ADHD Self Referral

Understanding your options

Demand for adult ADHD assessments is high, and waiting times can be long.

Right to Choose allows you to be referred to an NHS-funded independent provider, which may offer shorter waits than local NHS services. Waiting times may vary, but some pathways are standardised across the NHS regardless of provider capacity.

Right to Choose providers are independent organisations funded by the NHS to provide assessment and treatment services. You do not pay for NHS Right to Choose care.

This page relates only to Right to Choose referrals.

From 1st April 2026, new NHS funding arrangements mean providers may have limits on the number of patients they can see or how quickly the patient can be reviewed. Suffolk ICB have set out further details here. As a result, waiting times can vary and may be longer than expected. Please be advised published waiting times may change and providers may not always be able to give exact estimates.

If you wish to be referred to the local NHS service, this must be arranged through your GP Practice in the usual way

How to request an ADHD referral

Follow these 3 steps:

Step 1: Choose a provider
Select a Right to Choose provider that meets your needs

Step 2: Complete the required forms
Download and complete all documents listed below

Step 3: Send everything to your GP Practice
Send all documents together to your GP Practice

Your GP Practice cannot begin your referral until all required information is received.

Choosing a provider

You will need to choose the provider you would like your GP Practice to refer you to.

Currently, the below providers are known to accept Right to Choose referrals and support ongoing medication where appropriate for adult ADHD Right to Choose Referrals in Suffolk (Updated: April 2026):

• ADHD360
• Dr J and Colleagues
• HealthHarmonie Minds
• Psychiatry UK
• ProblemShared
• Oakdale Centre
• RTN Mental Health Solutions
• The Owl Therapy Centre

These providers:

• Accept Right to Choose referrals
• Can provide medication where appropriate

You may wish to explore other providers via ADHD UK, however not all providers support prescribing in Suffolk.

It is recommended to choose a provider from the list above. These providers meet local NHS requirements and are more likely to provide ongoing medication where appropriate.

A full list of Right to Choose providers is available here: ADHD UK: Right to Choose Providers

Before choosing, make sure you understand:

• The provider’s referral criteria
• Their expected waiting times
• Whether they offer medication as part of their service
• Whether they require a shared care agreement

Important: Medication and prescribing in Suffolk

Most GP Practices in Suffolk do not enter into shared care agreements with Right to Choose providers.

This means:

• Your GP Practice is unlikely to prescribe ADHD medication on behalf of a Right to Choose provider
• If you want medication after diagnosis, choose a provider that manages prescribing.

NHS GPs are not obliged to carry out tests or prescribe medication requested by Right to Choose providers.

Download and complete your forms

1. Your personal statement, describing:
   1. Your symptoms
   2. How these affect your daily life (home, work, relationships)
   3. Anything you have already tried to manage these difficulties
   4. What you hope to gain from being assessed
2. The details of your chosen RtC provider.
   Some providers require a referral form to be completed before your GP can submit your request. If your provider has one, please download it from their website and complete the relevant sections
3. Completed ADHD screening questionnaire
4. Completed additional helpful information form

Please only include information relevant to your ADHD referral request. Do not use these forms to send messages to your GP practice about other conditions or request urgent medical input.

What you need to send to your GP Practice

To request a referral, you must send all of the following together:

✔ Write a personal statement explaining:

• Your symptoms
• How they affect your daily life (home, work, relationships)
• What you have already tried
• What you hope to gain from assessment

✔ The name of your chosen provider

✔ Completed ADHD screening questionnaire

✔ Completed additional information form

Your GP Practice will not process your request until all documents are received.

If information is missing, your request will be held for 21 days.
If the remaining information is not received within this time, your request will be closed.

What happens next

Once all documents are received by your GP Practice:

• Your GP Practice will review your information and decide whether a Right to Choose referral is clinically appropriate.
• If appropriate, your GP Practice will send your referral to your chosen provider.
• If a Right to Choose referral is not appropriate, your GP Practice will contact you to discuss alternative support or next steps.

After your referral has been sent, all further contact will be directly between you and the provider.

Your GP Practice does not manage waiting times or provide updates after referral.

Remember…

• You will need to choose your own provider.
• Your GP Practice cannot recommend or select providers on your behalf, but please do take onboard the issues around prescribing in Suffolk noted above and how this influences your choice of RtC provider.
• You can only enact your Right to Choose once. It is your responsibility to ensure your chosen provider meets your needs.

This process can feel complex.

Following the steps above will help your GP Practice process your request as quickly as possible.

Thank you, on behalf of Suffolk GP Practices