Thank you for contacting me about support for people affected by ADHD.
I appreciate that living with ADHD can be difficult and believe that we need to support people with this condition to live well.
Thank you for making me aware of the consultation on the NHS Payment Scheme for 2025/26. I recognise the importance of this issue to you and ADHD UK, and your concerns that the proposals could lead to longer waiting times for ADHD assessments and affect patient rights under the NHS Constitution.
NHS England’s Impact Assessment acknowledges that a payment limit imposed by an Integrated Care Board on a provider could impact the length of waits for a treatment option offered by that provider, and therefore how far patients may be able to exercise their right to choose.
It is important that the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England addresses concerns that this proposal could lead to local systems giving less priority to reducing waiting times for ADHD assessments.
I understand that there are no current plans to hold a public inquiry into how ADHD assessments and pre- and post-diagnostic support are managed. The Health and Care Act 2022 requires Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to commission, provide and decide how health care services are funded in their area, working with their partner NHS and Foundation trusts, and involving the public in making decisions around commissioning.
Clearly there remains more to do to improve diagnosis and support for people with ADHD and I will work to ensure that this issue receives the attention it rightly deserves in Parliament.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
