Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure high quality assessments for autism and ADHD.

The Government is committed to supporting people to have equitable access to safe, effective, and high-quality autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment services, irrespective of their service provider. We recognise that, nationally in England, demand for assessments for autism and ADHD has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays accessing such assessments. The independent sector provides important service capacity within autism and ADHD services.

The Government announced on 4 December 2025 the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. The final report, due in the summer, will make recommendations on how the Government, the health system, and wider public services can respond to increasing demand for assessment and support more fairly and effectively so that people receive the right support, at the right time, in the right place. The interim report was published in March, and the next stage of the review will look at service design and how services might respond more effectively to rising need, including the role of earlier intervention, community-based provision, and more integrated pathways across health, education, and other public services. The review will also look at the question of what role the private sector plays in diagnostic services.

It remains the responsibility of integrated care boards in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to autism and ADHD services in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.

In October 2025, NHS England issued advice to systems on ADHD service delivery and prioritisation, including guidance on managing service provisions, reviewing waiting lists, and providing patient support. In April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance for autism assessment services, which can be found at the following link:

www.england.nhs.uk/publication/autism-diagnosis-and-operational-guidance

This guidance intends to help providers of National Health Services improve autism assessment services and improve the experience for those referred to a service.

We are aware of the concerns that have been raised regarding autism and ADHD assessment-only services, including around consistency, quality, and regulation, and officials are considering these issues with relevant partners.

The Department has not made an assessment of the number of inconclusive autism or ADHD assessments or of those resulting in misdiagnosis, nor of the potential impact of such outcomes on long-term health expenditure. However, NICE guidance sets out evidence-based requirements for assessment and diagnosis, including consideration of differential diagnoses and co-occurring conditions. This is intended to support accurate and robust diagnostic decision-making.