This guide is based on reporting by The Guardian on 24 and 25 September 2026, and on the published policy of NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board. The summary and advice below are our own.
The short answer
Several NHS areas in England have started to ration ADHD and autism assessments because they cannot keep up with demand. The strictest example so far is West Yorkshire, where anyone who chooses an NHS-funded independent provider now waits at least two years from referral before they are assessed. If you live in one of the affected areas, the Right to Choose route no longer gets you seen quickly.
What has changed?
The Guardian reported that four integrated care boards (ICBs), which plan and pay for NHS care in their area, have introduced minimum waiting times for ADHD and autism assessments. Fifteen ICBs, covering around 19 million people, now limit assessments in some way, for example by capping how many they fund each year or by only assessing people who meet priority criteria.
West Yorkshire ICB states on its own website that the minimum wait for patients under the care of independent providers “is currently two years from the date of referral”. It covers Leeds, Bradford, Kirklees, Calderdale and Wakefield. According to the Guardian, the ICB’s bill for these assessments rose from £7m in 2023–24 to £21m the following year.
At a glance
- West Yorkshire: minimum two-year wait for NHS-funded independent providers.
- North East and North Cumbria: providers work to a minimum of about 78 weeks.
- Somerset: minimum wait of 52 weeks. Devon: 14 weeks. Kent and Medway: a minimum wait introduced.
- Hampshire and the Isle of Wight: assessment limited to patients who meet priority criteria.
- Around 960,000 people in England are waiting for an ADHD assessment and 295,000 for an autism assessment.
Sources: The Guardian, 24 September 2026, West Yorkshire ICB. Checked 30 September 2026.
Why is this happening?
Referrals have risen sharply over the past six years. In its analysis, the Guardian points to better understanding of ADHD and autism, especially in girls and women who were often missed before, less stigma, the effects of the pandemic, and the fact that a diagnosis is often needed to get support at school or at work. The average wait for an NHS ADHD assessment was already more than a year (64 weeks) before these new limits.
A government-commissioned review led by Professor Peter Fonagy is looking at the rise in demand. Its full report has been postponed until October, so more changes may follow.
Who is affected?
Mainly people in England who were planning to use Right to Choose, the NHS scheme that lets your GP refer you to an independent provider with an NHS contract. In the areas with minimum waits, that route now comes with a fixed delay. People in other parts of England are not affected by these particular policies, and the rules are different again in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
A spokesperson for the campaign group Finally Seen, which tracks these restrictions, told the Guardian: “A two-year minimum wait is not a waiting list. It is a locked door with a date on it.”
What are your options?
- Check your own area first. Ask your GP practice, or look up your ICB’s policy, before you assume the worst. In many areas Right to Choose still works as before, and it is free.
- Stay on the NHS list. If your need is not urgent, this costs nothing. Ask your GP whether you meet any priority criteria, as some ICBs see urgent cases much sooner.
- Pay for a private assessment. This is the only way to avoid the wait if you live in an affected area. Check what the report can and cannot do before you book, especially if you hope your GP will take over ADHD medication. Our guide on private diagnoses and shared care explains this.
If you decide to go private, we arrange assessments for children and adults with licensed clinicians at our partner clinic in Cyprus, and tell you the earliest available date before you commit. If Right to Choose is still quick where you live, we will tell you so.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a two-year wait for ADHD assessments everywhere in England?
No. The two-year minimum applies in West Yorkshire. Other areas have shorter minimum waits or priority criteria, and many have no minimum wait at all. Check your own ICB’s policy.
Does the minimum wait apply to Right to Choose?
Yes. In the affected areas it applies to NHS-funded assessments with independent providers, which is the route most people use under Right to Choose.
Can I still get assessed faster?
Some ICBs assess urgent cases sooner. Otherwise, a self-funded private assessment is the main way to avoid the wait.
Will my GP accept a private diagnosis?
Your GP can note it, but taking over ADHD medication under shared care is voluntary and many practices decline it for private providers. Ask your practice before you book.
