We understand you may have concerns about this following the recent publicity/Panorama programme regarding poor-quality services. We strongly advise you to carefully research providers and check with your GP whether they are willing to work with any service you are considering before committing your time and money. Services should be happy to answer any questions you have in advance. Anchor Psychiatry Group have been providing ADHD assessments for over 10 years and we have a positive relationship with many local GPs.

We are committed to providing full transparency regarding our processes, fees, and what our packages include. Unlike some services, our ADHD assessments and treatment plans are only undertaken by highly experienced medically qualified professionals. We do not rush our assessments and allow plenty of time to be thorough and supportive. We also routinely assess for and advise your GP regarding other mental health problems you may have.

Our ADHD assessments via video consultation cost £500* and include:

• Pre-assessment ADHD screening/analysis
• A comprehensive ADHD diagnostic assessment with an experienced Consultant Psychiatrist (2-3 hours)
• Consideration of co-morbid mental/physical health issues
• Explanation of diagnosis and treatment advice
• If you do not meet diagnostic criteria for ADHD, your Consultant will explain why and discuss other relevant diagnoses and make treatment recommendations if clinically indicated
• Detailed assessment report (copy to you and your GP)

What is not included:
Medication/treatment for ADHD (please see below for more information regarding our ADHD 3-month treatment package)

*Please be advised any costs quoted reflect our current appointment charges, however these may be subject to change from time to time and you will be charged according to the cost at the time your appointment is booked.

Most of our ADHD assessments take place via video consultation and last 2-3 hours. Your Consultant will have read your screening forms before the appointment and will ask you about your childhood, development, schooling, work history, family, physical health, and mental health as well as assess for ADHD symptoms. We ask that where possible, someone who knows you well can attend for some of the assessment as an informant (they can join the video call without needing to be in the same place as you). Your Consultant will put you at ease and you will be able to take a break during the assessment and ask any questions you may have. We can usually let you know at the end of the assessment whether you meet the ADHD diagnostic criteria and if appropriate we can discuss treatment options and available support/resources.

We actively encourage you to discuss accessing our service with your GP and request to receive an initial referral from your GP. This is because your GP is the medical professional responsible for co-ordinating your health care and their involvement helps to ensure that professionals can communicate to maintain best practice. When referring to us, your GP can provide relevant clinical information to inform our approach. We request your permission to send clinical letters to your GP following appointments to keep them informed and where necessary to liaise with your GP to prioritise your physical and mental health care. We advise you check with your GP that they would be happy to take over any future prescribing under a Shared Care Agreement if you were to be started and stabilised on ADHD medication via our service.

Once we have received your GP referral letter, we will contact you to send our ADHD screening forms and register you with our service. We politely request that screening forms are returned within 7 days. Some of the ADHD screening forms should be completed by someone who knew you well as a child (ideally a parent) and nowadays (e.g., a partner or close friend). We will add you to our ADHD assessment waiting list once we have received your referral and your completed ADHD forms have been returned to us. We can let you know an up-to-date approximate wait time at the point you are added to our wait list. Once an assessment slot becomes available, we will make contact and at that stage you will need to pay for the assessment to confirm your appointment.

No, unlike some other private clinics we do not charge separately for ADHD screening. This is included in the ADHD assessment, making our assessment package cost effective.

We make sure to schedule sufficient time to discuss medication with you in detail and answer your questions before agreeing your treatment plan and commence prescribing. However, unlike most services, there is usually very little waiting time (days-weeks) to do this and proceed to our ADHD treatment initiation package unless we need to delay starting treatment for a clinical reason, e.g., if we need to discuss your physical health with another specialist or arrange for other physical checks/tests to take place.

Yes, unlike some private ADHD services, all our Consultants can prescribe stimulant medication. Stimulant medication remains the NICE 1st line treatment recommendation for adult ADHD management. We can also offer alternative medication where appropriate and ADHD coaching.

