Leeds Adult ADHD Service assessment waitlist drops by 80% after non-urgent referral pause
Here is an insight into how the Leeds ADHD Service's adult waitlist has changed since temporarily closing to new non-urgent referrals
The Leeds ADHD Service has revealed the number of adults on its ADHD assessment waiting list has declined by 80% after implementing measures to combat “growing levels of clinical demand”.
Approximately 4,600 adults were on the service’s waitlist for an NHS ADHD first assessment in October 2024, and now this figure stands at around 900 people.
The Leeds ADHD Service attributes this change to its partnership approach which included temporarily closing the waitlist to new non-urgent referrals seeking diagnostic assessment.
The decision to limit the waitlist was made after the service revealed that it was receiving over 150 new referrals per month, a 15-fold increase compared to figures from 2014.
A spokesperson from the Leeds ADHD Service said: “The Service’s capacity only supported 16 new ADHD diagnostic assessments per month, alongside a growing level of clinical demand.
“This included the initiation and titration of ADHD medication, as well as the ongoing review and monitoring of several hundred patients under shared care arrangements.
“This mismatch between demand and capacity led to a rapid and unsustainable escalation in both waiting list size and waiting times.”
They continued: “The Service recognised that this position was not sustainable and raised concerns about its ability to safely and equitably meet the needs of the population within existing resources.
“This included concerns about the effects on people’s overall wellbeing who were experiencing a long wait for assessment – which might also be affecting employment, education and relationships.”
The Service said that it expressed concerns that it could not “safely and equitably meet the needs of the population within existing resources” and that it also had concerns about the effect on patients’ “overall wellbeing” while experiencing a long wait for an assessment.
The Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) and the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) agreed arrangements for the Adult ADHD Service to accept new referrals only for people meeting defined urgent or complex clinical criteria and this came into effect on October 11 2024.
Since then, the service has focused on assessing urgent and complex cases which left a significant number of adults having no viable route to an NHS-funded ADHD assessment.
To combat this, the Leeds ADHD Service said that work across a range of partners has developed a “more sustainable model of ADHD care” which better balances clinical risk, demand, and available capacity.
One measure implemented is the Pathway Navigation Service which provides ADHD-informed advice, information, and support to help patients understand the options available to them and access the most appropriate services for their needs.
Depending on their needs and preferences, this may include remaining with the Leeds Adult ADHD Service, considering assessment by an independent sector provider with a shorter waiting list, or receiving information about support that may be helpful while they continue to wait.
The Leeds ADHD Service has said it has received “positive” feedback to the Pathway Navigation Service, which was shortlisted for a Health Service Journal award in 2025.
The Service is also actively reviewing the waiting list and contacting patients to identify those who require ongoing care within the service and those who can be safely supported to transfer to an alternative provider, ensuring they receive appropriate care promptly.
Last year, the West Yorkshire ICB completed an accreditation process of the independent sector providers of ADHD assessment and treatment services which means GPs have an increased number of providers they can refer patients to that are contracted directly under a West Yorkshire ICB specification with consistent quality standards and costs.
This measure aims to increase capacity across the local health and care system, and offer more choice to patients for ADHD assessments with waiting times.
This new approach follows these principles:
- Patients with the longest waits will be prioritised for accessing assessments from the newly accredited alternative providers,
- As capacity becomes available, patients on the Leeds Adult ADHD assessment waiting list will be offered the choice to be transferred to an alternative provider for an assessment,
- People are being contacted in groups, beginning with those who have waited the longest, as additional provider capacity becomes available.
A spokesperson from the Leeds ADHD Service said: “For Leeds patients, additional support is available to help people understand the assessment pathway and the choices available to them.
“This approach aims to ensure that patients are equipped with clear and consistent information about the options available, helping them access assessment services that best meet their needs.”