ADHD Private/Overseas Assessment Vs NHS
There are private services which can offer shorter wait times to assessment. However, these are not regulated and standardised in the same way that NHS services are.
This means that any suggestions, monitoring or medications started by a private provider cannot be continued and prescribed by GPs at Cults Medical Group.
We do not engage in Shared Care Agreements with private providers.
If you have moved to our practice from a different practice within Aberdeen or other parts of the country/overseas and are looking for a prescription for your ADHD medication, please note that we will only be able to prescribe this if we have clear documentation of your NHS diagnosis. Your previous GP may have agreed to prescribe your medication under a Shared Care Agreement with a private provider. Please note that we do not do this at Cults Medical Group and we will not be able to continue your prescription until NHS review has been sought.
How to get a NHS diagnosis
Severe cases of ADHD require specialist assessment and are managed by the psychiatry team. For a referral to be considered, the GP will need to take a history and complete some screening tests. If you think you may have ADHD and would like to be considered for formal assessment, please contact Reception.
The conversation and awareness around ADHD traits has increased massively in recent years. Unfortunately, this means the service is extremely busy and the waiting list time for assessment is over 2 years in Aberdeen.
Following an NHS diagnosis and management plan, the specialist team may request us to continue any monitoring or medication in General Practice. This is normally done using a Shared Care Agreement which is a recommendation by NICE guidance, whereby specialists initiate treatment, and we are able to continue this under their careful guidance and follow up. At present there is no shared care agreement in Grampian, and this is an area being discussed by local policymakers.
As with any medication, it is not without risk of side effects, and they will not work for everyone.