NHS and shared care

This section explains how a private ADHD assessment fits with NHS care. Three questions matter most: can I use NHS Right to Choose instead of paying, will the NHS accept a private diagnosis, and will my GP take over prescribing? The answers depend on where you live and which practice you’re registered with. No law makes the NHS adopt a private diagnosis, and the BMA says GP practices can decline shared care for any reason.

The guides here set out how Right to Choose works in England and why it does not apply in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, what a shared care agreement is, what to do if your GP says no, and how NHS routes and waiting times differ across the four UK nations. They are dated because policy changes. Some areas of England have restricted Right to Choose referrals, and local rules on private shared care vary.

For our own approach, read about shared care with your GP, or see our waiting times if you want to compare them with NHS waits. Start with the guide comparing Right to Choose and a private assessment, then read what the NHS does with a private diagnosis.