reviewing how assessments are prioritised
• Improving the information, guidance and support available while people wait
• Making communication clearer for patients, families, professionals and the public
• Ensuring services are prepared to respond to questions and concerns

While waiting times remain too long and unmet need is significant with understandable anxiety for patients and families, it is also important to recognise that more people than ever before are receiving autism and ADHD assessments, and ADHD medication where clinically indicated. In 2025/26, more individuals have been supported than in any previous year.

Our aim is to be fair, consistent and transparent, while ensuring services are sustainable. This will allow a revised and improved approach to assessments to be implemented as soon as it is safe and responsible to do so. We will review this position in April 2026.

Questions or concerns

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the NENC ICB Complaints Team.

Email: nencicb.complaints@nhs.net

Telephone: 0191 374 4218

Freepost: FREEPOST, NENC ICB COMPLAINTS Contact Address: Complaints Team, North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, Pemberton House, Colima Avenue, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR5 3XB

North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB) plans and pays for NHS services in this area.

NENC ICB has become aware of the recent suspension of services from Holistic ADHD Solutions, also known as ADHD.net, which is commissioned by NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB. However, some adults from the North East and North Cumbria populations have accessed this ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) service under the NHS Right to Choose via a referral from their GP.  

The below information gives an update on the Holistic ADHD Solutions/ADHD.net suspension and describes what that means for people impacted in our population.

Who does this apply to?

This update applies only to patients on the Holistic ADHD Solutions waiting list, whose NHS care is funded by North East and North Cumbria ICB.

If your care is funded by a different ICB, please check messages from your provider. If your care is under a different provider, this does not impact you. 

What has happened?

In November 2025, Holistic ADHD Solutions Ltd (“Holistic ADHD”) was dissolved at Companies House, meaning that they were no longer able to trade or be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The CQC informed the host Commissioner, NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB about this, who issued a Suspension Notice as a result.

While the provider is no longer showing as dissolved, concerns remain relating to how the organisation is being managed, including risks to continuous delivery of services. At present, the Suspension Notice remains in place until formally withdrawn by Norfolk and Waveney ICB. 

NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB are currently transitioning patients to another provider and recommended that other ICBs obtain a list of any of their affected patients by contacting Holistic ADHD Solutions Ltd.

NENC ICB has since instructed Holistic ADHD Solutions to stop accepting referrals from GP practices in the North East and North Cumbria and is following the same process, by transferring patients to another provider for continuity of care, where required. 

What does this mean for people receiving care and/or treatment from Holistic ADHD Solutions Ltd

People currently in active treatment or receiving medication from Holistic ADHD solutions will be contacted and transferred to alternative provider Care ADHD to ensure clinical safety, unless the patient chooses to withdraw from the service upon notification.

People on the waiting list for an assessment that have not been seen/assessed by Holistic ADHD Solutions will be given the option to choose their own alternative provider via a referral from their GP. This could be an alternative provider under the NHS Right to Choose, or via your local commissioned service (Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS foundation Trust, or Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust). Patients waiting for an assessment will be contacted by the provider and redirected to their GP to discuss options for a new referral. 

Medication concerns

NENC ICB is arranging for the transfer of medication, treatment and care for those currently in receipt of this service from Holistic ADHD solutions to Care ADHD.  Patients can of course choose to decline or withdraw from this service however, should they so wish.

Medication breaks are safe for most ADHD medications (unless you are taking guanfacine/Intuniv). However, pausing or reducing ADHD medication may affect your ADHD symptoms, so you should always seek clinical advice. Where NENC ICB have been advised that patients have commenced medication and/or titration under Holistic ADHD Solutions, your care will be transitioned to Care ADHD unless you opt out. However, please consult your GP immediately for guidance if you are running out of medication.

Further information can be found here: Shortage of medicines for ADHD

Your Right to Choose

You still have the legal Right to Choose which NHS provider carries out your ADHD assessment if you have not commenced treatment and are on the waiting list.  Please contact your GP, who has access to a list of providers available under the NHS Right to Choose.

Support

If you are worried about your wellbeing, please contact your GP.

If someone is in crisis:

· For urgent health needs that are not life threatening, please use NHS 111 online at www.111.nhs.uk or by phone. Call 111 and press 2 for mental health. You will be put through to a trained mental health advisor.

