Right to Choose is not a loophole. It is Section 3a of the NHS Constitution — your legal right to choose your healthcare provider. For ADHD, this means assessment by specialists like Psychiatry-UK in months instead of years. From Oxford, the process starts with your GP — and our clinical letter gives them everything they need.
For parents near Oxford, the ADHD pathway often starts with a teacher observation, progresses through a frustrating GP appointment, and ends on a CAMHS waiting list measured in years. During this time, the school cannot formally diagnose, the GP cannot prescribe, and CAMHS has not yet assessed. Your child exists in a diagnostic limbo where everyone suspects ADHD but nobody can confirm it.
This limbo has real consequences. Without a diagnosis, schools have limited grounds for formal accommodations. Employers cannot provide reasonable adjustments. Access to Work requires a confirmed diagnosis. Medication — which can be transformative — requires a specialist prescription. Everything waits for the assessment that is years away.
Right to Choose breaks this cycle. A single GP referral to an approved provider like Psychiatry-UK initiates assessment within 3–6 months. Our brain screening provides the evidence that makes your GP confident to refer — and gives you actionable data for school support, workplace adjustments, and EHCP applications while you wait.
A common question from clients near Oxford is whether Right to Choose assessment is 'as good as' NHS assessment. The answer is that it follows identical clinical guidelines. The assessor is a GMC-registered psychiatrist or specialist nurse prescriber. The assessment includes the same elements: comprehensive clinical interview, developmental history, behavioural rating scales (DIVA-5 for adults, Conners for children), collateral information from a partner or parent, and assessment of comorbid conditions.
The key difference is that Right to Choose providers specialise in ADHD. General NHS psychiatry services see a wide range of conditions and may have less specific ADHD expertise. Providers like Psychiatry-UK assess thousands of ADHD patients per year — their clinicians are highly experienced in distinguishing ADHD from other conditions and in recognising presentations that generalist services sometimes miss (particularly inattentive ADHD in women and late-diagnosed adults).
If ADHD is confirmed, the provider initiates medication, monitors the titration phase (typically 4–12 weeks), and then transfers prescribing to your GP under a formal shared care agreement. Your GP continues the repeat prescriptions and annual reviews.
For adults near Oxford 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 Oxford 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.
Objective z-scores and peer-reviewed citations are significantly harder to dismiss than self-reported symptoms. GPs near Oxford respond to evidence.
GPs who include our data in their referral letter give the receiving provider more context, leading to a more focused and efficient assessment.
During the 3–6 month wait, use the report for EHCP applications, Access to Work, and employer reasonable adjustments.
If diagnosed, your baseline data enables a follow-up comparison scan (£345) to objectively track medication response.
Brain screening (£595–£845) + Right to Choose (free) + shared care (NHS). Total: under £850 for a complete diagnostic pathway.
The Right to Choose assessor reviews all evidence. Objective brain data adds a dimension that no other patient typically brings to the assessment.
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 Oxford 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
This is common. Print the NHS patient choice guidance from nhs.uk and bring it to the appointment. Our clinical letter also explains Right to Choose. Psychiatry-UK has a GP information page your GP can review. In many cases, our letter is the first clear explanation the GP has received.
Right to Choose is England only. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have separate NHS systems without equivalent patient choice legislation. If you live in those nations, options are standard NHS referral or fully private assessment. Many UK-wide telehealth providers offer video assessments regardless of location.
Yes — and you should. While waiting for Right to Choose assessment, use the report for: EHCP applications, JCQ exam access arrangements, Access to Work evidence, employer reasonable adjustments, and additional GP conversations. One screening supports multiple applications simultaneously.
Request the refusal in writing. Ask for a second opinion from another GP at the same practice. Consider registering with a different practice. Contact PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service). Ask Psychiatry-UK to contact the GP directly — they have a process for this. GP refusal after seeing objective brain data is rare but not impossible.
Yes. The assessment is fully NHS-funded — you pay nothing for the assessment itself. The only cost is any supporting evidence you choose to gather beforehand, such as our brain screening (£595–£845). Everything from the Right to Choose referral onwards is free.
No. Right to Choose is a legal right under Section 3a of the NHS Constitution. Your GP cannot refuse the right itself — they can only decline to refer for ADHD if they believe it is not clinically warranted. Objective brain data makes that position very difficult to justify. If they refuse, ask for the refusal in writing and request a second opinion.
Yes. Right to Choose applies to children and teenagers as well as adults. Parents request the referral through their child's GP. The family package (£1,095) screens two family members for Right to Choose evidence.
Typically 3–6 months from GP referral to assessment. This varies by provider and current demand. Even at the longer end, it is dramatically faster than the 2–5 year Oxfordshire NHS standard pathway. During the wait, your screening report supports school, work, and other applications.
Yes. The two pathways run in parallel. Stay on the NHS list as backup while pursuing Right to Choose as a faster route. If assessed via Right to Choose first, you can then leave the NHS list. We recommend staying on both.
If ADHD is confirmed, the provider initiates medication (typically stimulant or non-stimulant options) and monitors your titration over 4–12 weeks. They then set up a shared care agreement with your GP for ongoing prescribing. Your GP handles repeat prescriptions at standard NHS cost (£9.90 per item or free with prepayment).
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Same-day clinical letter. Evidence your GP will act on. From £595.