Adult ADHD Assessment

Adult ADHD assessment in the UK

Many adults reach their thirties, forties or later before anyone considers ADHD. An adult assessment looks carefully at how attention, impulsivity and self-regulation affect you now, and traces those patterns back through childhood, which DSM-5 requires.

Your assessment is led by a GPhC-registered independent prescriber who specialises in ADHD. Appointments are typically available within days, and everything is done by secure video call.

Signs adults often recognise

• Persistent difficulty sustaining attention on less stimulating work
• Chronic disorganisation, missed deadlines and time blindness
• Restlessness, or a constant internal sense of being driven
• Impulsive decisions in spending, work or relationships
• Emotional reactions that feel disproportionate or hard to settle
• A long history of underperforming relative to your own ability

How the adult assessment works

1. 1

   Pre-assessment screening

   You complete validated adult ADHD rating scales and a short history questionnaire before your appointment, so your clinician arrives prepared.

2. 2

   Clinical interview

   A semi-structured interview of up to two hours covering current symptoms, childhood history, education, work, relationships and daily functioning.

3. 3

   Supporting information

   Where helpful, we ask a partner, family member or colleague to describe how symptoms show up day to day, adding context to your own account.

4. 4

   Diagnostic outcome

   Your clinician shares the outcome at the end of the appointment and explains the reasoning against DSM-5 criteria.

5. 5

   Report and next steps

   A full written report follows within 21 days, with a copy to your GP, alongside a treatment plan if ADHD is diagnosed.

After your diagnosis

A diagnosis is a starting point rather than an endpoint. Where clinical treatment is clinically appropriate, we manage a structured titration with regular reviews, and once your dose is stable we can request shared care with your GP, which remains at your GP's discretion. Many adults also pair treatment with ADHD coaching to build practical systems for work and home.

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