Adult ADHD referrals resume after year-long pause

Referrals for ADHD assessments for adults in Coventry and Warwickshire are being made again - a year after they were suspended.

NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) has introduced a new policy that restores access to ADHD and autism referrals for patients of all ages, effective immediately.

The pause, introduced in May 2025, stopped adults aged 25 and over from referrals for assessment to prioritise reducing long waiting lists for children.

Now however, the new policy means referral decisions will be based solely on clinical needs and functional impact, said the ICB.

A new quality‑based provider framework has also been introduced.

It requires all NHS‑funded providers, including Right to Choose services, to meet strengthened standards on safety, governance, follow‑up care and alignment with NICE guidelines.

The ICB said the changes were designed to improve consistency and confidence in assessments - particularly those carried out by independent providers.

The policy also states that where a clinician refers someone for both ADHD and autism, a dual assessment should be offered where appropriate, reducing the number of appointments and avoiding delays.

Speaking to the BBC last year Harry Myers, from Coventry, said he had been living with signs of ADHD for years, but had just missed out on getting a referral by three weeks.

Myers, said he was "absolutely devastated" at the time, adding the condition had affected his life for as long as he could remember.

"'ADHD assessments matter, not just for children," Myers said.

"I understand that it's going to take priority, but if we got missed as a child, why should we not have the opportunity to get that diagnosis now?."

Patients who believe they have ADHD or autism are now able contact their GP and make an appointment.

Despite the reopening of referrals, the ICB acknowledged waiting times remain among the longest in the NHS, and has been working with partner organisations to reduce them.

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