There is an “urgent need” for GPs to be trained to manage ADHD to prevent young people dropping out of work and school, according to the report.
To address the growing demand, the independent ADHD taskforce set up by the government and NHS England has recommended sweeping changes to how the condition is treated.
The task force said family doctors should play a larger role in treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), similar to their responsibility for other long-term conditions such as diabetes.
According to the task force, ADHD is “underrecognized, underdiagnosed, and undertreated.” The condition affects around 2.5 million children and adults in the UK, but only 800,000 have been officially diagnosed.
The task force said that without early intervention, ADHD: “It is a potential pathway to educational failure, long-term unemployment, crime, substance abuse, suicide, and mental and physical illness.”
Currently, patients can only be diagnosed at specialist NHS clinics, but many of these services have had to close their doors to new patients as demand has soared due to the pandemic.
More than half a million people are on the NHS waiting list for an ADHD assessment, two thirds of whom are aged between five and 24. Waiting times for NHS services can be up to four years for children and eight years for adults.
• The NHS task force says it offers ADHD help before diagnosis.
The report said all patients on waiting lists should be offered support ‘as needed’, such as flexible working or extra time for school exams.
GPs currently do not play a large role in ADHD, but experts said GPs should be trained to “recognize and support” the condition and “have the skills and knowledge to carry out an initial screening consultation as with any other health condition”.
Professor Anita Thapar, a psychiatrist who chairs the ADHD Taskforce, said: “GPs need training. Training needs to be part of the curriculum and ongoing professional development.”
“They need to be aware of ADHD and know where someone can get support. We need the Department of Health and Social Care to encourage GPs to take on aspects of ADHD.
“So this includes a new GP contract that will include training funding and enable primary care staff to carry out many of the routine and common tasks, particularly for less complex ADHD.”
Mental health and behavioral conditions like ADHD are putting young people out of the workforce at an unprecedented rate. A review by Sir Charlie Mayfield this week found that an additional 190,000 16-34 year-olds with mental health problems have left the workforce since 2019.
Thapar said early intervention and accommodations are essential for people with ADHD to perform well in school and reduce their risk of developing other mental health problems.
“For economic as well as ethical reasons, taking no action is not an option,” she said.
“It’s a bit like high blood pressure – you have to intervene before a stroke happens, which is much more complicated and expensive,” Thapar added.
The review also called for a new network of “youth wellness hubs” modeled after Canada’s system to provide a “front door” to care for teens and young adults.
Separately, a BBC investigation found specialist ADHD services were closing their doors to new patients because they were unable to cope with demand.
Around 15 NHS trusts have stopped accepting new referrals since 2019, including Cheshire, where NHS services for adults have been closed to new patients.
A total of 59 trusts provided information, of which 31 said they were restricting care by applying exclusions based on things such as age or severity.
Health Minister Zubir Ahmed said: “Too many people are waiting too long to be assessed for ADHD and get the help they need. This can have a huge impact on their work, social lives and wellbeing. As part of our 10-year health plan, we are working across government to prioritize early intervention and provide support to those who need it most.
“We will now take a closer look at the task force’s recommendations to ensure we continue to substantially improve the support and services provided to people with ADHD.”
Louise Ansari, CEO of Healthwatch England, said: “The report from the independent ADHD Taskforce represents important progress in improving access to appropriate support for people with ADHD.
“This rightly highlights the importance of fast, early, joined-up local support provided by a diverse team of trained professionals – what is most important for people waiting months, sometimes years, for an ADHD assessment.
“Despite the dedication of our staff, the current system is putting too many lives on hold, with people going through complex processes and sometimes missing out on support altogether.”
