Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time was for (a) diagnosis of and (b) treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in England in each of the last five years.

There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for assessment or treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) nationally.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. NICE guidelines for ADHD diagnosis and management do not recommend a maximum waiting time standard from referral for an assessment of ADHD, nor do they set out a timeframe within which treatment for ADHD should be provided, but it does explain the key considerations for clinicians when deciding whether to offer treatment.

In a recent Westminster Hall debate on 1 February 2023, I committed to look at how we can improve data on ADHD assessment waiting times, to help improve access to ADHD assessments in a timely way and in line with the NICE guideline.

We are supporting ICBs to expand mental health services through the NHS Long Term Plan, which commits to increasing investment into mental health services by at least £2.3 billion a year by 2023/24 so that an additional two million people can get the support they need.