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NHS Right to Choose allows patients in England to choose where they receive their NHS outpatient care, including ADHD assessments. Where long local waiting lists exist, this pathway enables referral to an alternative NHS-commissioned provider elsewhere in England.
For ADHD clinicians, understanding how Right to Choose operates is increasingly important. Many patients are actively requesting it, yet awareness and interpretation of the framework can vary between GP practices and local NHS systems.
This page outlines the legal basis, eligibility criteria, referral mechanics, and practical considerations specific to ADHD services.
When considering ADHD assessment for adults or children, there are generally two broad routes:
Right to Choose does not apply in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, as healthcare is devolved and equivalent patient choice legislation has not been implemented in the same way.
Right to Choose is a patient choice right within NHS England. It applies when:
It is important to distinguish between:
A useful way to conceptualise this is:
The clinician decides whether a referral is clinically indicated. The patient decides where that referral is sent, provided the provider meets eligibility criteria.
Patients cannot be referred to any provider of their choosing. The selected provider must:
Many ADHD assessment services accessed under Right to Choose are independent sector organisations contracted to provide NHS services to NHS standards. These providers operate within NHS clinical governance frameworks.
If medication is initiated, prescriptions are issued under NHS arrangements.
Right to Choose does not apply in certain circumstances. Patients are not eligible if they are:
These exclusions are defined within NHS England guidance and should be reviewed when complex circumstances arise.
Clinicians frequently raise the following questions:
Is an Individual Funding Request required?
No. An IFR is not required where the provider holds a qualifying NHS contract.
Does the Integrated Care Board need to approve the referral?
No additional permission is required if the provider meets the eligibility criteria under Right to Choose.
Does ADHD assessment fall within the Right to Choose framework?
Yes. ADHD outpatient assessment falls within scope, provided the conditions outlined above are met.
Several NHS systems commission ADHD assessment services from independent providers. These are often informally referred to as “Right to Choose providers,” although legally they are simply NHS-contracted providers eligible under the framework.
Patients may request direct referral to one of these providers rather than entering their local waiting list.
Each provider sets out its own referral process, typically requiring:
Clinicians should advise patients to review the chosen provider’s referral guidance carefully to avoid administrative delays.
Many outsourced ADHD providers initiate medication but require a Shared Care Agreement with the patient’s GP for long-term prescribing.
This creates several practical considerations:
Clinicians should ensure patients understand that refusal of shared care may affect ongoing prescribing arrangements.
Right to Choose has significantly reduced access delays for many ADHD patients in England. However, increasing demand has led to local commissioning tensions and, in some areas, attempts to restrict referrals.
Policy and commissioning arrangements are evolving. Clinicians should remain alert to:
As this is a dynamic area of healthcare policy, advice may change over time.
For ADHD clinicians, the key principles are:
A well-informed approach reduces delays, supports patient autonomy, and helps ensure equitable access to ADHD assessment services across England.
NHS Right to Choose is a lawful and established patient choice mechanism within England. For ADHD assessments, it provides an alternative pathway where local waiting times are prolonged.
Clinicians play a critical role in understanding the framework, supporting informed patient decisions, and navigating referral logistics appropriately.
Clear communication, accurate documentation, and awareness of commissioning criteria are central to ensuring this pathway operates effectively and in accordance with NHS policy.
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A few of our frequently asked questions about this course
With the UK facing a growing ADHD diagnosis crisis, NHS waiting lists now average 2–3 years due to the high demand for assessments. By taking this course, you’ll not only gain specialist skills but also play a crucial role in alleviating this crisis. As a healthcare professional, you’ll be making a meaningful difference to individuals in urgent need of timely support and helping to address the ADHD backlog.
Since updates to the NG87 NICE guidelines, the guidance now states that ADHD diagnosis can be carried out by a “suitably qualified practitioner.” To be considered suitably qualified, practitioners must complete specific training that provides them with the knowledge and practical tools to deliver accurate diagnoses.
Our course offers an in-depth look into ADHD in adults, covering DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, the widely recognised DIVA assessment, and practical guidance from expert instructors. You’ll also gain insights into the evolution of ADHD understanding and explore best practices through real-world scenarios.
This course is open to all healthcare practitioners. Prices vary for consultant psychiatrists. As we are a training provider only, please be aware that we do not verify practitioner credentials, and each participant is responsible for securing their own professional indemnity after completing the course.
The course runs for a full 8-hour day via video link on Microsoft Teams. Participants are expected to engage fully in discussions, complete mock assessments, and participate in a final Q&A assessment to demonstrate their understanding.
Participants who complete the course receive a recognised CPD certification, which not only enhances professional credibility but can also be submitted to insurance providers as proof of ADHD diagnostic competence.
With demand for ADHD testing rising each year, private ADHD assessments have become a valuable income stream for qualified practitioners, with professionals able to charge up to £1,500 per assessment. This qualification offers flexibility, allowing you to incorporate assessments into existing work commitments.
Great course .Enjoyed
I've found this course incredibly valuable. Dr Pav has been brilliant at bringing the material to life, especially through real-life case studies
outstanding training. very interactive and good learning for a career progression.
