NHS bodies in England impose two-year minimum wait for ADHD and autism assessments
Four NHS integrated care boards in England have adopted minimum two-year waits for people seeking assessments for suspected ADHD or autism. The boards said they could not afford the number of assessments being requested, as demand for diagnoses has risen alongside greater awareness of neurodiversity. Patient groups have condemned the delays.
Four NHS integrated care boards covering large regions of England have introduced minimum two-year waits for people seeking assessments for suspected attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism.
The boards adopted the approach because they said they could not afford the number of assessments being sought. Demand for diagnoses has increased as awareness of neurodiversity has grown.
Patient groups have described the delays as “scandalous.”
THE QUESTIONS THIS EVENT LEAVES BEHIND
What conditions apply to people waiting for assessments beyond the two-year minimum?
How were the four integrated care boards’ assessment-capacity decisions made?
What alternatives, if any, are available to people who cannot wait two years?
How might prolonged waits affect demand for assessments in the future?
YOUR QUESTION
Does this story leave you with another question?
Send us the question the report did not answer. It may become the next question IAQ investigates.
GLOBAL CURIOSITY MAP · AUGUST 2026