Public Statements
Statement 5 Dec 2025
In response to the announcement that the Secretary of State for Health is launching an independent review into rising demand for mental health, ADHD and autism services in England.
Recent commentary in the UK media has repeatedly suggested that ADHD is being over-diagnosed in the UK. The evidence points strongly in the opposite direction.
Newly published research analysing over nine million UK GP records shows ADHD recorded in only 0.32% of patients – far below what population studies would predict.
Other national data sets, including NHS prescribing figures, show the same pattern of under-identification across every region of England, with striking variation between areas. Private prescribing accounts for only 20% of all issued ADHD medication. Long NHS waits make large-scale ‘over-diagnosis’ highly unlikely.
For many people, like our members and our families, a timely and accurate diagnosis of ADHD is life changing. It offers understanding, support, and a foundation for better wellbeing, job performance and even life span.
As co-founders of The ADHD Collective, and on behalf of our members, we want to acknowledge the weight these conversations carry. Every statistic represents a real person who may be waiting for answers, recognition, and the right support. We remain committed to sharing reliable information and advocating for fair access to assessment and care.
As an organisation, we exist precisely to provide pre- and post-diagnostic support, education and community because, nationally, access to this within the system is more or less impossible.
Michelle Beckett and Lucy Maudsley
Directors and ADHD Coaches
The ADHD Collective