Right to Choose ADHD in Solihull: 2026 referral guide

Every Right to Choose referral from Solihull passes through the commissioning structure of NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB. Nationally, Right to Choose remains the law — but locally, several ICBs have responded to ADHD referral volumes by adding triage hubs, tightening which providers they will route to, or publishing guidance that GPs sometimes misread as a ban. None of this removes your underlying right, but it does change what you should say in the GP appointment.

Two practical checks before you book your GP slot: first, look at the ADHD or neurodevelopmental page on the NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB website for any current statement on Right to Choose; second, check ADHD UK's postcode-level data for reported wait times in your area. If the local NHS pathway is quoting multi-year waits — as most West Midlands services are — that figure is itself useful evidence when you make the case for a Right to Choose referral.

The ADHD assessment crisis across West Midlands is not improving. As of 2026, over 735,000 open referrals are waiting in England alone. In many West Midlands trusts, adults wait 3–5 years. Children referred to CAMHS face 2–3 year delays — delays that span their entire secondary school education. During this time, no medication, no formal support, no reasonable adjustments, no answers.

For families near Solihull, the emotional cost is staggering. Children fall behind academically. Teenagers develop anxiety and depression secondary to untreated ADHD. Adults lose jobs, relationships fracture, and self-esteem erodes year after year. The system is not broken — it was never built to handle this volume. Over the past decade, ADHD referral rates have increased by over 400%, but NHS capacity has barely moved.

Right to Choose exists precisely for situations like this. When the NHS cannot provide timely care, you have the legal right to choose an alternative provider — at NHS expense. But your GP still needs a clinical reason to refer. That is where objective brain data becomes the catalyst: evidence that transforms a speculative conversation into an actionable referral. Our GP appointment guide includes word-for-word scripts for that conversation.

Right to Choose applies to everyone in England — children, teenagers, and adults. Parents can exercise Right to Choose on behalf of their children. The referral process is identical to any specialist referral: your GP submits it through e-RS, the provider receives it, and assessment is scheduled.

For children near Solihull, Right to Choose can bypass CAMHS waiting lists entirely. The child is assessed by a specialist child psychiatrist at the chosen provider, following the same NICE guidelines that CAMHS would use. If ADHD is confirmed, medication can be initiated and a shared care agreement set up with your GP for ongoing prescribing.

For adults, the process is the same but the provider pool is different. Psychiatry-UK handles the largest volume of adult Right to Choose ADHD referrals. Assessment is typically via video call, lasting 60–90 minutes. The assessor reviews all available evidence — including our brain screening report — conducts a comprehensive clinical interview, and makes a diagnostic decision.

Step 1 — Get screened. Book our comprehensive assessment (£845) which includes the clinical letter your GP needs. Same-week appointments available. You will have your report and clinical letter the same day.

Step 2 — Prepare for your GP. Read our GP appointment guide. Book a double appointment (20 minutes). Bring: the clinical letter, a completed ASRS questionnaire (adults) or Conners scale (children), written examples of functional impairment, and any old school reports showing childhood difficulties.

Step 3 — Request the referral. Tell your GP: 'I would like to exercise my Right to Choose and be referred to Psychiatry-UK for ADHD assessment.' Present your evidence pack. Key points if they hesitate: Right to Choose is a legal right under Section 3a of the NHS Constitution; Psychiatry-UK has a formal NHS England partnership; the referral process uses standard e-RS; there is no cost to the GP practice.

Step 4 — GP submits the referral. The GP submits through the NHS e-Referral Service or the provider's online form. Your screening report and clinical letter should be attached.

Step 5 — Assessment (3–6 months). The provider contacts you to schedule. Typically a 60–90 minute video assessment. They review all evidence including our brain data, conduct a clinical interview, and make a diagnostic decision. If ADHD is confirmed, medication is initiated and shared care is arranged with your GP.

Objective brain data does three things that self-report cannot. First, it removes the bias inherent in questionnaires — particularly important for women who mask, adults who have developed sophisticated coping strategies, and children who behave differently in clinic than in the classroom. Second, it provides a quantified measurement expressed as a z-score — a language every clinician understands instantly. Third, it gives the GP a defensible clinical basis for the referral — something they can point to in the patient record that justifies the decision.

Multiple clients from Solihull have reported that presenting the clinical letter to their GP resulted in an immediate shift in the conversation. GPs who had previously said 'let's wait and see' or 'try these coping strategies first' moved directly to submitting the Right to Choose referral once they saw the objective neurological data.

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 Solihull 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