How long is the NHS ADHD waiting list in Ayrshire?
Freedom of Information data compiled in 2026 recorded a median adult ADHD wait of around 132 weeks — roughly two and a half years — in NHS Ayrshire and Arran, with 211 adults on the list. Although that list is smaller than in Scotland's largest boards, throughput is low: a BBC Freedom of Information investigation found the board completed only 48 adult assessments in a single year against 199 people waiting. Our private service has no waiting list.
How long do children wait for an ADHD assessment in Ayrshire?
Freedom of Information data compiled in 2026 recorded a median wait of around 160 weeks — more than three years — for under-18s referred for ADHD assessment in NHS Ayrshire and Arran, with 470 children and young people waiting. Unusually, that is a longer reported wait than adults face in the same board. We assess children and teenagers up to age 17 without a waiting list.
How much does a private ADHD assessment cost for Ayr patients?
Our private ADHD assessment is £900 paid in full, or available on a monthly payment plan from £225 per month. The fee includes the full diagnostic pathway and your written report. If you'd like both ADHD and autism assessed together, a combined assessment is £1,950 pay-in-full or £487 per month — more cost-effective than booking each separately.
Do Ayr patients need to travel for the assessment?
No — most Ayrshire patients are assessed entirely online via secure video. Adult assessments are routinely completed remotely, which also suits families on Arran and in rural South Ayrshire. For children, parent interviews and feedback sessions are online; only the direct child observation may require an in-person visit to our Glasgow clinic, around an hour from Ayr by train.
Do I need a GP referral for a private ADHD assessment?
No. You can self-refer directly to our service. We will, however, request your consent to liaise with your Ayr or Ayrshire GP to ensure continuity of care and to support shared care arrangements after diagnosis where supported.
Will my GP accept a private ADHD diagnosis and prescribe medication?
Shared care for ADHD medication varies by GP and health board. Our diagnoses are made by GMC-registered consultant psychiatrists who are members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, using DSM-5-TR criteria and NICE NG87 standards, so they are clinically equivalent to an NHS diagnosis. Where your Ayrshire GP is unable to take on shared care, we can prescribe and titrate medication privately through our regulated service.
Can adults be diagnosed with ADHD for the first time?
Yes. A large proportion of our adult patients are diagnosed for the first time in their 20s, 30s, 40s or later. ADHD does not develop in adulthood — but it is frequently missed in childhood, especially in girls, in academically high-achieving children, and in those whose hyperactivity presents as inattention or internal restlessness. Adult-first diagnosis is one of our specialist areas.
Do you assess both ADHD and autism?
Yes. ADHD and autism frequently co-occur, and we assess both within a single consultant-led pathway. In Ayrshire the two conditions are assessed through separate NHS routes with very different waiting times, so a combined private assessment avoids having to choose which to pursue first.
