Online appointments available this week. GMC-registered psychiatrists, NICE-compliant diagnosis, and a formal written report without the 2 to 4 year NHS wait.
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NHS waiting lists for ADHD assessment in Manchester and Greater Manchester currently run between two and four years in many areas. For adults struggling at work, children falling behind at school, or anyone whose daily functioning is being affected, that wait is simply too long.
Private ADHD provides NICE-compliant assessments delivered by GMC-registered consultant psychiatrists and specialist ADHD clinicians. Our assessments are conducted online via secure video consultation, meaning you can be seen from your home in Manchester, Salford, Trafford, Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Bolton, or anywhere across Greater Manchester, with no travel required.
We deliver a formal written diagnostic report suitable for your GP, employer, or educational institution. Our diagnosis is NHS-recognised when carried out by a qualified specialist following national standards, which ours always are.
Start Your Assessment →Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects an estimated 1 in 20 people in the UK. It is not a childhood condition that is simply grown out of. Research consistently shows that the majority of children diagnosed with ADHD continue to experience significant symptoms into adulthood.
In a city like Manchester, with a large student population, a demanding professional environment, and a significant proportion of young families, the number of people living with undiagnosed ADHD is considerable. Many adults in the city have spent years struggling without explanation: underperforming at work despite clear ability, experiencing relationship difficulties linked to impulsivity or emotional dysregulation, or feeling chronically disorganised despite genuine effort.
For children and adolescents in Manchester's schools, undiagnosed ADHD frequently manifests as poor academic performance, behavioural challenges, or social difficulties, all of which can be misinterpreted as laziness or poor parenting when the underlying cause is neurological.
A formal ADHD assessment does not simply confirm whether a person has ADHD. It provides clarity on the specific presentation, severity, and functional impact of symptoms. That clarity shapes a treatment plan, whether that involves medication, therapy, behavioural strategies, or workplace and school adjustments, and gives individuals the evidence they need to access support.
Every assessment follows a structured, evidence-based pathway aligned with NICE guidelines. Nothing is rushed. Every stage is designed to arrive at an accurate, clinically defensible outcome.
A brief call with our team to understand your concerns, confirm suitability for assessment, and answer any questions. This is a no-obligation conversation, not a clinical assessment. We confirm the process, timescales, and costs clearly before you commit to anything.
Before your appointment you will complete a structured onboarding questionnaire. This includes a self-assessment and an informant report, where a person who knows you well, such as a partner, parent, or close colleague, provides observations about your symptoms. For children, school reports or feedback from teachers are also gathered at this stage.
The core of the assessment is a structured, in-depth clinical interview lasting 60 to 90 minutes. Conducted by a consultant psychiatrist or specialist clinician, this uses validated diagnostic tools, including the DIVA (Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults) for adult assessments, to explore symptom presentation, developmental history, and the functional impact on daily life. The interview covers childhood history, current functioning across multiple settings, and rules out alternative explanations.
Following the assessment, you receive a clear diagnostic outcome. If ADHD is diagnosed, a comprehensive written report is provided, outlining clinical findings, diagnostic reasoning, symptom profile, and specific recommendations. Our reports are suitable for NHS shared care discussions, workplace reasonable adjustment requests, educational settings, and DWP applications. The report is typically delivered within a short turnaround following your appointment.
A diagnosis is the beginning of a clinical pathway, not the end. Where appropriate, we discuss medication options, therapy, and practical support strategies. If medication is recommended, we begin a titration process, monthly review appointments to safely optimise dosage. Our clinicians are available between appointments for brief medication and treatment queries. If ADHD is not diagnosed, we provide guidance on alternative explanations and signposting to appropriate support.
ADHD diagnosis is a clinical speciality. The quality of your assessment depends entirely on the experience and credentials of the clinician conducting it. At Private ADHD, assessments are conducted by consultant psychiatrists and specialist ADHD clinicians, not generic mental health workers or under-supervised trainees.
All assessments are conducted or overseen by clinicians registered with the General Medical Council. You can verify their registration on the GMC website.
Our assessment process follows NICE guidelines (NG87), the national clinical standard for ADHD diagnosis in the UK. This is what makes our diagnosis NHS-recognised.
Our clinicians have dedicated ADHD expertise, not just general psychiatry. This matters for accurate identification of complex presentations and co-occurring conditions.
Every diagnosis comes with a detailed written report. This document is your clinical evidence, usable with your GP, employer, school, DLA or PIP applications, and the NHS.
All consultations are conducted via a secure, encrypted video platform. Your clinical information is handled in accordance with GDPR and NHS data standards.
With a 4.8-star Trustpilot rating and 4.85 on Doctify, our clinical quality and patient experience are independently verified by hundreds of real patients.
Not all private ADHD assessments are equal. Some services use questionnaires alone or brief appointments that fall short of NICE standards. Our assessments include structured clinical interviews, collateral history, and developmental review, the components required for a diagnosis that will stand up to NHS scrutiny and give you real clinical clarity. We do not cut corners because a cut-corner diagnosis helps no one.
All fees are confirmed in full before you book. There are no hidden charges, no surprise add-ons, and no pressure to purchase additional services. If medication is not needed, your costs end with the assessment.
Monthly review appointments to safely optimise your ADHD medication dosage once diagnosis is confirmed.
Fixed monthly fee once your medication is stable and optimised. No unexpected cost increases.
After a private diagnosis and medication stabilisation, your Manchester GP may agree to take over your ADHD prescription under NHS funding, known as a Shared Care Agreement. However, this is not automatic or guaranteed. GP practice policies vary significantly across Greater Manchester, and some practices decline SCAs as a matter of policy. If shared care is declined, ongoing medication costs remain private. We are transparent about this from the outset so there are no financial surprises.
Many adults in Manchester come to us after years, sometimes decades, of unexplained difficulties. Common reasons adults seek assessment include persistent problems at work despite strong ability, a pattern of missed deadlines or disorganisation that does not respond to planning tools, long-term emotional dysregulation, relationship strain, or burnout that does not resolve with rest alone.
Adult ADHD frequently presents differently from the childhood stereotype. Many adults, particularly women, have spent years masking symptoms effectively, presenting as capable on the surface while experiencing significant internal struggle. Our clinicians are trained to identify these internalised presentations.
The assessment explores current symptoms and their functional impact, developmental history, how symptoms presented in childhood, and rules out other explanations. The DIVA structured interview is a core component of our adult assessment process.
For children and young people in Manchester, an ADHD assessment examines how symptoms are presenting across multiple settings, at home, at school, and socially. We work with parents and, where available, teachers to build a complete clinical picture.
The assessment includes a detailed developmental history from birth, parent consultation, structured clinical interview with the young person, and review of any available school reports, teacher observations, or extracurricular feedback. This multi-source approach is essential for a robust diagnosis in children.
Our diagnostic report for children is structured to support applications for EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plans), exam access arrangements, school reasonable adjustments, and referrals to local CAMHS services where needed. A clear diagnosis gives families the clinical evidence required to advocate effectively for their child.
Online assessments, serving all of Greater Manchester: Our secure video assessments are accessible from Manchester city centre, Salford, Trafford, Stockport, Tameside, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Wigan, and Bolton. For those who prefer in-person consultation, our clinic is located in London (Colindale) and is accessible by train from Manchester Piccadilly in approximately two hours.
We are trusted by adults and families across the UK. Here is what some of our patients have said about their experience with Private ADHD.
"I'd been on the NHS waiting list for over three years. Within a week of contacting Private ADHD I had my assessment booked, and the report arrived two days after the appointment. The clinician was thorough, compassionate, and clearly knew what they were talking about. Worth every penny."
"The whole process was seamless. The pre-assessment questionnaire was clear, the interview felt genuinely clinical rather than just a box-ticking exercise, and the report was detailed enough to use with my employer for a reasonable adjustments request. Highly recommended."
"Our son had been struggling at school for years. The assessment was comprehensive. They took the school reports seriously and the clinician spent real time with him. The report got him exam access arrangements the following term. We only wish we'd done it sooner."
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PrivateADHD.com® is a registered trademark. Information on this website is for general guidance only and does not replace professional medical advice.
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