Understanding ADHD and NHS Reforms

Navigating the Complexities of ADHD

Understanding ADHD and its challenges is crucial in shaping effective NHS reforms. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that can significantly affect an individual's mental health, leading to a range of social, emotional, and educational difficulties. The Neuro Inclusion Project advocates for the importance of recognising the unique complexities of ADHD and the diverse needs of those affected by it. The challenges faced by individuals with ADHD can vary widely, from issues with focus and organisational skills to difficulties in relationships and managing emotions. These complexities necessitate adaptive services within the NHS that are responsive to the individual needs of patients. The focus must not only be on treatment but also on support systems that foster understanding and inclusivity within the community. Effective NHS reforms require a holistic approach to mental health services, ensuring that they are accessible and tailored for those living with ADHD. The Neuro Inclusion Project encourages the integration of ADHD awareness into training for health professionals, policy-makers, and educational institutions, aiming to cultivate a more informed environment that supports individuals with ADHD and promotes their wellbeing.

The Neuro Inclusion Project: NHS ADHD Reform Project

Fixing the System Starts Here!

Across the UK, people with ADHD are being failed by the very systems meant to support them. Long waits. Misdirected care. Therapies that don’t work. Support that doesn’t exist.

The NHS ADHD Reform Initiative from The Neuro Inclusion Project is a bold, lived-experience-driven campaign to redesign ADHD care across the NHS — from diagnosis and therapy to equity and inclusion.

The Problem

2–5 year NHS waiting lists for diagnosis
No standard ADHD therapy pathways
Gender and racial disparities in diagnosis
GPs and mental health professionals without ADHD training
CAMHS to adult service transitions that leave young people abandoned
People told they don’t “look ADHD” — while silently burning out, breaking down, or giving up

We Demand Change

We are calling for a radical and compassionate redesign of NHS ADHD care that is trauma-informed, accessible, inclusive, and led by lived experience.

Our 10 Key Reform Pillars:

National ADHD Waiting Time Standard
ADHD-Informed Training for All NHS Staff
ADHD-Specific Therapy Protocols
Pre-Diagnostic Support Pathways
Seamless CAMHS–Adult Transitions
ADHD Clinical Specialist Roles in Primary Care
Co-production with Lived Experience
Neurodivergent-Accessible NHS Systems
Intersectional ADHD Research Funding
A National ADHD Care Charter

Read the Full Manifesto below.

Our Mission

We believe ADHD care must be designed with, not just for, the people who live it. Our mission is to:

Partner with NHS leadership and Trusts

Provide expert consultation on ADHD therapeutic pathways (e.g. NeuroAlign)

Support the ADHD Taskforce and ICSs with reform models

Elevate lived experience into NHS decision-making

Train frontline clinicians in ADHD-informed care

Partner With Us

Are you:

An NHS leader or clinician open to innovation?

A policymaker looking to fix gaps in ADHD care?

A mental health professional ready for change?

A person with ADHD who knows the system must do better?

Let’s work together.

Email us: info@theneuroinclusionproject.co.uk

Book a briefing: Schedule a Meeting

Request our NHS ADHD Reform Proposal

What We Offer

Reform proposals tailored for NHS Trusts & ICSs

Pilot-ready therapy programs designed for ADHD minds

Lived experience training for NHS staff

Peer advisory panels and co-production

Advocacy support for patients and families

Join the Movement

This is not just a project. It’s a growing national movement to end the harm and build a better future for people with ADHD.

Read the Manifesto below...

Support the Campaign...

#FixTheSystem on LinkedIn.

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We Won’t Wait Quietly Anymore

ADHD is real.

The suffering is real.

And the change must be real.

Let’s build an NHS that recognises, respects, and responds to the ADHD community — with care that heals, not harms.

Manifesto for ADHD NHS Reform

Transforming Patient Care for ADHD

A call to transform care, end harm, and build a future where ADHD is recognised, respected, and supported.

