Analysis of NHS data has revealed a stark postcode lottery in ADHD diagnoses, with wealthier patients in areas like northwest London far more likely to receive stimulant prescriptions than those in Yorkshire. The findings highlight a growing reliance on private clinics, which allow 'sharp-elbowed' patients to bypass long NHS waiting lists.
Dr Mukesh Kripalani, lead consultant psychiatrist at the ADHD Centre, said: 'Wealthier people are able to get help, whereas for working-class people it is harder. There is a massive postcode lottery, and a big funding discrepancy between different areas of the country.' The number of people from affluent backgrounds prescribed ADHD medication has increased fivefold over the past decade.
Prescription rates for ADHD medications in the UK have tripled between 2010 and 2023, from 0.12% to 0.39% of the population. Experts from the University of Oxford noted a 'more than 20-fold increase in females and 15-fold in males' aged 25 and over. Thea Stein, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust, explained that private diagnoses can catapult patients up NHS waiting lists.
An estimated 700,000 people in England are currently awaiting an ADHD assessment, with some facing waits of up to ten years. Health Secretary Wes Streeting acknowledged the government is failing to cope with the surge in referrals, stating: 'We’re really falling short on this in the NHS.'
