Patients in Leeds told they must wait 10 years for ADHD diagnosis on NHS

Patients in Leeds with suspected ADHD have been told they face a 10-year wait for a diagnosis.

The city's adult ADHD service, based in Middleton, has announced it will no longer accept new referrals of patients needing a diagnosis because of the "extremely high" demand and "unsustainably long" backlog.

The service said it would be "unfair and unethical" to continue to take referrals because it would take those patients "well over 10 years" to be seen.

Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said it currently has a waiting list of around 4,500 people and has been receiving around 170 new referrals per month.

However, it's only resourced to assess around 16 people per month, meaning it is facing "more than 10 times the number it is able to cope with".

In a statement, the trust's medical director Dr Chris Hosker said: "We must be open and honest with patients and the public about our overwhelming challenge.

"Our ADHD service’s waiting list will just continue to grow if action is not taken.

"We know this will be distressing news for those currently on our waiting list, and people in Leeds seeking a diagnosis on the NHS. We apologise sincerely for any anxiety this causes."

He said the trust plans to analyse the current waiting list and prioritise people with the most urgent need as quickly as possible, adding that it is not possible to say how long this would take.

Dr Chris Hosker continued: "Whilst we are doing this, we will be working with local health and care partners, including the Leeds GP Confederation, to develop a new vision for adult ADHD services in Leeds with the aim of meeting this demand.

"We will provide regular updates and share details on what this looks like as soon as agreements have been reached.

"Access to NHS ADHD services is a nationwide problem and not just a Leeds problem. Demand for ADHD services has massively increased in recent years, and the NHS has not been funded to meet this demand - with several other NHS services closing to new referrals across England over the last two years."

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