And then you wait... and wait... and wait some more
Don't hold your breath if you're an adult looking to get an ADHD diagnosis in Northern Ireland. There is no commissioned service in place. Even for children (where there is a service) it can be up to a five year wait.
One of the amazing things about starting this website has been the people who've reached out to me. Hearing from others who are going through the same things as me has made me feel part of a community I didn't really know existed until a few weeks ago.
The flip side of those many, many people who have reached out, is hearing some of the horror stories of what people are currently going through. Especially when it comes to the current waiting lists for those in Northern Ireland attempting to get an ADHD diagnosis.
Paula Bradshaw, MLA, used her first speech this week in the newly restored Assembly to outline the current waiting list challenges in Northern Ireland. You can read the full transcript of her speech here.
Charity, ADHD UK spent six months last year chasing Freedom of Information Requests on waiting lists before releasing a report in October 2023. The results of the report are a stark reality that where you live can heavily dictate how long you or your child will wait to go through the diagnosis process in such a profoundly impactful way.
For those who are attempting to get a diagnosis, none of this will be a surprise or a shock. For those of you who reading this that haven't had to go through an NHS organisation to get help, strap yourself in for some ridiculous statistics and realities that came from ADHD UK's report.
A child in Belfast, for example, will wait 52 times longer than a child in Barnsley in South London to get a diagnosis. You read that right, 52 times longer. Barnsley waiting times - roughly five weeks. Belfast, roughly five years. And there's currently 1,000 children on the ADHD waiting list in Belfast. You can read more from that report here.
You might think that's the most shocking thing I'll write. But you'd be wrong.
When it comes to adults in Northern Ireland. Recent Freedom of Information requests that are published on the WhatDoTheyKnow website take things to a whole new level. Requests went in to Belfast, South Eastern, Western and Northern Health & Social Care Trusts.
Belfast and Northern are yet to respond but Western and Southern both replied with answers to a raft of questions with a similar version of below:
"There is no commissioned ADHD service for adults in the SHSCT therefore there is no assessment pathway in place for new referrals. If a person is diagnosed with ADHD in children’s services and required ongoing medication management by a psychiatrist, they will continue to receive regular reviews by a psychiatrist in adult mental health services. Waiting times for ADHD diagnosis in adult services is not recorded or reported on in the SHSCT as there is no commissioned service in place."
It seems like it's worth repeating that last line to make sure it sinks home.
Waiting times for ADHD diagnosis in adult services is not recorded or reported on in the SHSCT as there is no commissioned service in place.
I've had adults reach out and tell me they've been told the waiting list is eight years locally. That FOI from earlier this month suggests that there will be no new referrals taking place at all if you're an adult. None. The only time you want to hear To Infinity and Beyond is not when it comes to a diagnosis.
I've definitely more than once been accused of swearing too much in life but in this context it makes a lot of sense... what the actual fuck?