Our Assessments
Did you see the BBC Panorama documentary on private ADHD assessments? We did.
Unfortunately private ADHD assessments can be of poor quality and lack governance, giving others a bad name.
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At Chiltern ADHD Clinic, our approach is centred around providing the highest quality ADHD assessments and treatment to our clients.
Everything that we have done is aiming for gold standard, based on our experience within the NHS. We have tried to replicate NHS services as much as possible, and utilise a Multi Disciplinary Team approach to all ADHD assessments.
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Can you get a cheaper / quicker ADHD assessment? Absolutely yes.
Should you? Maybe not.
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Here is a little explanation of the structure of our ADHD assessments
(which do not necessarily result in a positive diagnosis).
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1. You self-refer to Chiltern ADHD Clinic. An experienced Clinician will offer you a free 30 minute consultation.
2. If you would like to go ahead, you will be offered a 60 minute screening appointment. This is to gather some brief information to determine whether it would be in your best interest to continue with a full diagnostic assessment. This will include a face to face or video appointment and some questionnaires. We do not believe that it is ethical to continue with a full diagnostic assessment if you don't appear to meet criteria after a screening appointment.
3. If you appear to meet criteria and we agree to proceed, we will proceed with a full diagnostic assessment which could take another 6-8 hours.
4. The Multi Disciplinary Team will discuss the case and agree whether the diagnosis is positive (i.e. you get a diagnosis of ADHD) or negative (i.e. you do not get a diagnosis of ADHD).
5. You will be offered a final appointment to discuss the outcome, treatment recommendations, a little about ADHD and what happens next. You will be given a report to review and this can be sent to your GP or referrer, if applicable.
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The full diagnostic assessment includes:
- Completion of a formal diagnostic assessment by your Clinician.
- Review of collateral information - NHS or other healthcare records, school reports, work reports etc.
- Interviewing 'informants'. These could be parents, spouses, friends and family who can comment on your symptoms or difficulties.
- Gathering a full clinical and psychosocial assessment of the person, including a developmental and psychiatric history.
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You will receive a comprehensive report which includes:
- Your scored diagnostic assessment with rationale.
- Information gathered by the Clinician.
- A workplace addendum which can be discussed separately from your full report.
- A list of resources.
- A recommended treatment plan.
- Relevant information from NICE (Healthcare) Guidelines.
- The full ADHD diagnostic criteria.
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If you are interested in medication:
- You can discuss this with a Consultant Psychiatrist.
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Please note:
Proceeding with an ADHD assessment will not necessarily result in a positive diagnosis. We are assessing whether your symptoms or difficulties might fit with a specific diagnosis. Just because you are paying for an assessment, this does not guarantee you will receive a positive diagnosis.
Despite popular belief, you do not need to be assessed by a Psychiatrist to receive a diagnosis of ADHD. We hear this a lot. Please see the relevant quote below from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidelines for ADHD Diagnosis and Management (2018):
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1.3.1. 'A diagnosis of ADHD should only be made by a specialist psychiatrist, paediatrician or other appropriately qualified healthcare professional with training and expertise in the diagnosis of ADHD'
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The full assessment consist of around 6-8 hours but this can fluctuate depending on your circumstances. These sessions can be in one or two hour slots. You can also choose to attend sessions with your informant, if appropriate.
Informant sessions can be conducted over the phone, online, or face to face.
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Ideally ADHD assessments will include at least one face to face session. This will help to make it as close to gold standard as we can achieve as we will be able to observe you in the room. We are unable to offer telephone ADHD assessments.
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Payments can be made in instalments, but must be paid before all appointments. If payment is not made, the assessment appointment cannot proceed and a report will not be created. In these circumstances, a subject access request will not be granted unless payment is made for the outstanding sessions.
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Cost:
30 minute consultation - free
Screening appointment - £90
Full diagnostic assessment - £1310
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Total with screening appointment, full diagnostic assessment, outcome appointment and report =
£1400