In Essex, as in other places across the country, many patients are experiencing challenges and delays in accessing ADHD assessment and treatment services.
This is due to a combination of factors, including:
- increased numbers of patients seeking an assessment and being diagnosed;
- long waiting lists for diagnosis and treatment in specialist services;
- more patients are being prescribed medication and requiring ongoing monitoring in general practice, where capacity is stretched;
- patients receiving different elements of NHS funded care from different providers, as well as privately-funded care;
- An ongoing national shortage of ADHD medications.
Alternative arrangements where GPs are no longer prescribing ADHD medications
Some GP practices in Essex have stopped prescribing ADHD medications for their patients and withdrawn from shared care agreements with specialist ADHD providers.
Where this has happened, local arrangements have been put in place to support NHS patients to access their medications safely.
Depending on where you live in the county, different arrangements will apply.
Information for residents living in Colchester or TendringLocal arrangements to support access to services in mid and south Essex
The ICB has commissioned local GP Federations to take on shared care agreements for NHS patients where GP practices have withdrawn.
A GP Federation is a group of local GP practices working together to offer more services and better access to care for patients.
GP Federations are able to enter into a shared care agreement with a patient’s specialist provider. They can take on ongoing prescribing and provide the six-month interim health check reviews.
Depending on where patients received their ADHD diagnosis, the following scenarios will apply:
You will continue to be reviewed by your specialist provider.
The local GP Federation will provide interim health check reviews. Your prescriptions will be managed by the local GP Federation.
You should wait to be contacted by the GP Federation. If you haven’t been contacted by a GP Federation before your current prescription runs out, you should contact your specialist provider.
Depending on your Right to Choose specialist provider, there are two options:
- The Right to Choose provider may continue your annual reviews and take on prescribing for your ADHD medication, OR
- Your Right to Choose provider may enter a shared care agreement with the local GP Federation, who will provide the monthly prescribing and six monthly interim health check
Your Right to Choose provider should inform you on the next steps for your healthcare needs after you have been started on medication and your doses have been adjusted so you are stable on the medication.
Please note that different arrangements will apply.
Following discussion with your GP, you can choose to either be referred back to the private specialist provider who provided your initial diagnosis, or into one of the local NHS funded services.
Patients now have more choice for their care provider:
Children and young people’s autism and ADHD specialist service providers