ADHD and your GP
Posted on 15th May 2023 at 15:58
“Do I need to tell my GP that I’m having a private ADHD assessment?” is a question that I’m frequently asked.
Many people who have a private assessment and receive an ADHD diagnosis, chose to take medication. They will therefore see a private specialist prescriber, usually a pharmacist or psychiatrist, for a medication assessment and a few follow up appointments. When the medication has been optimised and is working well, most people are referred back to the care of their GP through what’s called a “Shared Care Agreement”. From this point onwards, your GP prescribes the medication, like any other NHS prescription. Your GP needs to have a copy of your ADHD assessment report, and to know they can trust the conclusions of the report and the diagnosis.
The only current standard in the UK for an ADHD Assessment Report is that it should meet NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) guidelines:
All my ADHD assessment reports meet NICE guidelines.
In my view, it is therefore extremely important and helpful if you can discuss with your GP your intention to have a private ADHD assessment. This means that any concerns or questions your GP has, can be ironed out at the beginning of the assessment process. A few GP practices in the UK are not willing to enter into a “Shared Care Agreement” and it is important to know this before you embark on a private assessment.
Most GPs will be happy for you to self-refer for a private ADHD assessment but it’s helpful if this can be done after you have had a consultation with your GP. You will then have the opportunity to talk through with them why you are choosing to have an assessment and to discuss any concerns or questions they may have. This helps the assessment process to go smoothly because of good communication and collaboration at the outset.
Some people have specific reasons for not wanting to share their diagnosis with their GP and may not want to be prescribed medication. See my next blog for a discussion of this issue.
ADHD Adult Assessment
If an adult, who thinks they may have ADHD, wants to ask for “reasonable adjustments” to be made by their employer, college or university, then they will need to have gone through an ADHD Assessment and received a formal diagnosis.
Tagged as: ADHD
Share this post: