A patient laments the long wait for ADHD assessments and reflects that understanding sooner that her behaviors weren’t entirely her fault would have helped.

The local initiative is framed within broader concerns about access to ADHD services and NHS wait times.

Pascale Faiad describes her ADHD diagnosis after more than six years on a waiting list as painful and tiring, yet validating and explanatory of lifelong challenges.

NHS data show adults wait an average of eight years for an ADHD diagnosis once on a waiting list, illustrating systemic delays in access to assessment and care.

Trust chief executive says there is a shortage of consultant psychiatrists, prompting a new model of care intended to deliver earlier assessments and tackle the backlog.

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust is piloting a plan to speed up access by training private GPs to perform ADHD assessments, potentially serving up to 100 adults each month.