Can I Get a Private ADHD Diagnosis in the UK?
Yes. There are many companies throughout the UK that offer private ADHD assessments, and more adults are choosing this route because of long NHS waiting lists. A private diagnosis made by a qualified specialist, following NICE guidelines, is a proper clinical diagnosis.
In brief
- Most private services let you refer yourself, so you don't usually need to see your GP first.
- The assessment is the same kind of in-depth conversation you'd have in the NHS.
- You'll get a written report explaining the outcome and what could help.
Private or NHS: what's the difference?
Both routes should follow the same NICE guidelines and use the same diagnostic criteria. The main differences are how you get in, how long you wait and who pays.
| NHS | Private | |
|---|---|---|
| How to start | GP referral | Usually self-referral |
| Waiting time | Often long, varies by area | Usually much shorter |
| Cost | Free | You pay for the assessment |
| Medication | Prescribed through the NHS | Depends on the provider and your GP |
In England, you may also be able to use Right to Choose, where your GP refers you to a different NHS-funded provider. This is free, but still needs a GP referral and can still involve a wait.
There's no right or wrong choice. It depends on how urgently you need answers, your budget and what support you want afterwards.
Do I need a GP referral?
Usually not. Most private ADHD services, including Raiys, let you book directly.
You will normally need to give your GP's details, though. At Raiys, you need to be registered with a GP before your assessment. This is because your GP holds your wider health record, and they're an important part of your care if you need support or treatment in the future.
It can still be helpful to tell your GP you're seeking an assessment, especially if you'd like them to be involved later on.
What happens during a private assessment?
A good private assessment is thorough, not a quick online quiz. At Raiys, it looks like this:
- Questionnaires: before your appointment, you complete a few online questionnaires about your experiences now and in childhood. Someone who knows you well can also complete one, which really helps.
- Your appointment: a video call of around 90 minutes to 2 hours with a specialist clinician. They use the DIVA-5, a structured interview for adult ADHD, to talk through your childhood, school, work, relationships and health.
- Your outcome: your clinician considers whether your experiences started in childhood, show up in different areas of life and affect you day to day. More complex assessments are reviewed by our wider clinical team.
The appointment is a conversation, not a test. You can take breaks, take your time and ask for questions to be explained differently.
Your report and next steps
After your assessment, you'll receive a written report explaining the outcome, how your clinician reached it, and recommendations for support. At Raiys, your report is usually ready within 14 days, and you can view it securely in the Raiys app.
Your report can be useful in lots of ways, for example when talking to your employer, university or college about adjustments that would help.
About medication: if you'd like to consider ADHD medication, it's worth checking how this works before you book. Some private services prescribe and later ask your GP to take over under a shared care agreement. GPs can decide whether to agree to this, and policies vary between practices and areas. Raiys doesn't currently offer prescribing, but we can add you to our waiting list for when this service opens.
Medication is only one option. Everyone diagnosed at Raiys can use BeChange, our digital programme with practical tools and information to help you understand and manage ADHD day to day.
Getting started with Raiys
Our adult ADHD assessments are carried out online by an experienced, specialist ADHD team and follow NICE guidelines.
Ready to take the next step? Find out more about our adult ADHD assessment.
Whether you go private or through the NHS, a thorough assessment can give you the answers and understanding you've been looking for.