Adhd nhs not accepted my referral.

[paisley256]

I'm so upset. I've been under the mental health team for depression most of my life. My psychiatrist did an adhd assessment recently and sent my referral off.

Despite him initially telling me that I scored highly, the relevant team hasn't accepted my referral because I haven't got anyone from childhood to fill in the necessary form and no old school reports.

I'm so upset. Has anyone been in this position? I hope it's ok to post on this board without a diagnosis. Thanks everyone.

It should be possible to assess you based upon your account of yourself. Many people are in your position, either no living relatives or no relationship with them. And as many adults are coming forward for diagnosis, they will have to find ways around the issue of an informant. No guarantee if you do have someone who recalls your childhood that they will be able to give the right information!

Thank you for your reply. I've waited all this time only for them to come back and say they won't take on my referral after all.

You're right they will have to find a way round this I can't be the only one who hasn't got contact with parents. It seems so unfair especially when I scored highly too. I've wasted so much time on this.

I have stage 4 cancer too so I really want to know one way or another about the adhd so I can access treatment and hopefully live a better quality of life in my remaining years.

Money is very tight but I'm looking to go private now even if it takes a while to save. I'm just hoping I don't face the same problems there.

Wishing you all the best. 🌸

Thanks I appreciate that.

Sounds like a gatekeeping issue. Can you get a referral under Right to Choose?

Yes I'm going to try and get an appointment with my GP and ask to be referred that way. I should've done that to start with instead of going through my psychiatrist, I've wasted so much time.

Sorry you're having to struggle with this. You can't be the only one in this position - could you speak to the patient advice and liaison service (PALS)?

If you search on the NHS website for PALS you'll find a page explaining it and a postcode search to find a local contact.

I don't know exactly how it works but I was recommended to do this if my ADHD service delayed my treatment again (luckily they didn't, so I didn't use it in the end).

If you do end up having to go private, ask if there is a way of paying the fee in monthly instalments - my friend was paying about £150 a month for six months I think, after they got their diagnosis.

Thank you so much for all your information that's something I hadn't thought of, I'll look up PALS now.

Also the monthly installments, again I didn't think of that but there's no harm in me asking is there. Really appreciate your advice.

I gave up on the nhs and finally went private. When I requested my medical records to support my diagnosis you could see I'd personally been seeking help since 2001!! Aged 15 and was thrown on antidepressants, then at 21 wrongly labelled with a mood disorder after seeking further help every other year and periodically taking the medication they prescribed for depression which wasn't depression I wasted my 20s and now well into my 30s and finally getting the support I need only because I went private I absolutely would say go private and then opt for shared care (make sure your gp will accept the private diagnosis and which companies they will accept) life is too precious to waste xx

I had my ADHD assessment via the NHS. I didn't have anyone from my childhood to support me, nor did I have any school reports or any other 'evidence'. My assessment was carried out based on information supplied by me.

I'm really sorry to hear of your experience @paisley256 It seems very unfair that you're not being assessed when you are the expert of yourself!

The previous suggestion to contact PALS is a good idea. I hope that PALS can support an assessment pathway and remove the gatekeeping that's going on.

Wishing you all the best 🌻

Thank you. I've decided to go private, I just want to feel like I'm making progress with this and time is a big factor for me in light of my health problems.

If you don't mind @Sprinkles211 could you share with me who you went with for your assessment please? I've heard Berkeley psychiatry are good.

I'm glad you didn't encounter these difficulties @Clarice99 ofcourse we are the experts on ourselves aren't we. I'm guessing each area has different rules around this gatekeeping. I may still get in touch with PALS but for now I'm so keen to get the ball rolling.

Thanks everyone.

Hi I used adhd360 as they are relatively local to me. I checked my gp would accept a diagnosis from them first check with yours incase they have a clinic they would recommend. Good luck with it xx

Thank you for your reply I'll look into them.

I didn't have any childhood friends or anyone who knows me from childhood. I didn't have any friends then and I still don't have ANY friends now as an adult. My whole life a loner, hiding my incompetence.

My request for a referral was still accepted by my GP as I gave lots of examples for all the questions I scored highly on. I scored high on all the questions bar the hyperactivity. I slightly mourn the decades of wasted potential, after my Dr. dismissed my concerns when I was just 9, and again when I was 13. I wonder how different my life would have been. Girls were not typically flagged back in those days.