Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
this NHS Became ‘heavily reliant’ on private clinics to diagnose ADHD (ADHD) The analysis found that middle-class patients were more likely to get prescriptions.
Experts say “eager” patients are able to get diagnoses at private clinics rather than stay on long NHS waiting lists, with the number of people from wealthy backgrounds receiving prescription drugs increasing fivefold in the past decade.
NHS data analysis the times It has been revealed that people in north-west London are around three times more likely to take doping than in Yorkshire, suggesting there is a postcode lottery when it comes to diagnosis.
Dr Mukesh Kripalani, chief consultant adult psychiatrist at the ADHD Centre, told the newspaper: “Wealthy people are able to get help, but working-class people have a harder time getting it. There’s a huge postcode lottery and there’s a huge difference in funding between different parts of the country.”
A recent study found a “significant increase” in the proportion of people using ADHD drugs in the UK. Driven by rising prescription rates among adults, especially women.
Prevalence Number of ADHD drugs triples in UK Between 2010 and 2023 – from 0.12% to 0.39%.
Experts led by academics from the University of Oxford said that among adults aged 25 and above, “the number has increased by more than 20 times for women and 15 times for men.”
Thea Stein, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust think tank said the times: “More and more people are seeking diagnosis in the private sector as waiting lists grow. If you choose the private sector and then submit your private diagnosis to the NHS, your waiting list will rise quickly.
“People also use ‘option’ to get a diagnosis. We know from many other areas of health care policy that you can take better advantage of it if you’re a little more pointed.”
It is estimated that 700,000 people in England are currently waiting to be assessed for ADHD, with warnings that waiting lists could be as long as 10 years.
Wes Streeting admitted the government was failing to cope with the number of referrals for autism and ADHD.
When asked on BBC Radio Oxford whether autism and ADHD referrals were an epidemic that the government was failing to tackle, the health secretary said: “Well, in short, yes.
“We have two challenges here.
“One is to look at the prevalence of ADHD and autism, and then look at what’s going on in terms of prevalence and mental health respectively.
“As a government we are working hard to understand what is driving this increase.
“Is this just an awareness – a positive awareness – that means people who just had no support and no diagnosis are now aware that they most likely have ADHD?
“Secondly, meeting demand because our NHS is really not doing enough in that regard.
“We’re looking at this across the country … it’s obviously not a happy situation for people and it’s one that I’m very concerned about.”
ADHD is a disorder that affects people’s behavior, often experiencing irritability, difficulty concentrating, and increased impulsivity.
Although most of this condition is diagnosed in children under the age of 12, some are diagnosed later in life. Symptoms in Children and Children teenager May include inattention, seeming inability to listen, constant fidgeting, talking too much, and little or no sense of danger.
NHS England adds that symptoms of ADHD in adults can be more difficult to define. However, they often include problems with organization, time management, concentration, coping with stress, restlessness, and impulsivity.