The Crisis

The NHS is failing people with ADHD.

We face:

Diagnostic waiting times of 2–5 years or more
An epidemic of untreated ADHD leading to self-harm, school exclusion, burnout, and suicide
GPs and therapists without training in ADHD or emotional dysregulation
A care system that shames, blames, and often retraumatises patients
Gender, racial, and socioeconomic inequalities that delay or deny diagnosis
A postcode lottery where access to assessment or care depends on luck, not need

This is not just a clinical issue. It’s a human rights failure.

Our Demands

We call on the NHS to take urgent and systemic action. We demand:

1. A National ADHD Waiting Time Standard

ADHD must be subject to the same access urgency as other mental health conditions.
Max 6-month assessment wait
Emergency pathways for at-risk individuals
Accountability for every ICS to meet timelines

2. ADHD-Informed Clinical Training for All NHS Staff

It is no longer acceptable for GPs, therapists, or mental health teams to be unaware of ADHD beyond childhood hyperactivity.
Mandatory ADHD modules for GPs, mental health nurses, and IAPT practitioners
Gender, trauma, and masking awareness built into training
Specialist ADHD training for crisis and CAMHS teams

3. ADHD-Specific Therapeutic Support

CBT and generic talking therapies often don’t work for ADHD. We need targeted interventions.
National rollout of ADHD-informed CBT, DBT, and somatic programs
Trauma-informed ADHD therapy pilot clinics
Group-based programs while awaiting diagnosis

4. Standardised National Pre-Diagnostic Support Pathway

People shouldn’t suffer in limbo while they wait for help.
Psychoeducation, coaching, peer support, and regulation tools
NHS-funded interim support through digital or group-based models
Clear communication during the wait with real points of contact

5. Seamless CAMHS–Adult ADHD Transition

Thousands fall through the cracks at age 18.
Introduce a Neurodevelopmental Transition Lead in every Trust
Care continuity until age 25
Shared-care models between CAMHS and adult services

6. Dedicated ADHD Roles in Primary and Community Care

ADHD needs to be held, not passed between overrun departments.
Create the role of ADHD Clinical Specialist within every Primary Care Network
Link with schools, mental health services, and social care
Involve ADHD champions in care planning and access reviews

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7. Lived Experience Inclusion in All NHS ADHD Policy

Nothing about us without us.
Lived experience advisory panels for ICS, NHS England, and local service redesign
Paid roles for peer workers in ADHD services
Co-production as standard in all ADHD pathway development

8. Accessible Communication, Forms, and Services

ADHD is a disability. NHS systems must not be disabling.
Neurodivergent-accessible online portals, appointment systems, and letters
Clear, simplified Access to Work guidance and navigation
Sensory-friendly clinical environments

9. ADHD Research Funding and Data Equity

We don’t know enough about how ADHD affects different groups.
Funding for ADHD research in women, non-binary people, ethnic minorities, and older adults
Research into ADHD and trauma, emotional dysregulation, and masking
Mandated demographic data collection on diagnosis and treatment rates

10. The ADHD Care Guarantee

We demand a National ADHD Service Charter.

This should guarantee:

Timely diagnosis
Ongoing support
Reasonable adjustments
Equitable access regardless of gender, age, or background

ADHD is not an inconvenience. It is a serious, lifelong condition that deserves recognition, respect, and robust care.

This Is a Call to Action

To NHS England.
To ICS leaders.
To GPs, therapists, and commissioners.
To policymakers.
To the public.

We will no longer wait in silence. We will no longer be invisible. We will no longer accept care designed for everyone but us.

Join Us

We are The Neuro Inclusion Project.

We stand for dignity, access, inclusion, and reform.

We invite you to co-create a system that sees, hears, and supports every ADHD individual — not just those who survive the system.

www.theneuroinclusionproject.co.uk

#FixTheSystem #ADHDReform #NeuroInclusion

The Neuro Inclusion Project