ADHD clinic shut for referrals due to 10-year wait

The service, based at Aire Court in Middleton, Leeds, closed to non-urgent referrals on Friday

An NHS adult ADHD assessment service has temporarily closed to non-urgent new referrals while it deals with a waiting list of about 4,500 people.

The Leeds Adult ADHD Service, based in Middleton, said it had to take action to address "extremely high" demand and the "unsustainably long" backlog.

The service, which paused referrals on Friday, said anyone who joined the waiting list now would be waiting "well over 10 years" to be seen.

Anyone already on the waiting list should wait to be contacted, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said.

ADHD is a condition that affects people’s behaviour - making it harder to concentrate and manage time. Acting impulsively and taking risks can also be an issue.

People are only diagnosed if the symptoms cause at least a moderate impact on their lives.

A BBC investigation carried out in the summer suggested at least 196,000 adults were on waiting lists for ADHD assessment across the UK.

'Unfair and unethical'

The service, located at Aire Court, said on its website: "We are currently holding a waiting list of around 4,500 people and we are only able to see and assess around 16 people per month.

"The waiting list has been increasing by around 170 new referrals each month and is therefore unsustainable."

Dr Chris Hosker, the trust's medical director, said it would be "unfair and unethical" to continue to take referrals and apologised for any anxiety caused.

“Our plan is to analyse our waiting list and prioritise people with the highest clinical need as quickly as we can," he said.

"We will be working with local health and care partners to develop a new vision for adult ADHD services in Leeds with the aim of meeting this demand."

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