Really enjoyed the information and what ADHD actually means. The presentation was awesome
Really enjoyed the course very informative. It was worth it.
I found the course incredibly insightful. It cha
Excellent and informative, highly skilled trainers, prompt and effective service.
Great Course , I thoroughly enjoyed the course. Educative and eye opening. Even emotional at times.
Interesting course, good introduction to ADHD, well structured and delivered.
Comprehensive course with a good balance of core material and activities which generated opportunities for learning. Admin process from booking to receiving the material was smooth and efficient. Really helpful tips around career guidance.
This was a great course, very informative!
Found the course helpful and the trainer supportive and engaging ,
Very informative and helpful
I am glad attend the training today. The session was very informantive and active.
Course trainer extremely knowledgeable, course set at a good pace. Really enjoyed the learning and group interaction. Thank You.
The trainer was excellent and made the course so interesting. We also had an opportunity to work through an assessment. I would recommend this to all professionals especially those in mental health services.
A great comprehensive and concise course that gives you confidence to prescribe in ADHD. The teaching is very clear and easy to understand.
Thoroughly enjoyed the training and gained so much from it.
excellent
Fantastic course, very enlightening and to the point, thank you!
The training was well structured, conducted in a very professional manner. I will definitely recommend it to friends and family. It engaged everyone. Thank you.
I enjoyed the training today. I felt it was a good balance of learning information, breakout rooms, and practice of the tools. There were good resources suggested as well
Good course
perfect
it was worth attending, great insight into the course and management.
Great course
Really good course. Very informative and definitely helps with treatment options.
The trainer delivered an outstanding presentation,clear, engaging, and clinically relevant. The course was exceptionally well-structured, with a logical flow and practical, evidence-based content throughout. His expertise and passion were evident, making the learning experience both informative and inspiring. I would highly recommend this course to any clinician seeking to enhance their ADHD practice.
Excellent training, with very knowledgeable professionals
well organized. He explained everything very well
Great course, very informative
Training was clear, easy to understand and has motivated me to go into the ADHD field
good session
Excellent course , very informative , I love the concept of collaborating with the Gobal ADHD network
Amazing, informative course
Very informative course. The content covered was very detailed and in depth; mixture of learning styles. would highly recommend.
Great presentation by Dr Pav, very interactive session, comprehensive course materials, clear instruction, quick response
I really enjoyed the course. It was very informative. I would introduce others. Learnt a lot. Will be interested in doing Management course
I thoroughly enjoyed the session; it was both engaging and informative. The structure and presentation kept my attention throughout, and I found the content to be highly interesting.
GREAT COURSE, VERY THOROUGH AND WELL DELIVERED
Another very positive experience with a lot of information, detail and interaction. Dr Pav presented clearly and came across as very knowledgeable and passionate about ADHD. He was very accommodating with questions from numerous attendees and shared valuable feedback on our group breakout discussions on a variety of case studies. Overall a very full day packed with detailed information, helpful insights and useful tips.
Informative
I really enjoyed the course and learned a lot about ADHD.I hope to apply it in my career
Great course, thorough detail on how to deliver DIVA-5 Assessment.
Amazing session, I feel very confident on how to use the DIVA and my knowledge on ADHD has massively improved
A complex, but enjoyable programme. This was more medical focussed on the diagnostic programme, which as a psychologist was less relevant to my day-to-day practice, but this was still very helpful.
Excellent session, particularly enjoyed the session after lunch where theory was put into practice.
The course was delivered in a relaxed yet professional, organised manner with the trainer quite supportive and approachable
The course was interactive
I benefited from the course ,how to manage the ADHD treatment,Learned different types of anti ADHD medication both stimulant and no stimulant their side effect their interaction,their life span and how they act on brain neurotransmitters
Very informative course, clearly delivered and very accessible.
Incredibly informative, essential and well organised course. Thank you.
Thank you for course very insightful this has helped me understand how to do an assessment for ADHD thanks for your time and knowledge :)
Well thought out course, calm and thoughtful tutor with loads of experience
Very well taught course and understood how to use the DIVA
I recently attended the ADHD Assessment and Diagnosis Course, and it was an incredibly informative and educational experience. The training was well-structured, evidence-based, and delivered in a clear and engaging way. It provided practical guidance on the assessment process, diagnostic criteria, and clinical considerations. After completing the course, I feel much more confident in carrying out ADHD assessments in clinical practice. I would highly recommend this course to healthcare professionals looking to strengthen their knowledge and skills in ADHD assessment and diagnosis.
This was a great opportunity to enhence my understanding about ADHD.Today's training has enabled me to acquire relavant skills to diagnose ADHD through a thorough and well guided pathway.The presentation was clear,interactive and kept us well engaged.As a resuilt,i can confidently be invoved in active management of ADHD to assist in alleviating the existing ADHD management crisis.
A very useful course, tailored to suit just what I need when it comes to further knowledge in assessing and diagnosing ADHD
Interesting and informative course which has increased my understanding of ADHD, DIVA assessment and diagnosis based on DSM-5 criteria and guidelines.
Good valuable course
great course and very engaging
Informative and encouraging advocates for ADHD.
