A private ADHD assessment gives you a diagnosis and a report. It does not automatically give you a GP who will take over your prescribing. The gap between those two things is what most people are really asking about before they book, so this guide explains what is recognised, what your GP can decline, and how to give your diagnosis the best chance of being accepted.
If you are still deciding how to get assessed, our guide on how to get an ADHD diagnosis in the UK compares the NHS, Right to Choose and private routes.
Two questions, not one
“Will the NHS accept it?” usually means two separate things.
The first is whether the diagnosis is recognised: whether other doctors, your employer, your university and organisations such as the DVLA treat it as a real clinical finding. A diagnosis made properly by a qualified specialist is a clinical diagnosis, whether the assessment was paid for privately or not.
The second is whether your GP will take over prescribing your ADHD medication. That is a separate decision, made by your GP practice, usually through a shared care agreement. You can have the first without the second.
What makes a diagnosis credible
NICE guidance (NG87) says ADHD should only be diagnosed by a specialist psychiatrist, paediatrician or other appropriately qualified healthcare professional with training and expertise in diagnosing ADHD. It also says the diagnosis should be based on a full clinical and psychosocial assessment, a full developmental and psychiatric history, and observer reports and an assessment of the person’s mental state.
In practice, GPs and NHS services look at four things:
- Who assessed you. A named clinician with the right training. You can check a doctor on the GMC’s online register.
- How you were assessed. A full assessment of your history and how symptoms affect you in different areas of life, not a short screening call.
- Who provided it. Whether the provider is registered with the Care Quality Commission, which you can check on the CQC website.
- What the report says. Whether it documents all of this clearly enough for another clinician to act on.
Our article on what to expect at a private ADHD assessment walks through what a full assessment involves.
Can your GP refuse?
Your GP cannot be forced to agree with a diagnosis or to prescribe. Doctors must only prescribe when they are satisfied the medicine serves the patient’s needs, and they are responsible for their own prescribing decisions.
Shared care is also voluntary. The British Medical Association’s guidance to GP practices says all shared care arrangements are voluntary, that practices can decline shared care requests on clinical and capacity grounds, and that prescribing then remains the responsibility of the private provider. The same guidance says shared care with private providers is not recommended, except where a private provider is delivering commissioned NHS services.
That does not make your diagnosis invalid. It means that if your practice declines shared care, your private clinic usually continues prescribing, and you continue paying for prescriptions and reviews. Our guide to shared care agreements explains how the arrangement works and what to ask.
Ask your own GP practice about its shared care policy before you book, not after.
What your report should contain
A clear, complete report is the part you can most influence. Whoever you choose, a report that another clinician can rely on usually includes:
- the assessing clinician’s name, role and professional registration
- the date and format of the assessment
- the diagnostic criteria used, with the evidence for each part rather than a bare conclusion
- evidence that symptoms began in childhood, and where that evidence came from
- how symptoms affect you in more than one area of life, with examples
- other conditions that were considered, and why they were ruled out or found alongside ADHD
- a treatment plan and, if medication is recommended, the monitoring a prescriber would need
- a contact for your GP, and what happens if shared care is declined
Use this list to judge any provider. Our guide to choosing a private ADHD clinic has more questions to ask before you pay.
What a private diagnosis does and does not give you
A private diagnosis gives you a clinical record you can share with any doctor. It can also support requests for help at work or in education, such as Access to Work or Disabled Students’ Allowance, where what matters is evidence of how ADHD affects you.
It does not guarantee NHS prescribing, a place with an NHS ADHD service, or that another service will never ask for further assessment. If you drive, our guide to ADHD and the DVLA explains what to tell them.
What it costs if your GP says no
If shared care is declined, you pay privately for your medication and reviews for as long as you stay with a private prescriber. It is worth working that out before you start. Our article on the cost of the first year of ADHD treatment sets out the typical costs, and our guide to ADHD titration explains the first months on medication.
Some people also ask their GP about an NHS referral under Right to Choose in England. That is a separate referral route with its own waiting times, and local policies on it vary.
Questions to ask before you book
Ask the provider who will assess you, what their professional registration is, whether you can see an anonymised example report, and what ongoing prescribing costs if your GP declines shared care. Then ask your own GP practice what its policy is on shared care for medication started privately.
At PrivateADHD, every assessment is carried out online, by secure video call, and our clinicians are listed on our team page. Our online ADHD assessment page explains each step, and you can contact our team with any questions before you book.
Frequently asked questions
Is a private ADHD diagnosis valid in the UK?
Yes. A diagnosis made by an appropriately qualified specialist after a full assessment is a clinical diagnosis, whether the assessment was paid for privately or through the NHS.
Does my GP have to prescribe after a private diagnosis?
No. Shared care is voluntary, and GP practices can decline it on clinical or capacity grounds. If they do, prescribing usually stays with your private clinic.
Is a private ADHD assessment NHS approved?
There is no NHS approval scheme for private assessments. What NHS clinicians look for is a qualified, registered assessor, a provider registered with the CQC, an assessment that follows NICE guidance, and a clear report.
Will a private diagnosis count for workplace adjustments?
Usually, yes. Employers and universities generally need evidence of how your condition affects you, rather than a particular route to diagnosis.
Conclusion
We will not tell you the NHS is obliged to accept anything. A diagnosis made by a qualified specialist, by a CQC-registered provider, following NICE guidance and written up clearly gives you the strongest position. Whether your GP takes on prescribing is still their decision, and it often depends on local policy rather than on the diagnosis itself. Check with your practice before you spend anything, and you will know where you stand.
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