What’s happening to ADHD NHS waiting lists and diagnoses

The two most common things I hear since I’ve become an ADHD coach are “I’ve been on the waiting list for so many years” and “I definitely have it, but never been formally diagnosed”. 

I may have a controversial view on this topic, but whilst awareness for ADHD has considerably increased since 2020 (anecdotally and in the sheer increase in articles, books, podcasts and influencers on the subject) it has also resulted in many people jumping to their own self diagnosis too quickly. Whilst I don’t want to discount anyone who has genuine symptoms and understands these better now thanks to society’s increased understanding and empathy for the matter, I do think that there is also a flippancy to these self diagnoses too. 

Then there is also ADHD being used as some sort of label to excuse behaviours and laugh them off, i.e. the amount of times i’ve had conversations with friends who are looking at their phones and nodding along to what I’m saying but not listening with their explanation for this being ADHD. Leanne Maskell wrote about this topic too which you can find on the ADHD works website. 

Symptoms of ADHD are quite vast and no one person who has it is the same. I don’t have ADHD, but I find myself having moments where I feel some of these symptoms too.

Do I sometimes procrastinate? Yes. Have I felt unnecessarily rejected in various social interactions? Absolutely. Do I have a tendency to flip between 5 different thoughts and actions in my head? Definitely. Do I struggle with distractions? 100%. Do I do things like listen to the same song on repeat for a whole week? More often than I’d like to admit. Some of these habits and behaviours are also down to the way society has shifted with the scary state of the world and the expectations coming to us from a multitude of screens at all times. 

The difference is that none of these traits hinder me in my daily life and have such an impact where I simply don’t think I can function “normally”. My relationships, career, finances, sleep, mental health and more have not been affected by the “typical ADHD symptoms” to any detrimental amount. I can get myself out of these situations or this headspace and self regulate without feeling defeated or burning out. 

So whilst the waiting lists for diagnosis are full of people desperate to be helped and supported (According to the ADHD Foundation demand for diagnosis has increased by 400% since 2020), I can’t help but wonder if there is a very small percentage of people who could be taking spots away from genuine sufferers. 

For those who have been able to get a diagnosis despite these waiting lists, I am both happy but also sad as some spent so many years not knowing “what is wrong with them” and suffered through many depressive and difficult episodes in life, especially with employers or close family members or partners. 

Luckily, there is a new NHS taskforce in place whose aim is to to better understand the challenges affecting those with ADHD and help provide a joined-up approach in response to concerns around rising demand.

However, in the meantime ADHD can’t become a one size fits all explanation.