Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects people’s behaviour. People with ADHD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse.
Symptoms of ADHD tend to be noticed at an early age and may become more noticeable when a child’s circumstances change, such as when they start school.
Most cases are diagnosed when children are under 12 years old, but sometimes it’s diagnosed later in childhood.
Sometimes ADHD was not recognised when someone was a child, and they are diagnosed later as an adult.
The symptoms of ADHD may improve with age, but many adults who were diagnosed with the condition at a young age continue to experience problems.
People with ADHD may also have additional problems, such as sleep and anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be categorised into 2 types of behavioural problems:
1. Inattentiveness (difficulty concentrating and focusing)
2. Hyperactivity and impulsiveness
Many people with ADHD have problems that fall into both these categories, but this is not always the case.
For example, around 2 to 3 in 10 people with the condition have problems with concentrating and focusing, but not with hyperactivity or impulsiveness.
This form of ADHD is also known as attention deficit disorder (ADD). ADD can sometimes go unnoticed because the symptoms may be less obvious.
ADHD is more often diagnosed in boys than girls. Girls are more likely to have symptoms of inattentiveness only, and are less likely to show disruptive behaviour that makes ADHD symptoms more obvious. This means girls who have ADHD may not always be diagnosed.
In adults, the symptoms of ADHD are more difficult to define. This is largely due to a lack of research into adults with ADHD.
As ADHD is a developmental disorder, it’s believed it cannot develop in adults without it first appearing during childhood. But symptoms of ADHD in children and teenagers often continue into adulthood.
The way in which inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness affect adults can be very different from the way they affect children.
For example, hyperactivity tends to decrease in adults, while inattentiveness tends to remain as the pressures of adult like increase.
Adult symptoms of ADHD also tend to be far more subtle than childhood symptoms.
Some specialists have suggested the following as a list of symptoms associated with ADHD in adults:
More information can be found online:
If you think you have ADHD, please follow the instructions on the Getting referred section. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire. It might be helpful to write a covering letter and include the following information for us:
As part of your assessment, when you are referred, the specialist will ask about your present symptoms. However, under current diagnostic guidelines, a diagnosis of ADHD in adults cannot be confirmed unless your symptoms have been present from childhood. If you find it difficult to remember whether you had problems as a child, your specialist may whish to see your old school records, or talk to your parents, teachers or anyone else who knew you well when you were a child. For an adult to be diagnosed with ADHD, their symptoms should also have a moderate effect on different areas of their life, such as:
There are 3 options in getting a specialist adult ADHD assessment.
The Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) service is for people over 18 years of age and within the Barnet, Enfield and Haringey catchment areas. It provides specialist assessment and pharmacological treatment for Adult ADHD. This should cover your overall mental health, an assessment of if you have ADHD, and an assessment if you might have any other related or unrelated mental health conditions. This usually, but not always, involves a 45 to 90 minute discussion, that may include a number of checklists, with a specialist psychiatrist or specialist nurse.
Following your assessment your clinician will let you know what the next stage is. One option is a diagnosis of ADHD, with a discussion on whether you want to consider medication options, and a referral back to us for shared management.
The service that covers Barnet residents is run by the Barnet, Enfield & Haringey (BEH) Mental Health Trust. Further details can be found on their website:
You can be referred to this service by the practice or any other mental health practitioner. Once you have been referred to the service, your referral will be screened in their weekly meeting, and providing you meet the criteria for an ADHD assessment you will be added to their waiting list for a new patient assessment. If you have already been diagnosed with ADHD within the NHS, they will request the full diagnostic assessment in order for them to offer you a medication review. Without this you will join their waiting list for a new assessment. If you want to be referred to this service please complete the form linked below and return it to us by emailing our admin team: millwaymedical@nhs.net
You now have the right to choose your mental healthcare provider and your choice of mental healthcare team. Following the link below you’ll find a list of ADHD assessment providers and additional information around ‘Right to Choose’.
If you’d like to be referred to one of these providers then please complete the questionnaire below. Upon completion, please submit an online consultation and tell us which provider you’d like to be referred to. Completing the referral form on the provider’s website can speed up the process. If you’d like to speak to a GP before being referred then please say so in your online consultation submission.
We understand that having long waiting lists means private diagnosis and treatment is a consideration for many. You may opt to self-fund this or check if your private healthcare provider (should you have insurance) will cover this. If you wish to proceed with this route, please complete an online consultation requesting a private referral. In your request please include the following information: