Right to Choose ADHD in Nottingham: 2026 referral guide

GP referrals for ADHD assessment from Nottingham are commissioned by NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB. That matters because since 2024, a growing number of ICBs in England have introduced local triage steps, preferred-provider lists, or attempted restrictions on Right to Choose ADHD referrals — and the position changes month to month. Before your GP appointment, check the current position for NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB on the ICB's own website, and cross-reference ADHD UK's local Right to Choose data, which tracks restrictions and reported wait times by area.

If your ICB has introduced a triage step, Right to Choose still applies — but your referral may route through an assessment hub first rather than going directly to your chosen provider. Knowing this before you sit down with your GP means you can ask for the correct pathway by name, which makes the referral conversation dramatically smoother. Whatever the local position, you keep the option of staying on the standard Nottinghamshire NHS list in parallel — the two pathways are not mutually exclusive.

If you are near Nottingham and have been told the NHS ADHD wait is 'about 18 months,' the reality is almost certainly worse. Freedom of Information requests reveal that many Nottinghamshire services are quoting 18 months but delivering in 3–5 years. Some trusts have quietly stopped accepting new referrals entirely. Adults are particularly underserved — many areas have no dedicated adult ADHD service at all.

The private route is faster but expensive. A full private psychiatric assessment costs £700–£1,500 and you pay everything yourself. That is not affordable for most families. Right to Choose offers a middle path: the speed of private assessment with the cost of NHS care — free.

The challenge is that many GPs near Nottingham are unfamiliar with Right to Choose, uncertain about the process, or hesitant to refer without strong evidence. This is not obstruction — it is caution in a system where GPs face thousands of referral requests. The solution is making it easy for them: objective data, a clear clinical letter, and a simple process. Our comprehensive package provides all three.

The financial case for Right to Choose is compelling. The assessment itself costs you nothing — the NHS pays. Our brain screening costs £595 for the standard report or £845 for the comprehensive package with clinical letter. If you are diagnosed and prescribed medication, the NHS covers ongoing prescribing via shared care with your GP — standard prescription charges apply (£9.90 per item, or free with a prepayment certificate).

Compare this to the fully private route: £700–£1,500 for the initial assessment, £200–£400 for follow-up titration appointments, and ongoing private prescription costs until your GP agrees to shared care (which many are reluctant to do for privately diagnosed patients).

The optimal strategy for most people near Nottingham is: brain screening (£595–£845) → Right to Choose referral (free) → NHS-funded assessment (free) → shared care with GP (standard NHS prescription charges). Total out-of-pocket: the screening only. Our next steps guide maps out every option with costs and timelines.

For adults near Nottingham who have never been assessed, the preparation focuses on demonstrating lifelong symptoms. ADHD is a developmental condition — NICE guidelines require evidence that symptoms were present before age 12. Gather: old school reports (comments like 'easily distracted' or 'does not fulfil potential'), a written childhood history from a parent or family member, examples of current functional impairment across work, relationships, and daily life.

Our brain screening report adds the neurological dimension that no other evidence provides. While self-report and history tell the story of your lived experience, the theta/beta ratio tells the story of your brain's electrical activity — and the two stories should align if ADHD is present. GPs near Nottingham respond to this combination of subjective narrative and objective measurement.

After referral, expect a DIVA-5 structured interview (a standardised diagnostic tool for adult ADHD), questionnaires, and a comprehensive clinical formulation. If diagnosed, medication options include stimulants (methylphenidate, lisdexamfetamine) and non-stimulants (atomoxetine, guanfacine).

Your screening report serves multiple purposes simultaneously. While you wait for the Right to Choose assessment (3–6 months), the same report can support: EHCP applications for your child's school, JCQ exam access arrangements (extra time, rest breaks), employer reasonable adjustment requests under the Equality Act 2010, Access to Work evidence gathering, and the Right to Choose referral itself. One screening, one report, multiple applications running in parallel.

If you are later diagnosed and prescribed medication, the baseline brain data becomes invaluable. A follow-up medication scan (£345) compares your on-medication brain activity against the baseline — providing objective evidence that treatment is having the intended neurological effect. This data supports medication dosage reviews and shared care monitoring.

A third option is fully private assessment (£700–£1,500), which has the shortest wait (2–8 weeks) but you pay the full cost. Many people from Nottingham combine approaches: brain screening (£595–£845) + Right to Choose assessment (free) + Access to Work support (free). Total out-of-pocket: the screening only. View all pricing options.

We provide Right to Choose evidence for children aged 6+, teenagers, adults, and women & girls who are systematically underdiagnosed by questionnaire-based assessment.

Each person is compared against age-matched normative data from published research. The clinical letter is tailored for Right to Choose referral submissions, with z-scores, peer-reviewed citations, and specific recommendations your GP can act on immediately.

View packages: standard screening (£595) · comprehensive (£845) · family package (£1,095) · all pricing

After your screening: ADHD support hub · results explained · what to do next · GP appointment guide · medication guide · coping strategies · workplace rights · ADHD in women · parent's guide · relationships guide · sleep guide · exercise & ADHD