ADHD and ASD Right To Choose (Adult)

Understanding Your Options (Adult; >18 years old)

People seeking assessment for ADHD and ASD can access services in different ways. This page explains the difference between NHS Right to Choose (RTC) and private assessment, what happens after diagnosis, and how shared care prescribing works.

Option A – What is Right to Choose (NHS‑Funded Route)

Under the NHS Constitution, patients registered with a GP in England can choose their provider for a first outpatient appointment. This includes ADHD and ASD assessment. Under RTC, assessment is NHS‑funded, providers can diagnose ADHD, and may initiate and stabilise medication before requesting shared care with your GP.

Option B – Private ADHD Assessment

You may choose to be assessed privately. The GP cannot guarantee taking over prescribing, and transfer to NHS prescribing may require reassessment through local NHS pathways.

Important to know before proceeding

Shared care prescribing is NOT automatic. GP practices are not legally required to enter shared care, and decisions depend on safety, governance and clinical responsibility.

Shared Care Prescribing – What It Means

A shared care agreement is a formal arrangement where a specialist remains responsible for diagnosis, titration and review, while the GP provides ongoing prescriptions and monitoring. GPs may only accept shared care when safe, supported and aligned with local policy and NHS funding. It is important to note that we provide NHS services and therefore rely on NHS funding to deliver our service and we do not receive funding from private ADHD/ASD providers.

Your Choices at a Glance

Option A – Right to Choose (NHS): NHS‑funded assessment, medication stabilised by provider, shared care considered if appropriate.

Option B – Private Assessment: privately funded assessment; NHS prescribing not guaranteed.

Why GP Practices Use This Approach

GPs must ensure prescribing is safe, monitored and supported by specialist oversight. Prescriptions cannot be issued without these safeguards.

Key Message

You have the right to choose your NHS assessment provider; however, shared care prescribing is not guaranteed. If unsure, speak to your GP before arranging private assessment.

Local Update on Adult ADHD/ASD Right To Choose – April 2026

NHS Provider

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust Adult ADHD (CPFT) are the commissioned Cambridgeshire and Peterborough provider of NHS ADHD services. However, waiting times to access the ADHD service are significant. Therefore, Primary Care are asked to consider the alternative NHS Right to Choose provision that has been commissioned, as outlined below.

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough ICB Accredited NHS Right to Choose Providers for adult ADHD

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough ICB have established an Adult ADHD Accreditation Framework so Primary Care can refer patients to NHS Right to Choose providers that have been quality assured through our local system. Each provider on the Framework have undergone a quality assurance process that includes a thorough review of their diagnostic pathways, confirmation of adherence to our local shared care guideline and formulary, agreed tariffs and provision of annual reviews where medication is needed. Each Framework provider has successfully evidenced that they meet the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough ICB quality benchmark, that includes NICE compliant assessment models.

Please see the list of providers below:

• CARE – Centre of ADHD Research and Excellence
• Harley Street Mental Health
• Harrow Health
• Modality
• Skylight Psychiatry
• The Owl Centre

All providers on the NHS Framework are able to offer:

• ADHD assessments for adults.
• Initiation and titration of ADHD medication following assessment and positive diagnosis.
• Providers will request shared care with the patients GPs aligned to the locally approved shared care agreement.
• Providers will undertake annual reviews for those on medication – the providers will recall patients for these annual reviews, Primary Care do not need to refer back in.

Note – For patients that have been referred to other service providers who are not on the list above and have been established on medication prior to April 2026, there is no change in your already agreed shared care prescribing.