Understanding ADHD waiting times: ICBs, your rights, and what you can do

If you've received an update from us about NHS waiting times, this article goes into more detail on what's happening and why. We've tried to keep it clear and practical – feel free to skip to the section that's most useful to you. 

• How NHS funding for ADHD care works 

• Why waits have grown 

• Your rights around patient choice 

• How to raise a concern 

• Where to get more information 

ADHD assessments and treatment under the NHS are usually funded through something called Right to Choose. This lets you choose any provider that has an NHS contract, including independent providers like us, rather than waiting for your local NHS trust. 

Funding for this care comes from your local Integrated Care Board (ICB). ICBs are NHS bodies that plan and pay for healthcare in their area. Each one decides how much of its budget goes to different services - including ADHD assessment and treatment. 

Over the past year or so, many ICBs have introduced new limits on how much ADHD care they'll fund each year. These are sometimes called indicative activity plans or funding caps. 

In practice, this means: 

• Referrals are still being accepted 

• But providers can only deliver care up to the funded limit 

• Once that limit is reached, patients wait longer for their assessment or treatment 

This affects all providers working under Right to Choose – including us. It's the main reason waits have grown. 

We don't think this approach is working well for patients, and we're working with ICBs wherever possible to find a better solution. However, the ultimate decision sits with ICBs. 

This is an area patients ask us about most, and we want to be honest: it's not as clear-cut as it should be. 

What we know 

• Right to Choose is still in place. You can still choose your provider. 

• NHS waiting time standards (such as the 18-week referral-to-treatment standard) still exist in policy. 
  

What's less clear 

• How those standards apply when an ICB has introduced funding limits. 

• Whether long waits caused by these limits are consistent with the spirit of patient choice. 
  

There are currently different interpretations of this across the NHS, and it hasn't been fully resolved. We've raised our concerns with ICBs where we think access may not be matching expected standards, and we hope this becomes clearer over time. 

 If you'd like to read the official guidance, NHS England's pages on Right to Choose and waiting time standards are a good starting point. 

If you'd like to raise a concern about how ADHD care is being funded or accessed in your area, here are the routes available to you: 

1. Speak to your GP 

Your GP can review your situation, and in some cases consider clinical prioritisation or signpost you to local support. They can also help direct you to the right team if you want to take things further.  

2. Contact your ICB 

Your ICB is the right organisation to contact about local funding decisions. You can find your ICB by searching your postcode on the NHS website. Most ICBs have a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) or a complaints team you can write to. 

3. Use ADHD UK's resources 

ADHD UK is gathering information on local restrictions and developing tools to help patients raise concerns. We'd recommend taking a look at their site – it's a useful starting point. Visit ADHD UK.

Raising a concern is entirely optional – but if you'd like your voice heard, these are the best routes right now. 

• NHS England – official guidance on Right to Choose and waiting time standards 

• ADHD UK – patient-led information on ICB restrictions and how to advocate for access 

• Your GP – for anything related to your individual care 
  

If you have questions about your own referral or wait time with us specifically, please contact our team via our live chat, and we'll do our best to help.