If you or someone in your family has been waiting for an ADHD assessment on the NHS, you will already know how long that wait can feel. Across England, demand for assessment has grown significantly in recent years, and the gap between need and available capacity has widened to a point where many people are looking at alternative routes. Two of the most common questions that come up are: what is the NHS Right to Choose scheme, and when does a private ADHD assessment make more sense?
This guide sets out what both options actually involve so that you can make an informed decision rather than a rushed one.
What The NHS Right To Choose Scheme Is
Right to Choose is a legal right available to patients in England. If your GP agrees that a referral for ADHD assessment is clinically appropriate, you can ask to be referred to any NHS-contracted provider in England rather than being assigned to your local service automatically. This includes some private clinics that hold NHS contracts, which means the NHS is free to fund the assessment at the point of use. NHS England’s guidance on choice of provider and team in mental health care sets out how these rights are meant to work in practice.
The scheme was introduced to give patients more control over their care and to help reduce waiting times by spreading demand across a wider network of providers. ADHD Certify is one such provider, holding an NHS contract that allows eligible patients in England to access an assessment through Right to Choose, with the cost covered by the NHS.
Before starting an NHS Right to Choose ADHD assessment with any provider, it’s worth checking their current waiting list directly, since capacity can vary from month to month even among contracted clinics.
Right to Choose applies in England only. It does not currently extend to Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, where different referral arrangements apply.
Where Right To Choose Has Become Complicated
The Right to Choose pathway has shifted considerably in recent years. A number of Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) have introduced restrictions on ADHD referrals, including caps on the number of patients that can be assessed within a given period and, in some areas, outright pauses on new referrals for certain age groups.¹ These local decisions can override the national scheme, which means eligibility now depends partly on where you live.
The NHS ADHD Taskforce, reporting in late 2025, found that in some parts of England waiting times have grown to between 10 and 15 years even with Right to Choose in place.² In February 2026, NHS England estimates suggested over 735,000 people may have been waiting for an ADHD assessment across the country.³
For adults who have been through this process and found themselves facing a long wait regardless, a private assessment has become a more realistic consideration.
What A Private ADHD Assessment Involves For Adults
A private assessment follows the same clinical framework as an NHS one. It uses the same diagnostic criteria set out in the NICE guideline on ADHD diagnosis and management, covers the same areas of history and functioning, and results in a written report that is accepted by the NHS, by employers, and by educational institutions. Where ADHD has a substantial effect on day-to-day activities, it can count as a disability, and a formal report can support a request for reasonable adjustments at work.
The key difference is speed and accessibility. Private providers can typically offer appointments within days rather than months or years, and most do not require a GP referral. If you have been wondering whether the pattern of difficulties you have experienced for years might be ADHD, the NHS overview of ADHD in adults is a useful place to check your experiences against recognised signs. An adult ADHD assessment with a qualified clinician is the clearest way to get an answer without an indefinite wait.
How To Approach This As A Decision
The choice between Right to Choose and a private assessment is not one-size-fits-all. It depends on your circumstances, your location, how long you have already been waiting, and how urgently you need clarity.
Right to Choose is worth pursuing first if you are in an area where it remains accessible, and you are not under significant time pressure. It is free, and if a suitable provider has capacity, it can still be a reasonably fast route. Speaking to your GP about whether a referral is appropriate is the right starting point.
A private assessment is worth considering if you are in an area with restrictions, if you have already been waiting a long time, or if the impact of undiagnosed ADHD on your daily life has reached a point where waiting further is not manageable. ADHD Certify offers same-week appointments with no GP referral required, conducted by qualified clinicians operating under Care Quality Commission regulation, which you can verify for any provider before booking.
What About Children?
The picture for children follows a similar shape but with some important differences. Right to Choose for children operates through a separate pathway, and not all adult ADHD providers hold contracts for paediatric assessments. Parents pursuing this route for a child will need to confirm that any provider they choose is set up to assess children specifically.
Where NHS routes are restricted or waiting times are long, a private assessment for a child can provide a formal diagnosis that schools can act on, giving access to special educational needs support, educational support plans, and referrals to other services. An ADHD assessment for children follows a structured, age-appropriate process and includes input from parents and, where relevant, school staff alongside the clinical interview.
What Actually Matters When Choosing
Both routes lead to the same destination: a proper clinical assessment carried out by a qualified professional. What differs is the journey. Knowing what each option involves puts you in a better position to choose the one that fits your situation, rather than defaulting to whichever feels most familiar.
While you weigh things up, you do not have to manage the wait alone. Peer-led organisations such as AADD-UK support groups and share practical information for adults living with, or suspecting, ADHD.
References
- ADD.org UK. Right to Choose ADHD: A UK Adult’s Guide for Quicker Assessment. Updated October 2025. https://add.org/uk/nhs-right-to-choose-adhd/
- NHS England. Plain English Summary of the ADHD Taskforce Report. Published 9 December 2025. https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/plain-english-summary-of-the-adhd-taskforce-report/
- NHS England Digital. ADHD Management Information, February 2026. https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mi-adhd/november-2025
Medical Disclaimer
This guide is for general information about assessment routes in the UK and is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a substitute for an assessment by a qualified clinician. ADHD can only be diagnosed after a full clinical assessment, and similar difficulties can have other causes worth ruling out.
Right to Choose applies in England only, and local ICB policies, provider capacity, and waiting times change frequently, so check the current position with your GP and directly with any provider before making a decision. A private diagnosis also does not guarantee that a GP practice will agree to a shared care arrangement for medication, since that decision rests with the individual practice.
If you are struggling with your mental health, speak to your GP or contact NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.