ADHD assessments

ADHD assessments (adults)

**I now only provide this service for existing therapy clients.**

I also offer a diagnostic assessment of ADHD for adults.

As with the autism assessment process (which you can read about here), I may ask you to complete some background questionnaires and provide any additional information you may have (e.g. old school or medical reports). I will combine this information with a structured interview (either the DIVA-5 or the ACE+) to establish if you meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD.

As with the autism reports, you will be able to review your report and correct any factual errors before being sent the final, signed, version.

Important considerations

Although there are agreed criteria and methods for assessing ADHD that all diagnosticians adhere to, no two services or assessment experiences are exactly alike. This often depends on the context (e.g. busy NHS service with limited resources versus small independent practice) and the particular style and background of the clinician. There is a range of questionnaires which can provide the required background information, for example, and different clinicians will conduct their interviews in different ways, resulting in varying costs.

As a clinical psychologist with a background in mental health and an interest in neurodiversity, my focus tends to be on providing you with a thorough assessment, not just of the "symptoms" or features of a possible neurodevelopmental condition that you bring, but also of you as a person and your life context. My aim is to facilitate you with a better understanding of yourself and my comprehensive reports reflect this. Such a process inevitably takes longer and may cost more, however, than one focused on providing a purely diagnostic outcome in as little time as possible. Both approaches are completely valid, and down to individual choice.

If you are seeking an ADHD diagnostic assessment primarily because you want to understand yourself better, my service is likely to be a good fit. If you are seeking diagnosis with a view to trialling medication, however, please read on.

ADHD Medication

Clinical psychologists do not prescribe medication, so I would not personally be able to take on this aspect of your care. However, I now have an arrangement to refer on to a private psychiatrist specialising in ADHD, who can prescribe and "titrate" your medication (if you are medically suitable). This service also takes place completely online, but is completely independent of McClean Professional Psychology.

If you would prefer to work with your local NHS post-diagnosis, it would be advisable to check with your local psychiatry service in advance about their position on private assessments. Technically, there should be no reason for any psychiatrist (NHS or private) not to accept a thoroughly-conducted and documented private diagnosis of ADHD (by a clinical psychologist or other appropriately qualified professional with training and expertise in the diagnosis of ADHD, as per section 1.3 of NICE guideline NG87), but this may not always happen in practice.

ADHD ASSESSMENTS