Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism: Surrey Heath
(asked on 8th January 2026) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for (a) ADHD and (b) autism assessments for children and young people in Surrey Heath constituency.
The Government has recognised that, nationally, demand for assessments for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays for accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will make the National Health Service fit for the future and recognises the need for early intervention and support. It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including provision of autism and ADHD services, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
The NICE guidance for the assessment of autism recommends that the length between referral and first appointment should be no more than 13 weeks. We know that this is not happening routinely across the country. In respect of ADHD, the NICE guideline on ADHD does not recommend a maximum waiting time for people to receive an assessment for ADHD or a diagnosis, however it sets out best practice on providing a diagnosis.
There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for assessment and diagnosis for ADHD for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, it may be held locally by individual NHS trusts or commissioners.
NHS England published management information on ADHD waits at a national level for the first time on 29 May 2025 as part of its ADHD data improvement plan, which is avaiable at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mi-adhd/november-2025
In respect of autism, the most recent data, published on 13 November 2025, is available on the NHS England website at the following link:
Through the NHS Medium-term planning framework, published 24 October 2025, NHS England has set clear expectations for local ICBs and trusts to improve access, experience, and outcomes for autism and ADHD services over the next three years, focusing on improving quality and productivity.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced on 4 December 2025 the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD, and Autism. This independent review will inform our approach to enabling people with ADHD and autistic people to have the right support in place to enable them to live well in their communities.