The Plymouth Adult ADHD Assessment Service offers diagnostic assessment and medical treatment for adults with ADHD.
ADHD is a developmental disorder associated with an ongoing pattern of inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity. The symptoms of ADHD can interfere significantly with an individual’s daily activities and relationships. ADHD begins in childhood and can continue into the teen years and adulthood.
ADHD is increasingly being diagnosed among adults struggling to fulfill their potential in employment and education settings, as the symptoms in childhood may have been masked by good family structures and school support. People with ADHD often struggle in their personal lives and can experience difficulties in relationships with friends, colleagues, and family. ADHD is inheritable, which means this health condition can be passed through adults to their children through their genes.
ADHD can affect a person’s sense of self-worth, cause suffering due to its symptoms, and influence relationships, behaviour, and social interactions. People with ADHD often have complex needs and may also experience other mental health difficulties including mood disorders, anxiety, and substance misuse. Following an ADHD assessment, it is not uncommon for people to be signposted to services that offer support for coexisting mental health problems.
To be referred to our service people must be 18 years of age and older, hold a Plymouth address, and be registered with a Plymouth-based GP, including satellite surgeries. The main route for referrals to the Adult ADHD Assessment Service is from General Practitioners and secondary mental health services. We do not accept self-referrals.
The demand for ADHD assessments has surged recently, leading to significantly long waiting times for appointments.
We do not offer peer support groups or skills groups. We do not offer psychological interventions for the treatment of ADHD in our clinic.
Your assessment:
Your assessment is usually carried out over a video call and lasts between two and three hours to help us fully understand your difficulties. If you feel a face-to-face appointment is needed, we can discuss your requirements.
It is helpful to bring along a relative, friend, or someone who knows you well to provide more information about your difficulties. They can also support you during the assessment, which will involve gaining information about your background.
If you have previously been diagnosed with ADHD and are currently taking medication for the condition, your appointment may be shorter.
Following the assessment, a report will be sent to you and your GP. If a diagnosis is made, we can offer medical treatment and signposting.
Medication shortage
We are continuing to experience difficulties with the supply of ADHD medication. We know this has caused problems for many individuals to source their medication.
Our advice during the period of supply disruption is for you to ring individual pharmacies to ask if they have stocks of the medication. This could mean contacting several pharmacies, which we appreciate is frustrating and time consuming. Our services are unable to do this for you.
The following link is for Boots pharmacies only:
Boots prescription stock checker
This is a national alert due to global demand that we have no influence over. Unfortunately, our service has no solution to this. We advise you to make a request for a repeat prescription in plenty of time. This allows pharmacies more time to try to source supplies.
Leaflets
You may find the information leaflets below useful.
Contact
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 01752 435452 – this is an answerphone service
Useful Links
Survey
We would be grateful if you would complete a survey based on your experience of this service. Click here or use this QR code, and enter our service code 062:
