CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE (CYP)
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) REFERRALS
This document outlines the options, responsibilities (of patients/parents/guardians and GPs) and the referral process for a child or young persons ADHD referral. This includes the Right to Choose (RTC) referral process. It aims to provide clear guidance for patients/parents/guardians, ensuring an efficient and safe referral process.
Your child does not need an appointment with a GP to be referred for an ADHD assessment.
Your child can be referred within the NHS, and this will be a local, comprehensive face-to-face assessment and smooth transfer of prescribing if your child is started on medication. Unfortunately, the waiting time for an NHS referral is currently more than 2 years. If you feel that this is too long to wait, you have the ‘Right to Choose’(RTC) an assessment from a provider in the private sector, under the NHS (info on the RTC pathway is in the next section under ‘Right to Choose Pathway).
Providers:
Listed below are the providers that NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB has directly commissioned and hold a contract to deliver ADHD services to residents with a Lancashire and South Cumbria registered GP.
Due diligence has been undertaken against this provider and monitoring against quality standards is in place. Assurances can be provided that each provider algins to local agreements, including shared care guidance.
Local Providers i.e. Non Right To Choose pathways:
LSCFT (CAMHS) North Lancashire, Central and West Lancashire, and South Cumbria
Services commissioned: 16 – 18 years ADHD
Service information: Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMH) :: Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (lscft.nhs.uk)
Telephone number: 01772 777344
Email: lcn-tr.camhspreston@nhs.net
Notes:
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals FT (Community Paediatrics) Central and West Lancashire
Due to long waits, all existing referrals that have been sent to the above Community Paediatrics team but not yet been triaged, will be transferred to Blackpool Teaching Hospitals. All new referrals to the local provider are now being sent to Blackpool Teaching Hospitals team. See details below.
Families do not need to take any action. Those affected by these transfers for both pathways will receive a letter from Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust advising of next steps.
For frequently asked questions and further information, including local support offers, please see the neurodevelopmental webpage - LSC Integrated Care Board :: CYP neurodevelopmental pathway
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals
Services commissioned: 6-16y
Service information: Children and Young Persons Learning Disability and Neuro team :: Blackpool Teaching Hospitals
Telephone number: 01253 951995
Email: bfwh.
Notes: BTH suggest that any further families seeking referral should be advised to speak to their school SENCO about a referral to BTH, unless the GP has sufficient knowledge of the child to complete the referral form here. The service is working to provide local venues for assessments so you won't have to travel to Blackpool.
Right to Choose Pathway
Right to Choose (RTC) allows patients to choose their preferred NHS-contracted provider for an ADHD assessments. This process is designed to ensure referrals are handled quickly and consistently while maintaining patient safety and minimising administrative burdens. RTC providers are typically private companies with NHS contracts and are based all around the country.
GPs cannot select a provider on a patient’s behalf. You must research your options and choose a provider that meets your needs.
Exclusion Criteria for the RTC provision:
- If you're already receiving mental health care for the same condition.
- If you're under urgent (or crisis) care.
- If you're receiving highly secure psychiatric care.
- If your referral comes from your local health service commission (exceptions apply for cases from the Better Care Fund 'BCF' or Section 75).
- If you're a serving member of the armed forces.
- If you're already receiving in-patient care via the NHS, you may not qualify for the RTC provision.
Points to consider when choosing a RTC provider:
- Most RTC providers conduct assessments remotely or online only.
- Local commissioned providers within Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS may not accept diagnoses made by RTC and could require their own assessment process.
Providers:
The following providers are based in England and have been approved by the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) to deliver ADHD and/or ASD services under the Right to Choose policy. Please note the specific age ranges that each provider caters for.
The Aspen Clinic
Services commissioned: CYP ADHD
Service information: About The Aspen Clinic | A Private ADHD & Autism Clinic
Telephone Number: 0161 560 5905
Email: NHSenquiries@theaspenclinic.co.uk
Online: Right to Choose – The Aspen Clinic
ADHD 360
Services commissioned: An online service for adult and CYP ADHD
Service information: Right To Choose | ADHD Diagnosis And Treatment | ADHD 360 (adhd-360.com)
Telephone number: 01507 534 181
Email: enquiries@adhd-360.com
Online: Contact ADHD 360 | Speak To Our Specialist ADHD Team (adhd-360.com) (Live chat or online enquiry form)
ADHD360 is available to select via e-RS however we have been informed it is unable to access referrals via the system. As a result, ADHD360 requests that practices email the referral to them and this information is included in the Service Information on e-RS.
Evolve Psychiatry
Services commissioned: ADHD CYP
Service information: Neurodevelopmental Assessments – Evolve Psychology
Telephone Number: 01423 637818
Email: enquiries@evolveps.co.uk
Online: Contact Us – Evolve Psychology (Online enquiry form)
* Please note that this provider is unable to offer treatment for ADHD (only assessments) and this should be considered in deciding whether this is an appropriate provider for the patient seeking to be referred.
Help4Psychology
Services commissioned: ADHD CYP (Under 18 years old)
Service information: Right to Choose – Help for Psychology
Telephone Number: 01603 482503
Online: Contact Us – Help for Psychology
* Please note that this provider is unable to offer treatment for ADHD (only assessments) and this should be considered in deciding whether this is an appropriate provider for the patient seeking to be referred.