Stimulant medication for ADHD is usually very safe and well tolerated and there is plenty of high-quality research data to support this. We include a physical health screening questionnaire in our pre-assessment screening and cover any physical health issues you may have in detail during your assessment. If we have any concerns regarding suitability for medication we will liaise with your GP and other specialists as needed and if for any reason stimulant medication is not appropriate for you, we can discuss alternative medication and non-medication-based support options.

If you have been recently diagnosed with ADHD by one of our Consultant Psychiatrists and wish to try medication for ADHD, then you can proceed to our 3-month treatment initiation and stabilisation package (see below).

If you have previously been diagnosed with ADHD by another service and wish to discuss starting treatment with us, you will still require an initial assessment appointment with us before we can consider prescribing medication.

Adult ADHD 3-Month Treatment Initiation & Stabilisation Package – £450*

Includes the following within a 3-month period:

• Initial video consultation to discuss treatment options, monitoring requirements and potential side effects (this information will also be given to you in writing via email).
• Provision and collection/postage of private prescriptions as required.
• Regular email correspondence with your Consultant as required to communicate regarding your response to medication and side effects.
• Up to 1 further video call during the 3 month period if needed.
• Final letter to your GP to confirm your medication once stabilised and request they take this over via a shared care arrangement (providing they have agreed to this).

What you will need to do:

• Check your resting pulse, weight and blood pressure before any ADHD medication can be prescribed and whilst medication is being initiated according to your Consultant’s directions (it is a good idea to purchase a BP monitor for home use as you will need to check this after each medication change and every 6 months when stable – a basic model around £20-£30 is adequate).
• Keep your Consultant informed as directed regarding your response to medication and any side effects.
• Inform your Consultant at least 7 days before your medication is due to run out.

What is not included:

• Additional review appointments required within the 3-month initiation/stabilisation period i.e., if you require additional video consultations with your Consultant, these will be charged at £180* each. This would usually only be required if you are experiencing problems with tolerating the treatment or more detailed changes are required compared to a regular titration period.
• Consultant input or prescribing beyond 3 months.
• The cost of any privately prescribed medication. You will need to take the private prescription to a pharmacy and pay the pharmacy directly for the cost of the medication. If your GP takes over the cost at a later stage, this will then reflect the standard NHS prescription charges.
• Annual ADHD treatment reviews.

*Please be advised any costs quoted reflect our current appointment charges, however these may be subject to change from time to time and you will be charged according to the cost at the time your appointment is booked.

Annual ADHD Treatment Review – £180*

This is for patients previously under our care who are on regular ADHD medication prescribed by their GP and require a review of their ADHD, mental health, and/or treatment plan. Your GP will usually require you to have a routine annual review with an ADHD specialist to support the ongoing shared-care arrangement. If you experience any problems with your ADHD symptom control or medication, then you will need to book in for an ADHD review with us sooner so we can support you as required. We request you complete a brief pre-appointment form so your consultant can see what issues you may wish to discuss before the appointment. The review appointment takes 30-45 minutes during which your consultant will fully review your current treatment, side effects, control of ADHD symptoms, any current mental health issues, and address any other queries/concerns. A clinic letter will be sent to you and your GP to confirm this has taken place, update on your progress, and advise your GP regarding your treatment plan.

*Please be advised any costs quoted reflect our current appointment charges, however these may be subject to change from time to time and you will be charged according to the cost at the time your appointment is booked.

You will either collect or be posted a paper prescription which you will need to take to a pharmacy. You then pay the pharmacy directly for the medication. The cost the pharmacy charges relates to the cost of the specific medication/brand itself plus whatever the pharmacy charges on top for supplying this. Some pharmacies charge less than others for the same medication and often the bigger pharmacies/supermarket-based pharmacies tend to be more competitive in their pricing. The cost for ADHD medications is usually considerably more than a standard NHS prescription charge. The cost of stimulant medication for ADHD varies according to the type of medication/specific brand/dose and can range from approximately £20 – £100 per month. Once a medication is transferred to your GP for repeat prescription via a shared care arrangement you will be able to get your medication by the standard NHS prescription charges (or pre-payment certificate).