Great course - thank you
I consider this an extremely enlightening course. Thank you.
I have been so inspired working in the assessment clinic for ADHD having done the training.. I feel privileged. would so much want to join the Team.
I recently completed the ADHD training course with The trainer, and it has been a transformative experience. The course provided a comprehensive understanding of ADHD, including the challenges and strengths.
Excellent course. Very informative and useful in my occupation.
I am thrilled to have completed the ADHD DIVA training course. I believe this course will enhance my skills and experience as I venture further into Neurodiversity service and development.
I currently work as an Advanced Nurse Practioner (prescriber) in Primary Care with a significant mental health case load. I have a specific interest in ADHD and found the course to be very informative, I have completed both the assessment and medication management course, both were excellent in terms of delivery and information.
I enjoyed the session. Informative and options to ask doubts in between.
Really brilliant course – super informative and interactive. Kept me engaged throughout a long day and I feel confident moving forward. Thank you Dr Rav and Vinod.
Fantastic course I have learned alot and looking forward to a autism course
It was interesting
Really enjoyed this training. Very informative and well structured. Really enjoyed the activities element too.
Incredibly interesting and informative. Clear instructions on how to interpret and provide ADHD diagnoses and examples of this. I feel that I have a much clearer understanding to work with clients moving forward
I attended on Saturday, and the learning experience was incredible. It confirmed that ADHD is definitely my career route, and I look forward to attending the management course.
Extremely informative and enjoyed learning about the nice guidelines alongside the different medications individually. The case studies were extremely powerful.
The course was well-structured, walking me through each stage of the diagnostic process in a way that felt empowering rather than clinical. The course was thoughtfully structured, with each step building insight, clarity, and confidence. I thoroughly enjoyed the course-Thank you!
I attended the diagnostic and the management training on ADHD. I find this training very interesting, I believe the learning outcomes of this training will definitely improve my skills in practicing in my current position.
The trainer,s reputation far exceeds him. He has mastery over the course and is an incredible teacher and someone to look up to. I totally enjoyed every bit of the of the training. I am super excited about launching my ADHD career both as an assessor and an educator.
Wonderful training, exceptional trainer
Great course, felt engaged throughout which is very rare! The content will definitely be valuable to my clinical practice.
Fantastic course very informative
The training is invaluable. Very informative and engaging. The course trainers are very knowledgeable about ADHD. Oliver, Dr Mona and Dr Pav all had personal experience in ADHD and their interest and passion in this shows. I am grateful for the time they took to talk about post training opportunities. I would definitely recommend this training to colleagues and those in health care service provision.
excellent, informative, break out rooms were good,
The training has improved my understanding of ADHD medication management. Dr. Pav took his time to explain concepts in greater depth. All the attendees were very helpful.
I thoroughly enjoyed both the diagnostic course and the management course even though I am not a prescriber - still relevant and useful.
Good course
I found the course and material very informative. Course delivery was very good , delivered by The trainer
Highly informative, and clear, structured training on how to complete assessments using DIVA. Trainer encouraged interaction and delivered the content in an engaging, concise way. Slides could be larger as difficult to see on screen.
The training was very informative, a good range of activities. Dr Pav is knowledgeable, but delivers the course in a very rounded way. In summary, our experience has been very positive.
I really enjoyed the DIVA 5 course today. It was very informative and helped me learn much more about ADHD, as well as providing extra valuable information on the DIVA 5 tool itself and how to effectively use it. The content was clear and practical, which I found really helpful.
very informative and educative. i have learnt alot today.
Great course - thank you for having me.
Attending the ADHD Medication Management course has significantly enhanced my clinical confidence and prescribing competence when supporting individuals with ADHD. The course provided a comprehensive overview of pharmacological options, including stimulant and non-stimulant therapies, and offered practical strategies for monitoring treatment effectiveness and managing side effects. The evidence-based content, combined with real-world case discussions, has strengthened my ability to deliver safe, person-centred, and effective care. I would highly recommend this course to any healthcare professional involved in ADHD management."
loved it
The course was exceptionally well-structured combining both theoretical knowledge and practical insights. It covered diagnostic tools , evidence-based interventions allowing me to deepen my understanding of ADHD’s complexities.
excellent course
Thank you for a great course. Great presentation with lots of opportunities to ask questions
The course was really enjoyable. Information was presented very clearly, there was enough time for questions and participant interactions. The tutor was very knowledgeable and it was paced well. Some guidance on gathering psychiatric and developmental history and non medication treatment recommendations and some direction with using the qualification in private practice would be beneficial but I haven't had chance to explore the network materials. The course could easily be spread across 2 days but I'm pleased to have qualified and look forward to using the network resources, many thanks.
This comprehensive training, guided by experienced ADHD specialists, ensures participants are well-prepared to handle diverse cases and offers the added benefit of earning a recognised CPD certification. This certification not only validates your expertise but also enhances your professional credibility in the field. We encourage you to book the course today to advance your skills in ADHD diagnosis.
If you have any questions or need assistance in choosing the right course for you, please get in contact with us. Our team is here to support you every step of the way.
