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Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) service
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About the service
The team’s main base is in Wakefield, with additional community clinic sites in Pontefract, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Halifax and Barnsley. The team is made up of staff from a range of backgrounds, including medical, nursing, occupational therapy, psychology, social work and pharmacy.
We have established links with service user support networks, education, employment and housing services and we are able to signpost or refer individuals to appropriate community services.
Documents and leaflets
How did we do?
We are always aiming to improve our services. Your feedback on our performance is a valuable tool in that process. Review this service.
Service user feedback
Service user and carer feedback is very important to us. All feedback is welcomed and help us to improve our service.
For example, following feedback from one service user about difficulty completing the information pack, we now offer an appointment to help with this, if needed.
Similarly, feedback about the benefits of seeing the same doctor or nurse at titration appointments means we have maintained a four week clinic pattern for clinicians so that wherever possible the service user can see the same clinician throughout titration of medication.
Why would someone choose the service?
The service for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a specialist service dedicated to supporting:
- Young people moving from children to adult services
- Adults previously diagnosed with ADHD requesting referral back to services
- Adults seeking a new diagnostic assessment
The Service was established in April 2009. Our team has a multidisciplinary workforce and is leading innovation and research in ADHD. We are friendly, approachable and our team always put the needs of service users, their family or carers first.
The Service has clear pathways and outcome measures in place. Our reputation and expertise enables us to have Shared Care Agreements in place with all local GP practices ensuring service users have easy access to NHS funded medication with regular titration reviews.
Our ADHD pathways are fully compliant with all National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance and provide an accessible service to our local communities, with a combination of face to face, video and telephone appointments available.
The service offers quality assessments, and you can find what this consists of here – Adult ADHD assessment shared quality standards for assessments and reports. This guidance was produced by specialist adult ADHD services in South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust(SWYPFT), Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) and Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT) as a guide for patients and healthcare professionals on what consists a quality adult ADHD assessment. It is based on years of experience by professionals from several backgrounds and reliant on best practice and guidance.
For young people who are transitioning from children’s service to adult services, our ADHD Transition Pathway is recommended by NICE.
The pathway includes an initial joint meeting with the young person, their family, a healthcare professional from the children’s service and a representative of our service to enable introductions to take place and relevant information to be shared.
Staff you may meet
- Administrative staff provide essential support to doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. This can be in a variety of different settings, with administrators working as a receptionist in a clinic or a clerk on a ward. They may also be working closely with a consultant as a medical secretary.
- There are more than 60 different specialities that doctors work within the NHS. Each is unique but there are many characteristics which are common. Roles range from working in a hospital to being based in the community as a GP.
- Nurses who choose to specialise in the mental health branch of nursing work with GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists, and others, to help care for patients. Increasingly, care is given in the community, with mental health nurses visiting patients and their families at home, in residential centres, in prisons or in specialist clinics or units.
- Adult psychotherapists work with people to assess and treat a range of emotional, social or mental health issues. They help people tackle problems such as behavioural issues, common challenges such as anxiety and depression or more complex or severe issues, such as psychosis or a personality disorder diagnosis.
- Receptionists are the first link for many patients and visitors. They often work on their own or with one or two other receptionists, greeting patients as they arrive and check them in. They might also collect patient notes and ensure that these vital records go to the right healthcare professional. In a clinic, they may make appointments and arrange patient transport.
- Social workers help, support and protect people who are facing difficulties in their lives. They help people to take positive steps to overcome problems and improve their lives. This could involve assessing and reviewing a service user’s situation, building relationships with service users and their families and agreeing what practical support someone needs.
Support offered
Following a confirmation of diagnosis from our ADHD team, we are able to provide specialist assessment, treatment and support, such as:
- Information and education around ADHD
- Titration of medicines
- Annual review of medication
- Signposting for Carer assessments, information and support
What can be provided will depend on what your NHS commissioner is able to fund for you.
Waiting Times
ADHD services throughout the UK have seen a steady increase in demand over recent years. In 2019, this service received 50 referrals per month, we now typically receive 300 referrals per month. This exceeds our capacity as a service and is creating long waiting lists.
We are unable to advise of waiting times as each referral is prioritized based on clinical needs relating to ADHD, so some people are seen much earlier than others. For some the wait may be a matter of weeks, for others it could be months or years.
We appreciate that it can be very difficult to wait. If you are on our waiting list and you feel that your symptoms have become worse since your referral, you could ask your GP to write to us and provide additional relevant information for consideration at our multi disciplinary team meeting.
We ask that, if possible, you refrain from contacting the service for waiting time updates as this challenges our ability to run the service effectively.
Please be assured we are doing everything we can to reduce waiting times and we are working with local services and commissioners to address the demand.
Outcomes
We aim to provide a smooth transition from children’s to adult services for all of our service users.
Our specialist diagnostic assessments of adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) allow us to identify any co-existing disorders and signpost to appropriate mental health services.
Our pathway has proven to be effective in reducing the symptoms associated with ADHD and as a result, we aim to see the physical and mental wellbeing of service users improve and see an increase in functional skills and independence.
We also aim to provide more choice for service users and strive to improve our services based on engagement with service users, their family and carers about their experiences.
Referrals accepted from:
Consultants, GPs
Referral criteria:
Our service is for adults who are 18 or above, who do not have a learning disability.
Adults with a learning disability can receive support from specialist learning disability services.
Referrals to our service can be made directly to the service or via the Trust’s single point of access team using the referral form below.
Referrals also accepted from social care, adult mental health services, CAMHS and paediatric services.
What to expect when we receive your referral
Each referral is reviewed and prioritised based on clinical needs relating to ADHD. Those with medium or high risks are seen first and are usually contacted within eight weeks. Others are added to the waiting list.
When we contact you, we will ask you to complete an information pack, this is to help us understand more about your symptoms and how we can help. We need this pack to be completed before any treatment or assessment process can start.
Young people transitioning from children’s services are then invited to a first appointment which is usually a video call, but it can be face to face if requested. This appointment is recommended by NICE and is to review the ADHD needs of the young person and any medication requirements they may have. This is usually the only appointment needed unless titration of medication is required.
Adults referred to the service for a diagnostic assessment are also invited to a first appointment when their pack is returned. For your convenience this is usually a video call, but it can be face to face if requested.
Approximately 80% of adult referrals go on to require further assessment. These appointments are likely to be a face to face appointments but can be via video call if clinically appropriate.
If it is determined that you do not have ADHD, you will be informed and you may be signposted to an appropriate service.
If you do receive a diagnosis of ADHD you will receive information regarding medication and the side effects this might have. If you opt for medication you will be offered titration appointments with a doctor or nurse prescriber to determine the right dose of medication for you. The impact of the medication on your physical health will also be monitored. When you are stable on medication, the service will enter a Shared Care Agreement with your GP meaning you can receive medication via your local pharmacy and will only require an annual review with this service.