Important information
We’re temporarily stopping new referrals to Adult ADHD from 1 December 2025.
Service overview
If you’re facing challenges that could be linked to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), we can arrange a formal assessment to support you in accessing care.
We may offer an assessment if you need either:
- a formal diagnostic report to access reasonable adjustments, such as in education, employment, court, legal proceedings, and healthcare
- access to ADHD treatment, such as psychological support in discussion groups or medication
You don’t always need a formal diagnosis to ask for adjustments and there are strategies available that can help with common ADHD symptoms.
Getting a diagnosis can, however, help you understand your health needs. It’s also needed to access ADHD medication if other strategies haven’t worked as they should.
Accessing our service
From 1 December 2025, Berkshire Healthcare will temporarily stop accepting new referrals to our ADHD Service for adults.
This difficult decision has been made to make sure we can continue to provide safe, effective and sustainable care for people who already use the service.
To access our service, you must be over 18, registered with a GP in Berkshire, and be referred by your GP or other healthcare professional.
Once we have reviewed your referral, we’ll send you an email with some questionnaires which will collect information about your symptoms and help us determine whether you need a full diagnostic assessment.
Please complete these questionnaires within 4 weeks or your referral will be closed.
We’ll review your answers and contact you if we can offer a full assessment.
If you already have a diagnosis of ADHD
We may be able to use a previous diagnostic report. Please include this with your referral or send it to us. The wait time for medication will still apply.
Adult ADHD - Treatment for patients referred with an existing diagnosis
File size: 149KB
If you have a childhood diagnosis of ADHD
Approximately 80% of children diagnosed with ADHD still have symptoms as adults, though these can change over time and many people develop their own coping strategies.
Because of this, we must reassess ADHD in adulthood to make sure your treatment still meets your needs. These assessments are usually shorter, but we can’t prioritise them. Please make sure your childhood diagnosis is included in your new referral.
If you’re turning 18 and taking medication through our ADHD service for children and young people, your care will transition to us and we’ll arrange a medication review.
Transition from Children and Young People, to the Adult ADHD Service
File size: 1.91MB
Preparing for an assessment
Diagnostic assessment
Diagnostic assessments can take up to three hours. They explore the symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity from childhood to adulthood. We also look at other possible reasons for difficulties, such as physical or mental health and life experiences.
It can be really helpful if you can bring a partner, friend, or family member to the assessment. They can help with questions about you as a child and as an adult.
Medication appointment
When you come for your appointment, you’ll meet a psychiatrist, clinical nurse specialist, or prescribing pharmacist from our team.
These appointments last between one to two hours.
We’ll talk about your treatment goals and the impact of ADHD symptoms on your daily life.
To make sure medication is the right option for you, we’ll also assess your mental and physical health, and ask you questions about any history or substance use and activities like driving safety. We suggest wearing loose, comfortable clothing so that we can record your blood pressure.
Remember to bring a list of your current medications.
We may not be able to offer medication if you have a history of harmful misuse of alcohol or drugs, unstable mental health, or physical health complications. We can guide you to other support services to help you resolve your health complications before we offer medication.
Before you begin treatment, we may request an ECG scan to record your heart electrical activity, or other tests.
We’ll also ask for your full consent before we provide medication. In some cases, this may happen same day, but often you’ll be invited to a further appointment at a later date when all the pre-prescribing checks have been completed.
Follow up appointment
We’ll book regular titration appointments with you while you’re trialling ADHD medication. These will help you and our team track your progress with medication and discuss any side effects or concerns you may have. The dosage of your medication may be increased or decreased, depending on how you respond.
You will have a yearly review of your ADHD medication.
Managing your health
Finding out more
There are many books, websites and videos that provide information about ADHD and how to manage it.
Books
You can purchase these books through online retailers or your local book shop. Additionally, you may be able to borrow the book from your local library.
- “You Mean I am Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?” by Kate Kelly. A self-help book for dealing with ADHD
- "Taking Charge of Adult ADHD” by Russell Barkley
- “10 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About ADHD” from the editors of ADDitude
Videos
There are lots of great videos on YouTube that talk about ADHD in ways that are both informative and relatable. From personal stories to practical tips, these clips can help you understand ADHD better and feel connected to others who share similar experiences.
Here are a few videos to watch.
Podcasts
Podcasts are a great way to learn more about ADHD while hearing real stories and expert advice. Here are a few we recommend listing to.
Guide to attention deficit hyperativity disorder (ADHD)
What is ADHD?
File size: 180KB
ADHD and relationships
File size: 172KB
ADHD and sleep
File size: 166KB
ADHD and the menopause
File size: 142KB
ADHD in education
File size: 119KB
ADHD in women
File size: 184KB
ADHD in the workplace
File size: 178KB
Cannabis use in ADHD
File size: 166KB
Driving with ADHD
File size: 147KB
Managing mood with ADHD
File size: 200KB
Strategies for hyperactivity and impulsivity
File size: 214KB
Strategies to support inattention (ADHD)
File size: 186KB
Suicide in ADHD
File size: 193KB
ADHD Medication FAQs
File size: 170KB
Information for carers and GPs
Information for carers about the Adult ADHD Service
File size: 370KB
ADHD information for GPs
File size: 101KB
Your e-Health Passport
Your e-Health Passport lets us know what's important to you - from your preferred name and pronouns to how you'd like us to support you and communicate with you.
Learn moreContact us and FAQs
25 Erleigh Road, Reading
Adult ADHD Service
Contact number: 0118 904 4600 (available 8.30am-5pm, Monday to Friday)
Email: neuropsychology@berkshire.nhs.uk
Post Address: RG1 5LR
Location detailsFrequently asked questions
How long does it take for referrals to be processed?
