I think this 'investigative journalism' is sensationalist crap, not investigative journalism.
It asks the wrong questions and in doing so creates a narrative that's harmful in its own right.
I just can't help but think that the BBC are coming at this subject from the wrong angle.
Why? Well here's a few reasons.
If you want a diagnosis through the NHS it's a total lottery in its own right. It's a total lottery as to whether you have a GP who 'believes' in ADHD or not. Lots of people, particularly women, struggle to get taken seriously even at the first stage. Unfortunately there are far too many doctors with outdated ideas about who has ADHD and are ignorant about how it manifests in women and girls.
Even at school, every local authority seems to have a separate system for assessing kids. One of my good friends is a teacher in the next council over (a whole two miles) and my other friend works at DSs school. The system in both areas is different. It's a farce and there's no consistency and little oversight.
There is a clear problem which is hitting women particularly badly. And it's women who are most likely to be negatively impacted by private misdiagnosis. And the stigma from now having an 'unreliable' private diagnosis. And be put off trying to get a private or NHS diagnosis.
I'm really quite upset and don't think it's responsible journalism on the basis of what the BBC news article has put out. There's too many ommisions which are crucial here to understanding whats going on in full.
Typically women go through a process of being diagnosed with different mental health conditions before getting 'the right one'. Many go for decades like this.
That's your scandal.
And as such many will have been on various medications that don't work and give dreadful side effects for years before looking at ADHD as a possibility.
The impact of late diagnosis is increased problems with comorbid issues such as anxiety, depression and eating disorders. It can therefore potentially be fatal in rare cases.
The programme talks about people getting unnecessary medication - but doesn't talk about whether they were on other medication previously or getting medication for the first time. This is relevant for context purposes.
Being on the wrong medication because of misdiagnosis and inability to access an assessment through the NHS FOR YEARS, is no less of a scandal than overdiagnosis and medication of ADHD.
People don't fork out hundreds of pounds on a diagnosis on the basis that they saw something on social media. There has to be something fundamentally 'wrong' in their life thats having a significant impact to their daily lives, to go through the process.
This bloke rocking up with a few thousand pounds without thought, isn't reflective of the real world.
If you are going down the private route, chances are there is a sense of getting desperate for appropriate support for SOMETHING.
Also the BBC article is based on the example of one male getting misdiagnosed privately. It doesn't talk about who is seeking diagnosis by private assessment. If there is a heavy basis to a certain demographic - for example adult women are particularly over represented in seeking a private diagnosis there may be other issues at play. For example we know that the autism diagnositic tools favour diagnosis of boys because girls present differently and the science is only just begining to catch up on that. It could be that the NHS is behind the curve on diagnosis in girls / women and the criteria they are using is no longer fit for purpose and not matching what we know about ADHD in women. See my comments about GPs being ignorant. There's plenty of misgyonistic GPs who arrogantly don't listen to a word women say and pretty much tell women it's all in their head.
In using a male for the programme, I also worry whether the effect of the programme will further disportionally affect women who were much more likely to be underdiagnosed in the first place.
It going to add to the stigma and make it harder for the very people who most need a diagnosis because they really do have life limiting issues due to ADHD.
My son is currently going through the process with school. My plan was to get somewhere with him before looking into it for me as it would add weight to my case. I have a history of problems and ultimately had two breakdowns directly related to being unable to cope at work. I just 'burnout' despite being able. At school I had meltdowns but only at home. It affects my day to day life. I've had a diagnosis in the past of social anxiety which my friends actively laugh at.
This programme just makes it more daunting, more frightening and the whole process more distressing to even think about. It's overwhelming.
All on the less than scientific basis of one bloke doing this in a rather biased way.
The questions it should ask is why so many people are going private, who are they, what's their history, why are they coming forward now, how consistent is the system within the NHS itself in comparison with the private sector, are schools and GPS actively advising people to go private and what are their recommendations (and do they have conflicts of interest in recommending a private route), are schools being too much of a gatekeeper on this expecting teachers to understand spotting ADHD in the classroom?
If you now have a private diagnosis, will that be taken seriously? (Keep in mind who is often actively telling people to go private - whether it's recognised by schools, local authorities and GPs matters - and it can be the schools and GPs saying to go private in the first place). If you've spent a grand on a diagnosis are you now going to have to demonstrate its a sound diagnosis? Even if it's had a life-changing effect.
This is actively adding to the stigma and ignorant comments about ADHD... That doesn't help anyone.