29/03/2024
Great news!
Today NHS England have announced a taskforce on ADHD. This is a big deal and we're celebrating this announcement. We have a hope we didn't have and it is wonderful.
Until very recently NHS England didn't even have a single individual with responsibility for ADHD so to have them announce a task force to 'develop a national ADHD data improvement plan' is a glorious tectonic change. There are 2.6million people with ADHD In the UK and we have huge regional disparities in care - waitlists for adults range from 12 weeks to 10.5 years, and waitlists for children ranging from 5 weeks to 5 years. Entire life trajectories are altered by the waitlists for ADHD care. Lives are being ruined and lost in the current status quo. This taskforce represents the potential for the revolutionary change that is crucially needed.
We fight so hard every single day to positively change what it means to have ADHD in the UK. It can be easy to get lost in the challenge, to get despondent from the prejudice and stigma we suffer, it is important to celebrate these moments of significance. Tonight we pause to take a moment of happiness.
But it is important to note this is NHS England. Every single metric for ADHD care is worse in Scotland, worse in Wales and worse in Northern Ireland. So the question to NHS Scotland, NHS Wales and to Health and Social Care Northern Ireland is where are you? What are you doing for your ADHD patients? There is real need and we'd like to celebrate much-needed progress with you too.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/nhs-england-announces-formation-of-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd-taskforce/
