Panorama Private ADHD clinics exposed

[Youdoyoubabe]

Nothing surprising there really but good to highlight it on national television. Everyone has some characteristics of ADHD.

And are you reporting Panorama because that's exactly what they are saying in their report, which we are now discussing.

If you don't believe the people who approach private clinics are vulnerable, why not? To be desperate enough to approach a private clinic and pay hundreds and hundreds of pounds to the nurses exposed on the Panorama show, that sounds pretty vulnerable to me.

Before this expose, how were they supposed to know that these private clinics, unlike nhs ones, run absolutely cursory checks after taking large amounts of money then prescribing everyone who walks through their door with strong potentially harmful meds. They probably had a little more faith in the system.

I think you need to watch the programme. The diagnosis is made by a pharmacist or psychologist or other equally non-expert person based on a questionnaire. A doctor then takes that “official diagnosis” and writes a prescription based on that and a 3 minute conversation with the “patient”. In the case on the programme these prescriptions was for £50-100 per month and came with regular expensive follow up appointments.

But that is a profit?

if Elvanse costs £70 for a year, then charging £240 for a year...I'm guessing you mean £20 for a monthly prescription?

sounds like a good profit margin to me.

Btw I have no comment on what conditions people have

I'm just surprised at some of the comments on private clinics. They are businesses. Again, not a comment or a complaint. I am a bit baffled by the comments re profits.

I actually wanted to try Elvanse but not enough to pay those fees or have yet more medical stuff in my life.

The “we all have some symptoms of ADHD” comments are beyond ignorant. We all feel sad sometimes, that’s not the same as having clinical depression. We all have upset stomachs sometimes, that’s not the same as someone battling chronic stomach issues. People with ADHD hav eallof the symptoms,all of the time. From the moment they wake up, until the moment they fall asleep. It’s exhausting and debilitating

Totally agree with that but, if you look on Tik-Tok, you'll see that thousands of young people are self-diagnosing on a very flimsy basis. They think that completely normal experiences, like feeling nervous before an exam, are symptoms of ADHD (of course, people with ADHD can have additional difficulties with exams, but general nervousness is normal).

It's understandable that people self-diagnose, given the NHS waiting lists, but doing so is harmful for the individuals, if they have other diagnoses that are not picked up, or if they are given drugs that they do not need, because they go to a clinic that is only interested in one diagnosis. Over-diagnosis also harms other people: the ones who really do have ADHD, because it means that services are over-whelmed with people who probably don't have the diagnosis, and that there is more competition for scarce resources.

They gain the fee. Panorama shows it is essentially 'pay for guaranteed diagnosis'. That's how the private sector in general works, but it isn't supposed to be how private healthcare works as that's unethical.

A practitioner can set up and run a very lucrative business doing adhd diagnoses. Noone I know (psychologists) will work within this particular private sector industry for ethical reasons - essentially exactly the issues you see in the documentary.

But if you don't care and just want to make money, there are people queuing up to be diagnosed.

It's an extremely well known issue for those in related industries. I'm very glad it's finally getting some airtime.

There are other sectors with similar concerns of private sector overdiagnosis - autism and dyslexia for instance - but those don't usually involve long term prescription of strong medication.

Absolutely this, similarly people who say oh I’ve got OCD cos I like to clean.

@Spidey66 you need more training if you have only recognised 3 cases in 30 years.

Op, I assume you are neurotypical? I'm also wondering about your motive for posting this? There's a lot of misinformation in what you've written. All people have characteristics of ADHD but it's when these symptoms are so severe they impact your day to day life and mental health and make you feel unable to function in a world that isn't designed for you. The reason people turn to private clinics is that NHS waiting lists are so long and many people on these lists will be waiting for years. Saying that medication works for anyone regardless of whether they have ADHD or not is nonsense. If you don't have it the meds will make you feel wired and anxious.

Calling ADHD a "fad" is what I reported.
As I said, I have personal experience in my family if one of these clinics and found the process much more thorough than being talked about here. Fur a start, reports were taken from schools when it's a child.
I really don't see what the alternative is, when NHS support is non-existent

A lot of mental health diagnoses are pretty subjective, and there lies the problem. It's not like a broken bone where you can look at an xray and say yes or no. It's one of the greatest difficulties in mental health. Each professional will have a different opinion.

