Spending on ADHD checks has reached ‘uncontrolled’ ranges warns NHS as prices hiked
ANHS chiefs have warned spending on ADHD and autism tests has sored with costs are being branded “out of control and unsustainable” as Wild West” private clinics charge up to £3,000 per patient
Cost for the tests are skyrocketing (stock)(Image: Getty)
Spending on ADHD and autism tests has soared up to tenfold over the past year, shock figures show. And NHS chiefs have admitted the costs are “out of control and unsustainable”.
Some “Wild West” private clinics are cashing in by charging up to £3,000 per patient for ADHD and autism assessments for those on waiting lists.
In Cheshire and Merseyside, spending has rocketed from £1.75 million in 2024-25 to £18 million in 2025-26. And health chiefs in the region splurged £38 million on adult ADHD services in 2024-25 – compared to £11 million the previous year.
NHS chiefs admitted costs are ‘out of control and unsustainable’ (stock)(Image: PA)
Rebecca Gray, director of the NHS Alliance’s mental health network, said trusts were facing “soaring costs that are running out of control” due to rising demand.
She said: “Unplanned overspends on ADHD and autism assessments and treatment can impact on other activities and disrupt long-term planning.
“The current situation is unsustainable and delivers a bad deal for patients and taxpayers.”
There are 800,000 people on waiting lists for an ADHD assessment in England. They have a legal right to be assessed privately with the NHS paying the bill.
A bombshell report has found NHS boards are slashing vital care to meet demand for the neuro conditions.
The NHS Alliance, which represents trusts and hospitals, found health bosses paid for 100,000 assessments with fees ranging from £300 to £3,000.
Thea Stein, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust think tank, said: “It is like watching a wave on the horizon, you see it coming, you see it growing and it is continuing to grow.”
Stein also warned it was vital patients got “support to navigate the Wild West of ADHD providers” as some clinics diagnosed people after quick online probes.
An NHS spokesman said: “We know waits have been too long for too many families, and we are taking action to improve access to ADHD and autism support, while ensuring NHS-funded services provide good value for money.”
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