ADHD and Autism Assessments

We have made changes to how new non-urgent ADHD and autism  assessments are booked with Right to Choose providers.

Appointments are being scheduled more gradually, which means people may wait longer to be seen. We are prioritising those with the most urgent needs to make sure support is provided where it is needed most.

All referrals remain on the waiting list, and no one will lose their place. As appointments become available, patients will be contacted in order of their original referral date where no additional prioritisation has taken place.

Demand for Autism and ADHD services across England is higher than the NHS financial resources available and the funding available to NHS Greater Manchester for 2026/27 has not increased.

Under new NHS guidance, Integrated Care Boards – such as NHS Greater Manchester – are required to manage demand and keep services within these limited resources, which we know will be disappointing for many people.

Integrated Care Boards – such as NHS Greater Manchester – are responsible for planning NHS services and making sure they stay within their local budgets.

NHS Greater Manchester needs to operate within our agreed budgets.

No, you will not lose your place on the waiting list. You will remain on the list and retain your original referral date.

• You still have the right to choose your provider
• Some people may face longer waits. Everyone will stay on the waiting list and will be offered an assessment as soon as capacity allows, guided by clinical priority.

If you or your child are feeling anxious, stressed or overwhelmed there’s a range of support available.  Visit our Get to Know Where to Go for mental health support page or the Hub, designed to support young people  Mental Health | Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership.

If you feel you need more urgent help, options are available without needing to contact your GP practice first visit our Get to Know Where to Go for mental health support page

“Higher clinical need” means that someone’s situation is more complex or urgent, and they may need to be seen sooner for their safety or wellbeing.

Decisions about priority are made by clinical professionals using the information already available to them. This helps make sure support is provided as fairly and safely as possible.

You do not need to contact your GP to ask to be prioritised. If your situation changes, this will be reviewed by the specialist service currently involved in your care.

It’s also important to know that some types of support do not require a diagnosis. For example, schools can provide help through an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), and employers can offer support through Access to Work. We are working with schools and employers to make sure people can get the support they need without waiting for an assessment.

Schools, workplaces, and community services can often provide support and adjustments without a formal diagnosis. Please speak with your GP practice, school, or employer about what may be available.

Under the NHS Right to Choose, you can choose which provider you are referred to for your ADHD or autism assessment.

Once your care has started, your assessment and any follow-up treatment will be provided by the same provider. This helps make sure your care is safe, consistent, and well-coordinated.

This means you cannot move to a different provider part-way through your care for the same condition.

If you have concerns about your care, you should speak to your current provider in the first instance, as they are best placed to support you and discuss your options.

Who you should complain to depends on what your concern is about.

If your complaint is about the care or service provided
You should complain to the provider organisation that delivered the service. This includes concerns about assessments, treatment, waiting times, communication, discharge, or how the provider delivered the service under its National Health Service contract.

If your complaint is about a provider’s National Health Service contract
You may complain to the commissioner (Integrated Care Board) that holds the contract with that provider.

If your complaint is about a referral or access to the Right to Choose
You should complain to NHS GM. This includes concerns about referrals not being made or being refused the opportunity to use the Right to Choose.

If you are unsure
You can contact your local Integrated Care Board complaints team, who can advise you or pass your complaint to the correct organisation.

If your provider is unable to continue operating, the Integrated Care Board (ICB) will already be aware and will work as quickly as possible to arrange alternative services.

In the meantime, your first point of contact should be your GP practice, particularly if you receive regular medication or ongoing care. While they may not have information about next steps, they can help ensure there are no immediate risks to your health while new arrangements are being put in place.

If your needs become more urgent, support is available. For urgent mental health concerns, you can call NHS 111 and choose option 2 for Mental Health or contact your GP practice. If you feel you need an ADHD or autism assessment to be prioritised, please speak directly to your current provider, as they are able to review requests for urgent consideration.

The Integrated Care Board (ICB) is not able to make decisions about individual urgent cases or expedite assessments, as this requires clinical judgement.

If a GP declines to enter into a shared care agreement for ADHD medication, this does not affect your access to treatment or the quality of your care. In these circumstances, the specialist provider responsible for the ADHD diagnosis and treatment will continue to oversee and prescribe the medication directly. The GP’s decision relates only to who issues the prescription, and should have no impact on clinical oversight, medication review, or ongoing care.

We have made some changes to how ADHD and autism  assessments are provided to make sure care is safe, high quality, and follows national guidance.

Across NHS Greater Manchester, providers are now expected to offer autism assessments face to face, and to carry out ADHD physical health checks in person. These changes help ensure assessments are thorough, clinically robust, and meet NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidelines.

Some providers have not been able to move to this model of care. In these cases, NHS Greater Manchester has worked with them to return patients to local services so that assessments can be completed in line with these standards.

These changes do not affect your right to choose where you receive care. You can still choose from a range of providers, including local services and Right to Choose providers. The aim is to make sure that, wherever you are seen, your care meets the same high standards.