@quietheart
Thanks for your opinion, but I'll stick with mine.

I'm torn on this.

On the one hand, most of the psychiatrists at these private clinics also work with the NHS (so are well aware of the NICE guidelines for diagnosis), and I know a fair few people who were not diagnosed for either autism or ADHD through private clinics, despite having paid their money. So they don't just diagnose everyone. And, there are ridiculous waiting lists plus a severe lack of understanding from GPs about ADHD - I've no doubt these clinics are getting diagnoses for people for whom it's making a huge, material difference in their life. Plus the rise in awareness means there will be people being diagnosed who wouldn't otherwise have even realised that was an option.

But I also know people who've struggled with the poor level of care and attention given to patients of these clinics, though, and and I reckon they don't have quite the level of oversight they probably should when dealing with conditions that can very, very severely impact people's lives. And there have been a number of times where medication monitoring is poor.

Basically, I think the clinics should be far better monitored and regulated, OR the NHS should fund its adult ADHD and autism services better. Preferably both.

@Spidey66 medication can be life changing for children with ADHD. It can be the difference between success and failure in school, university, in a career. Many other lifelong conditions require powerful medication to keep them under control. Lifelong steroids for example. Or antipsychotics. Is it because ADHD meds are "basically speed" that they are different, or because you don't think most warrant a diagnosis?
I haven't seen the program and I shan't be watching it. We are at the start of a journey that is very like to involve a private ADHD clinic because i don't want to wait until after my DC has flunked out of school to find out if there is a reason for their struggles and therefore treatment strategies and support. I don't need a BBC programme reinforcing beliefs that it's a fad created by a generation that just aren't very resilient.

We're not all a little bit ADHD though are we. I don't think I have it, so I am not trying to get a diagnosis. I do have dyspraxia and it took 2 years to get my child assessed. No wonder people want to get on the waiting list when they know it will take years to get their kids help and they will struggle in the meantime.

Absolutely. I cant wait for the day when there is a neurological test in the brain for ND disorders. There is so much overlap between trauma/attachment disorder behaviour and ND presentation

Far more professionals are talking about this now

oh I don't think adhd as such is a fad. It's the private clinics and quacks that are the fad.

Here are these adults in particular, but also perhaps young children, off the back of a three year pandemic when many people are very obviously traumatised and have a wide range of mental health issues.

Then you have some private sector quack selling a solution that involves serious medication. As that documentary shows, you get a detailed assessment nhs - no adhd - you go private, here you go have these meds and thanks for the fee (or thanks, nhs, for paying for this substandard diagnosis by tickbox).

These people are vulnerable and obviously do have issues and problems that deserve serious attention not a 'buy a diagnosis here' service that could damage their health as well as wellbeing

DD’a was flagged up by school. They referred her to the NHS - min 3 year wait. She’ll be doing GCSEs by then and needs support and help now. We’re seeking that privately.

DD is seeking a paediatrician, not a psychologist. He specialises in ASD and ADHD and is an expert witness in school SEND tribunals. All appts are in person, school have significant input and we’re interested not in diagnosis but in support mechanisms that can be applied to help her with the areas she is really struggling with.

I’m hoping that won’t involve meds, but she is my priority and her mental health has been terrible this year.

Yes, and here we are, after three years of hugely traumatic events ... no wonder trauma and attachment disorders are quite possibly on the rise ... but how would we know if a private practitioner somewhere fancies making a few quick bucks via their new adhd clinic. Never mind what else it could be.

@musicalold it sounds like you have kids who have responded well, and I'm pleased about that. I don't dispute it as a diagnosis, just worry that the drugs are very powerful. However, I did say it was an opinion and I might have a different one if I was in a different situation.

For balance though I dont think the NHS monitors or reviews ADHD meds very well either. You cant get medication reviews for love nor money, you spend ages writing, emailing, on the phone trying to get through, GPs wash their hands of it because its all got to go through CAMHS or in some areas via the paediatrician, if you move areas its impossible to try to transfer the scripts for ages.

Awful and as others have said for some children it means they can attend school, have a more settled life.

If we had a working healthcare system there wouldn't be such demand for services that people would pay thousands to charlatans.

What the fuck are people supposed to do when waiting lists are literally years long?

What have you reported? To whom?

@musicalold just reread your post and realised you awaiting assessment. Note to self: read post properly before responding. I hope it works out OK x