Services for Adults with ADHD: from inception to delivery

Despite a swell of evidence and firm clinical experience from child psychiatrists and paediatricians that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) does not miraculously abruptly disappear when adolescents enter adulthood, adults with ADHD in the UK still struggle to access even very basic care that is specific for their condition. Although guidelines were published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in 2008, in which provision for the diagnosis and management of adults with ADHD was recommended, NHS trusts have not followed this advice and there are only a handful of UK adult ADHD services.