Due to high demand, we’re currently behind processing ADHD diagnostic assessment referrals. We’ll review your referral in the order it has been received.
Our first contact with you will be to ask you to complete some questionnaires online to determine whether we can offer an assessment to you.
Can my referral be prioritised?
We have a criteria outlining how we prioritise referrals and the evidence required. Very few clients can be prioritised.
Evidence is needed to confirm that you meet the criteria.
The criteria includes:
- needing to take a very important academic or career-relevant vocational exams within the waitlist time (and learning support services have been unable to provide assessment and support strategies)
- being at risk of losing a place on an educational programme
- ADHD/autism symptoms are relevant in a current legal process involving care proceedings for your child(ren) that are unrelated to divorce/child custody proceedings
- relevance in a legal proceeding involving the collection of evidence by the police or judiciary services
- successfully controlling substance misuse and considered to
have a window of suitability to assess and treat - clinical reasoning given by a consultant psychiatrist working within Berkshire Healthcare
- formal safeguarding or MARAC process has requested priority
- being a care leaver and needing an assessment or medication to support future educational or employment prospects
The following are not reasons for prioritisation:
- being acutely unwell, in mental health crisis, or presenting acute risks (it's unlikely that we will be able to make substantial change in the short-term).
- having had a private assessment that does not meet minimum quality requirements to be accepted directly to the prescribing clinic
- second opinion
- complaints about waiting list
- being stable on medication not available in the UK
- moving out of area and wanting to be seen before move
- being an NHS employee
How long is the wait for an assessment?
Our diagnostic assessment waitlist is currently over four years from the date of your referral, and the medication waitlist is approximately one year.
What support can I access while on the waitlist?
Unfortunately, we can’t offer full support to anyone on our waitlist.
As well as your GP, there are local charities and communities who can provide advice on managing your symptoms and contacting support hubs.
Autism Berkshire is a local charity that offers support for autistic people and people with ADHD and their families.
I cannot access my usual ADHD medication. Can you prescribe me something else?
We can’t support you if your prescription is provided by your GP. Your GP can instead contact us for advice.
What should I do if I experience side effects to the medication?
You can talk with your clinician at your appointment, about potential side effects.
If you experience serious or intolerable side effects to your physical health, the ADHD medication can be stopped pending review in our clinic. You should seek medical help and advice as appropriate, by contacting your GP or NHS 111. Call 999 if the side effects are an emergency.
If you develop worsening problems in your general mental health outside of ADHD, you should discuss this with your GP.
What happens if I want to stop my ADHD medication?
If you decide to stop the medication, you may do so without needing to gradually reduce the dose. You must inform your prescriber (GP or ADHD clinician) that you have stopped the medication. You must hand in all leftover medication to your local pharmacy.
Guanfacine/ Intuniv must not be stopped suddenly. Seek medical advice first.
What if I move out of area?
Let us know as soon as possible if you are planning to move out of area, so we can provide a handover of care to your new GP practice.
If you have not started the titration process, then your new GP should refer you to your local ADHD Service at your new area. You will, therefore, be discharged from our service. We are happy to forward any assessments and clinic letters to your new GP or your new ADHD Clinic. The new ADHD service may add you to their medical waiting list and may not offer priority service.
If you have started titration, we will complete this before handing over prescribing and monitoring to your new GP. You would be required to travel to our clinic from your new address. Once titration is complete, we will discharge you from our service, and your new GP an ADHD service will help you with further reviews questions.
We can also help you with
Is there any information for friends, family and carers?
If you’re a family member/carer or you look after someone, there’s practical, financial, and emotional support available to you from a range of local communities and national organisations.
How do I request an interpreter?
We can provide language translation and interpretation support whenever you visit or contact us.
Tell our staff which language you prefer to use, and we will make sure the right communication support is in place for your assessment and treatment. Please let us know as early as possible so we can ensure the appropriate translation or interpreting support is available.
We offer a range of professional services to ensure everyone can understand and be understood:
- telephone interpreting
- video remote interpreting (VRI)
- face‑to‑face interpreting
- written translation
- British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting
How can I get information in an accessible format?
Anyone with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss has the right to receive information in a format that meets their needs. Under the Accessible Information Standard (AIS)—a legal requirement for all health and adult social care providers—we must ensure that people who use our services, including carers and families, can understand the information we provide and communicate effectively with us.
We can offer information in a range of accessible formats, including:
- British Sign Language (BSL)
- large print
- braille
- audio
- easy Read
- text message
- face‑to‑face support with a carer or advocate present
If you need information in any of these formats, please tell a member of our team and we will make sure your communication needs are met.
Are service dogs allowed to my appointment?
Yes. You are welcome to bring your registered service animal, such as a guide dog, hearing dog, medical alert dog, or other trained assistance dog to your appointment.
These animals are recognised as essential support and are permitted in most areas of our services.
To help us prepare, please let the team know before your appointment if you will be attending with a service animal. This allows us to make sure the environment is safe and comfortable for you, your animal, and other patients.
Please note that service animals may not be able to enter certain restricted clinical areas for safety or infection‑control reasons, but we will always work with you to find an appropriate alternative.
Treating our team with respect.
Respect is important.
We will be polite and kind and we expect that you treat our staff in the same way.
Abuse, hate and discrimination against our staff is unacceptable.
We will take strong action against anyone who is verbally, racially, physically, or sexually abusive to them.
This includes contacting the police to prosecute, and stopping future access to our healthcare services.
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