· Call 999 if it is a life-threatening injury or illness

• Text SHOUT to 85258 (24/7)
• Call Samaritans on 116 123 (24/7)

Questions or concerns

These decisions were made by NENC ICB, who plan and fund NHS services.

If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to make a complaint, please contact the Complaints Team.

Email: nencicb.complaints@nhs.net

Telephone: 0191 374 4218

Freepost: FREEPOST, NENC ICB COMPLAINTS Contact Address: Complaints Team, North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, Pemberton House, Colima Avenue, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR5 3XB

Our goal is to ensure that people who need an NHS assessment for ADHD or autism get one.

We understand that for some people, getting an assessment is very important. Sometimes it can help with getting help and support.

Across the NHS in England there has been a significant rise in demand for assessments for ADHD and Autism diagnosis since 2019. In our area we have four times as many children and young people and seven times more adults waiting for an assessment than we did in 2019.

NHS services have not been able to grow to meet the increased demand, more people are waiting, and people are waiting longer for an assessment.

We recognise the waiting lists in our region for an NHS assessment for diagnosis are long and continue to increase. 

Working together with all of our partners we have an ambitious programme of work to improve our waiting times and the support available to people waiting, and to ensure that there are good quality alternatives to an NHS assessment.

You do not need a diagnosis to access some kinds of help and support.

In England if a GP refers an NHS patient to a specialist for a physical or mental health condition, in most cases patients have the legal right to choose the specialist hospital or service, including those for ADHD and Autism assessments.

The Right to Choose is based on a number of criteria which must be satisfied before your GP can make a referral.

If your GP supports a referral there are a number of Right to Choose providers offering ADHD & Autism services.

It is important to understand which Right to Choose provider is best for you as they do not all offer the same things as part of their NHS contract.

It can be quicker to get an assessment from a Right to Choose provider but not all Right to Choose providers are able to prescribe medication which may be needed after a confirmed ADHD diagnosis.

If there might be a need for medication (for ADHD) some Right to Choose providers are not able to prescribe ADHD medication and those that are, may require a shared care agreement (SCA) with your GP. 

Not all GPs in our area will enter into a share care agreement, this decision is at their discretion.

Many patients find that a diagnosis is sufficient for obtaining additional support from schools or employers, or they may not need medication at all for managing their condition.

Some patients are able to and choose to pay for medication with private prescriptions.

If you choose to self-refer to a private provider, the Right to Choose will not apply and the NHS will not pay for the assessment and or any recommended treatment.

A right to choose is not a right for a referral, referrals need to be clinically appropriate.

It is advisable to have a conversation with your GP to help understand if Right to Choose is right for you, and which provider can fully meet your needs.

Further resources:

ADHD & Right to Choose referrals: Visit the ADHD website for more information.

ASD & Right to Choose referrals: Visit the National Autistic Society website for helpful details.

NHS: How you can access NHS mental health services

ADHD medication can only be prescribed by a specialist; GPs are not currently able to prescribe ADHD medication in England.

Shared care is a formal local agreement that enables GPs to accept responsibility for the safe prescribing and monitoring of specialist medicines.

*Guidance issued by the General Medical Council (GMC) states the GP is not obliged to enter into a shared care arrangement with any provider, and GP practices can decline shared care requests on clinical and capacity grounds.

If you are recommended ADHD medication after your assessment, how you get that medication can vary.

It depends on how and where you had your assessment:

• If you had an NHS assessment (through CNTW or TEWV)
• If you were assessed through Right to Choose
• If you paid for a private assessment

Each of these options might have different rules about prescribing and getting medication. Your GP or care team can help explain what’s available in your situation.

Our goal is to help people with ADHD and/or autism get the support they need to live well and feel happy whether they have a formal diagnosis or not.

Everyone deserves the right help, and support should be based on what a person needs, not just on a diagnosis.

Our ambition across our region is to ensure that ‘needs led’ help and support is available whether there is a formal diagnosis of ADHD and or Autism, or not. Having a person's needs met could include help to improve self-esteem and confidence, improve mental health, help with diet and nutritional advice, improve sleep or employment and or educational difficulties.

You should contact your local authority or local NHS team to find out more about what is available in your area.

Further resources:

ADHD & Autism

• ADHD in children and young people - NHS
• ADHD in adults - NHS
• Where to get autism support - NHS

Information on ADHD

• NHS Website

Information on ASD

• NHS Website

NHS Help and Support locally

• Support for neurodiverse children and young people