Thousands of people across Leicestershire are waiting an average of 89 weeks before they can get an assessment relating to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). NHS waiting lists are so bad that people are left in the lurch for over a year-and-a-half at best.
The information, revealed as part of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by LeicestershireLive, showed there were 5,503 adults aged between 18 and 65 waiting for an ADHD assessment as of October last year. Thousands of children are also waiting.
The FOI revealed that 4,123 children aged between 0 and 17 were on the NHS waiting lists. However, just nine people aged 65 and over were left waiting according to the data.
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For adults aged 18-65, the average waiting time for an ADHD diagnosis was 89 weeks – that’s the equivalent of 20 months. That figure drops to 87 weeks for those aged 65+. For children, the numbers are still high, with the average wait time at 65 weeks – the equivalent of 14 months.
What is ADHD?
According to the NHS website, ADHD is a is a condition which “affects people’s behaviour”. It said: “People with ADHD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse.
Among those impacted by the conditon is Vicky Davies from South Wigston. LeicestershireLive spoke to her during Neurodiversity Celebration Week last year and she explained how her diagnosis at the age of 37 had changed her life.
Vicky said she realised when she was going through an ADHD assessment with her child over seven years ago, she started to recognise the traits in herself. She initially got advice from ADHD solutions, a Leicester support group based at St Gabriels Community Centre, in Kerrysdale Avenue. She then went to her GP who made the referral for the assessment.
She was required to complete forms with questions which included: “Are you late, forgetful, easily distracted, impulsive, were you like this as a child?” She said she then had three face-to-face appointments with a psychiatrist, and got the diagnosis in the final appointment.
Vicky Davies was diagnosed with ADHD at 37
(Image: Vicky Davies)
When the diagnosis came through, it was time to sort out her prescription. She explained: “This is not a quick process as it takes time to get the right medication and the right dosage.
“They start you off on a small dose of the most popular one which didn’t do wonders for me. It was supposed to last eight hours but never did. The one I am on now is released in smaller increments throughout the day and it actually does last and wears off at night when you want to be winding down anyway.”
How it has changed Vicky’s life?
Ms Davies said it was a relief to find out the diagnosis. She said: “It was an instant feeling of ‘I am not stupid, I am not lazy, there is a very genuine, valid reason for why I struggle with things’.”
Having the diagnosis and the medication has made a real difference in her life, she added. Now, she feels more able to cope. She was previously disorganised with tasks like admin, she said, and although she is not perfect now, with the help of the medication she finds it less challenging than she did.
What has NHS said about the waiting lists?
The Leicester Partnership NHS Trust said there has been a significant rise in ADHD referrals across the UK, since the Covid-19 pandemic. A spokesperson said: “Unfortunately demand for our services is currently far in excess of what we are commissioned to provide, which has created a waiting list.
“Our commissioners have escalated the issue to the national ADHD taskforce and are working with NHS England, at a regional level, to explore options to increase capacity to enable more assessments and treatments to be undertaken.”
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