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Project #181:
Examining changes in ADHD diagnosis and pathways in primary care pre and post COVID pandemic

According to NHS England ADHD was the second most viewed health condition, after Covid-19 on the NHS website in 2023, with 4.3 million page views over the course of the year 1. Internationally, there is strong evidence that during and after the Covid-19 pandemic there is an increase in both diagnosis and medication consumption for ADHD compared to pre-Covid 2 3. In April 2020, during the Covid pandemic there was a 75% reduction on the rate of referrals to mental health services in the UK 4. In addition, there were major changes to the ADHD services during lockdown period 5. There is consensus that the Covid-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the issue of waiting times for ADHD 6.

Given the increased demand for ADHD services in secondary care post-Covid, this project is a short data report aimed at quantifying the changes in ADHD services and pathways in primary care after the Covid-19 pandemic. The aim is to assess the changes in the prevalence of ADHD diagnosis and medication pre and post Covid and the average time patients complete the pathways from referral to diagnosis. The findings will be used to assist with the cross-sector taskforce commissioned by NHS England to provide a joined-up approach in response to concerns around rising demand of ADHD post-Covid 1.

  1. NHS England, “NHS to launch cross-sector ADHD taskforce to boost care for patients in England,” 28 March 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2024/03/nhs-to-launch-cross-sector-adhd-taskforce-to-boost-care-for-patients-in-england/. ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. Rogers et al, “ADHD Symptoms Increased During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Meta-Analysis,” 2023. ↩︎

  3. Gimbach et al, “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ADHD medicine consumption in 47 countries and regions,” European Neuropsychopharmacology, 2023. ↩︎

  4. Carr et al, “Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary care-recorded mental illness and self-harm episodes in the UK: a population-based cohort study,” The Lancet Public Health, 2021. ↩︎

  5. Ogundele et al, “The impact of Covid-19 pandemic on services for children and adolescents with ADHD: results from a survey of paediatricians in the United Kingdom,” AIMS Public Health, 2022. ↩︎

  6. Smith et al, “UK adult ADHD services in crisis,” BJPsych Bulletin, 2023. ↩︎