Oakdale Centre
Services commissioned: CYP ADHD
Service information: Neurodevelopmental Service (Autism/ADHD) – Oakdale Centre
Telephone Number: 01423 503080 (Harrogate), 01422 652652 (Halifax), 0113 8314433 (Leeds)
Email: reception@oakdalecentre.org (Harrogate), reception.halifax@oakdale.org (Halifax), reception.horsforth@oakdale.org (Leeds)
Online: See link above
* Please note: any patient to access the medication pathway would need to travel to Halifax for their initial physical health check, which would include an ECG as necessary.
Psicon
Services commissioned: CYP ADHD assessment (6-17 years)
Service information: Private ADHD Diagnosic Assessments for Children UK | Psicon
Telephone number: 01227 379 099
Email: enquiries@psicon.co.uk
Online: Contact Us About Our Neurodivergent Assessments | Psicon
RTN Mental Health Solutions
Services commissioned: CYP ADHD assessment
Service information: Diagnostic Assessments | RTN Diagnostics
Telephone number: 0333 772 1164
Email: enquiries@rtnmedical.com
Online: Right to Choose | RTN Diagnostics (Online Form)
* Please note that this provider is temporarily unable to offer treatment. A solution is being explored so please check back in the future and we will update accordingly.
Held Health
Services commissioned: CYP ADHD
Service information: CYP Autism & ADHD self-assessment forms (AQ-10 & SNAP IV). Share with your GP, for RTC referral. — Held Health
Telephone Number: 01392796491
Email: info@held.health
Online: Contact 1 — Held Health
*Please note that this provider does not currently have a mechanism to prescribe under NHS conditions for ADHD and this may lead to delays in patients being offered treatment following diagnosis. This is being addressed with the provider and we hope to have a resolution soon.
Care ADHD
Services commissioned: Adult ADHD and CYP ADHD
Service information: Our Services — CARE ADHD
Telephone Number: 020 4525 0709
Online: Contact Us — CARE ADHD
Clinical Partners
Services commissioned: CYP ADHD
Service information: NHS Right to Choose ADHD assessments for children | Clinical Partners
Telephone Number: 0203 326 9160
Email: NHS Patients – nhs@clinical-partners.co.uk , Private services- help@clinical-partners.co.uk
Online: Contact us | Clinical Partners
Owl Centre
Services commissioned: CYP ADHD
Service information: ADHD and Autism Right to Choose services The Owl Centre UK
Telephone Number: 01242 571883
Online: Contact Us – The Owl Centre
* Please note that this provider does not currently have a mechanism to prescribe under NHS conditions for ADHD and this may lead to delays in patients being offered treatment following diagnosis. This is being addressed with the provider and we hope to have a resolution soon.
Care ADHD Under 18
Services commissioned: CYP ADHD 6-18 years
Service information: https://under18s.careadhd.co.uk/your-right-to-choose
Telephone Number: 020 4525 0709
Email: nhsreferrals-cyp@careadhd.co.uk
Mantle Psychology
Services commissioned: CYP ADHD 6-18 years
Service information: Right to Choose – Mantle Psychology
Telephone Number: 01484 500232
Email: office@mantlepsychology.com
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REFERRAL PROCESS
If you would like your child to be referred for an ADHD assessment, please follow the process below.
No GP appointment is needed.
Print out these forms and ensure they are completed fully:
‘SNAP4’ – one copy to be completed by patient and one to be completed by school - Child ADHD SNAP4
Neurodevelopment Referral form Part A’ – to be completed by school - Child ADHD Teacher
Neurodevelopment Referral form Part B’ – to be completed by parents/guardians/carers - Child ADHD Parent/Guardian
Once completed, please send them to the secretary email blmcsecretaries@nhs.net with the following information:
Email subject: Child ADHD Referral Request
Child's Name
Date of Birth
Parent/Guardian's Name
Contact number (parent or guardian)
Email address (parent or guardian)
Chosen provider and whether this is via a Right To Choose pathway or local provider pathway
** Specific providers may require additional details. They will request this from you directly once they receive the referral from us. This may require duplicate completion of forms **
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By opting for a RTC referral, you understand and accept the following:
- Most RTC providers operate remotely and conduct online assessments.
- If medication is recommended for your child, it can only be started by the specialist, not your GP. Once you have been established, and completed the titration process on medication, your RTC provider may ask your GP to take over providing your prescriptions (this is called a Shared Care Agreement between the service provider and your GP practice). This is reviewed by your GP on an individual patient basis. Your GP does not have to agree to this request. If a shared care agreement is accepted by your GP, your child may require ongoing annual physical health monitoring.
- If a RTC provider ceases trading or loses its NHS contract, prescriptions and continued care may be suddenly discontinued. It is not the GP’s responsibility to automatically take over your childs care.
Note:
The information given above has been provided by the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (LSC ICB)
Useful Links:
Neu Way Support - Spring North - Funding & Support for Charities in the North West
NHS Choices - Your health, your choices
Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) - local offer - Lancashire County Council
SEND Local Offer | Westmorland and Furness Council
ADHD North West | Suite 10, The Chambers, Town Hall Square, Great Harwood BB6 7DD