ADHD Assessments: Cutting Through the Noise
An ADHD diagnosis is one of the easiest things in psychiatry to do badly, and one of the hardest to do well with clinical rigour.
Done badly, it’s a tick-box exercise: a few familiar complaints, a checklist, and a label. Done well, it’s a careful process: exploring your history, ruling out other conditions, gathering supporting information, and applying proper clinical judgement.
Yet in today’s private market, many patients are paying thousands of pounds for inflated processes that simply don’t add value.
What’s actually required?
NICE guidelines NG87 (the UK’s standard for clinical care in ADHD) are clear. A valid ADHD diagnosis must include:
A structured clinical assessment with a suitably qualified professional.
A developmental and psychiatric history.
Evidence from an observer (such as a parent, partner, or teacher).
Consideration of whether symptoms could be explained by another condition.
That’s it. Nowhere does NICE require video recordings, mandatory multi-clinician panels, or 30-page dual-authored reports.
The gold-plating problem
Some providers build in extras that may look thorough but don’t improve outcomes:
Video-recording every interview.
Automatic MDT sign-off for all patients.
External observations, such as in a school setting.
Dual-authored, 30+ page reports that repeat what you already told the clinician.
Inflated fee structures of £2,000–£4,000.
For many patients, these extras offer theatre rather than rigour. They may create the perception of depth, but the diagnosis itself is no “better” than one reached through a lean, NICE-compliant pathway.
Competence vs theatre
The real safeguard against misdiagnosis is not more paperwork, it’s clinical competence. Structured interviews like the DIVA already require the assessor to ask: “Could these symptoms be better explained by another condition?”
That means a skilled clinician must be able to recognise or rule out bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, psychosis, or substance misuse. In children, symptoms caused by trauma or autism need to be seen and understood. If the assessor doesn’t have that experience, no amount of paperwork will make up for it.
Rigour comes from the clinician, not the size of the report.
What patients really need
For most patients, the essentials are:
A valid diagnosis that follows NICE criteria.
A report that is clear, evidence-based, and accepted by GPs, universities (for DSA), and employers.
A pathway that moves smoothly into treatment if medication is appropriate.
That doesn’t require endless pages. It requires clarity, compliance, and good judgment.
The treatment gap
Here’s where many patients are left stranded. Psychologist-led clinics often cannot prescribe medication, because they are not CQC-registered. Patients may pay for a diagnosis, only to discover there is no treatment pathway, except perhaps expensive therapy sessions that weren’t what they wanted in the first place.
By contrast, specialist-led care within a CQC-registered clinic provides both rigour and value. A qualified independent prescriber can with the appropriate knowledge, skills, and experience, can:
Deliver a thorough, guideline-compliant assessment.
Prescribe and manage medication where appropriate.
Provide continuity of care, avoiding hand-offs or dead ends.
This model offers the best balance of quality, affordability, and outcomes.
Our approach at NeuroFX
At NeuroFX, we’ve built a fast, lean, and compliant pathway designed around patient value. Here’s what that means:
Every assessment follows NICE guidelines.
Reports contain the right detail for medical, educational, and workplace use, without padding and are presented in a way that makes it easy to understand.
We never record ADHD assessments; it’s unnecessary and adds no value to the patient, not to mention the obvious GDPR headache.
Our pricing is fixed, transparent, and free of hidden extras.
We don’t bloat the process. We focus on what matters: a safe, accurate diagnosis and a clear pathway into treatment.
Questions for you to ask before you book your ADHD assessment
Before you commit to an assessment, ask any clinic these questions:
Are you CQC-registered?
Can you prescribe and manage ADHD medication if it’s appropriate?
Who will carry out my assessment, and what is their experience with differential diagnosis?
What will my report include, and will it be accepted by my GP/university/employer?
What is included in the quoted price, and are there hidden extras?
After I’m seen, how long will I wait for my diagnostic report?
If the clinic can’t answer these clearly, think twice, and then think again.
Final thoughts
An ADHD diagnosis should give you clarity and a way forward. It doesn’t need to cost £2,000, it doesn’t need 30 pages of filler, and it doesn’t need to be delayed by unnecessary theatrics. What it does need is competence, compliance, and a pathway into treatment. That’s the standard every patient deserves.
At NeuroFX, we’re built around the answers to those questions. We offer CQC-registered, NICE-compliant ADHD and autism assessments for children and adults, online or in our clinic, with full treatment pathways, experienced clinicians, and no surprises.
Start your 14-day pathway to clarity today.
👉 Start with our free screening tool here
👉 Or book an assessment now