Yes, see details of our ADHD maintenance treatment and review package below. Please note that your GP will still need to be informed regarding any medication we are prescribing for you.

ADHD Maintenance and Review Package – £200* every 6 months

This is for patients who have stabilised on their ADHD treatment with our service and are continuing to have this prescribed privately by one of our Consultants (i.e. not via the GP).

Includes the following within a 6-month period:

• Provision of and collection/postage of prescriptions.
• One ADHD treatment review consultation with your Consultant Psychiatrist every 6 months.
• Letter to your GP every 6 months to update on your progress and treatment plan.

What you will need to do:

• Check your resting pulse, weight, and blood pressure before any review appointment (it is a good idea to consider purchasing a BP monitor for home use as you will need to check this after each medication change and every 6 months when stable – a basic model around £20-£30 is adequate).
• Keep your Consultant informed as directed regarding your response to medication and any side effects.
• Complete an ADHD treatment review form every 6 months prior to attending your 6 monthly review appointment.
• Inform your Consultant at least 7 days before your medication is due to run out

What is not included:

• Additional review appointments required within the 6-month treatment period (i.e. if you need to have more than 1 review with your Consultant during this period, this will be charged at £180 for each appointment).
• Consultant input or prescribing beyond 6 months.
• The cost of any privately prescribed medication. You will need to take the private prescription to a pharmacy and pay the pharmacy directly for the cost of the medication. If your GP takes over the cost at a later stage, this will then reflect the standard NHS prescription charges.

*Please be advised any costs quoted reflect our current appointment charges, however these may be subject to change from time to time and you will be charged according to the cost at the time your appointment is booked.

Yes, you will still need to ask your GP to send us a referral and be seen by us for an initial ADHD assessment appointment if you are new to our service. The quality of ADHD assessments with other providers can vary considerably and as medical doctors we need to ensure that we are satisfied that any patients we advise treatment plans or prescribe for have an up to date and high quality assessment. We may be able to offer a discounted assessment fee in some circumstances (see below).

Adult ADHD assessments for those with a previous diagnosis & evidence of assessment

£350-£500* depending on individual factors (see below)

This is for adults who may have previously been formally diagnosed with ADHD in childhood or undergone an assessment as an adult by another service and are now seeking to confirm the diagnosis and/or commence/re-commence treatment. You will need to be seen and reassessed by us in detail for current evidence of ADHD and to consider your recent mental/ physical health as this will affect the advice and treatment plan.

If you have evidence of a previous good quality ADHD assessment from a medical professional, you should contact us (via info@anchorpsychiatrygroup.co.uk) in advance of booking an appointment to discuss this so we can review your previous records and let you know whether this provides sufficient supplementary information for us to charge at the lower end of the price-range indicated above. Please note we reserve the right to not offer a discount and charge the full £500 ADHD assessment fee and any discount is offered at our discretion. If you have undergone screening for ADHD in the past and no diagnostic assessment, then no discount will be offered. We charge the full £500 assessment fee for people with previous diagnostic assessments who have outdated records, without evidence of previous assessments, where assessments lack sufficient detail or are conducted by non-medical professionals.

 *Please be advised any costs quoted reflect our current appointment charges, however these may be subject to change from time to time and you will be charged according to the cost at the time your appointment is booked. 

Autism and ADHD commonly co-exist (up to 40% of autistic individuals may also meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD). If your Consultant thinks an autism assessment may be of benefit they will discuss this with you and you will have the option to proceed to having an autism assessment with us if you wish. We can usually offer this at a discounted fee if undertaken soon after your ADHD assessment as some of the background information will have already been collected and we can combine the diagnostic reports.