Common questions about ADHD & autism in Scotland

The first step is usually to speak to your GP. Tell them about your concerns and ask for a referral for a formal assessment. It helps to go prepared, bring specific examples of how your difficulties affect your daily life, at work, in relationships, or managing everyday tasks. A list of examples is more useful than a general description.

If you'd like a starting point before speaking to your GP, our ADHD self-screener and autism self-screener can help you identify and organise your thoughts. Neither is required for a referral, but they can help start the conversation.

For NHS assessment: yes. In Scotland, NHS ADHD and autism assessments require a GP referral. You cannot self-refer to NHS services.

For private assessment: no. You can contact a private provider directly and self-refer without involving your GP. However, it is still worth informing your GP, particularly if you are hoping to arrange shared care for medication afterwards.

They are separate assessments that look at different things.

An ADHD assessment evaluates attention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and how these affect daily functioning. It typically involves structured interviews, standardised questionnaires, and a review of your history across different settings.

An autism assessment looks at social communication, sensory processing, and patterns of thinking and behaviour. It usually takes longer, involves more sessions, and may include developmental history, sometimes input from a parent or someone who knew you as a child.

Some providers offer a combined assessment if you want to explore both at the same time. See our AuDHD page for more on having both.

Yes, and it is more common than many people realise. Research suggests around half of autistic adults also have ADHD, and a significant proportion of people with ADHD are also autistic. The combination is sometimes called AuDHD.

The two conditions are clinically distinct and each needs to be assessed separately. They can also mask each other, which sometimes means one is missed. See our AuDHD page for more.

Some providers assess for both simultaneously; others do them separately. If you think both might apply to you, read our AuDHD guide first, the order of assessment can matter, and the combination affects how each condition presents. It is worth raising both with your GP and with any provider you approach.

Our ADHD self-screener and autism screener can both help you put words to what you are experiencing before speaking to your GP. Neither is a diagnostic tool, but both give you something concrete to bring to an appointment.

Our AuDHD guide also explains why the two conditions so often co-occur and what that means for getting assessed and supported.

Wait times vary significantly between health boards. Some are around 12–18 months; others are considerably longer, with some boards reporting waits of several years. Our NHS waiting times page collects the latest figures reported by boards across Scotland.

Under Scotland's Treatment Time Guarantee, NHS boards must treat eligible patients within 18 weeks of the decision to treat. In practice, the waits reported to us for ADHD and autism assessment run far beyond this, our FOI data shows adult medians of up to 194 weeks.

No. Right to Choose is an NHS England policy that allows patients to choose an alternative provider, including some private providers, for their NHS-funded assessment. It does not apply in Scotland.

In Scotland, your GP refers you to your local health board's assessment service and there is currently no equivalent policy. This is one reason NHS waiting times are a more pressing issue in Scotland than in England.

Yes. Being on an NHS waiting list does not prevent you from seeking a private assessment at the same time. Going private does not automatically remove you from the NHS list. You would need to ask to be removed if you no longer want the NHS appointment.

Some people choose to remain on the NHS list even after a private diagnosis, in case they need NHS services in future.

Ask your GP to explain their reasons and to record them in your notes. You have the right to a second opinion from another GP within the same practice, or to register with a different practice.

If you believe clinical guidance is not being followed, you can contact the Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS), available through Citizens Advice Scotland, for independent advice. You can also raise a formal concern with your health board.

As an alternative, you can self-refer directly to a private provider without needing GP involvement.

Provision varies significantly across Scotland. Some boards have dedicated adult neurodevelopmental services; others route ADHD through general adult psychiatry; a small number of areas have very limited adult provision.

Ask your GP what is available locally, and check our NHS waiting times page, which covers what each health board has reported about their services and current waits.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) is Scotland's independent regulator for private healthcare. Services provided by or including medical practitioners, registered nurses, or nurse prescribers are legally required to register. Psychology-led services with no medical practitioners involved are not required to register.

Where HIS registration applies, it means the service has been inspected against clinical standards and complaints can be escalated to an independent regulator. Our compare tool shows registration status for each provider, and our regulation page explains the full picture.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has specialised in mental health. They can prescribe medication and are qualified to diagnose ADHD and autism. They are regulated by the General Medical Council (GMC).

A psychologist holds a psychology degree and doctorate but is not a medical doctor and cannot prescribe medication. Psychologists can conduct ADHD and autism assessments and are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) or the British Psychological Society (BPS).

Both can produce a valid diagnosis. However, if you are hoping to arrange shared care for medication through your GP, a psychiatrist-led assessment is generally more straightforward, as GPs are more familiar with accepting shared care from a fellow medic.

A thorough ADHD assessment should include:

• A structured clinical interview covering your current symptoms and how they affect daily life
• A review of your developmental history, symptoms should have been present since childhood
• Validated rating scales (such as the DIVA interview or CAARS questionnaire)
• Consideration of other explanations for your symptoms (such as anxiety, sleep problems, or trauma)
• Ideally, some collateral information, input from a partner, parent, or someone who knows you well
• A written report you can share with your GP

A reputable provider should follow the NICE ADHD guideline (NG87), the recognised assessment standard used in Scotland. Be cautious of any provider offering a very short single-session assessment with no collateral information.

Costs vary by provider, typically ranging from around £600 to over £1,200 for an adult ADHD assessment. Some providers include a follow-up appointment in the fee; others charge separately. Our compare tool lists current assessment costs for every provider we track, so you can compare them side by side.

In Scotland, the relevant regulator for services involving medical practitioners, nurses, or nurse prescribers is Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS). Psychology-led services with no medical practitioners involved are not legally required to register with HIS. England-based providers offering online services to patients in Scotland are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rather than HIS, if you are using an online-only English provider, check their CQC registration. Our regulation page explains the different categories.

Individual clinicians are registered with their professional bodies: the GMC for doctors, HCPC for psychologists, and NMC for nurses. You can check any clinician's registration directly on those bodies' websites. Our compare tool shows HIS registration status for each listed provider.

Yes, many Scottish residents use online providers based in England, and this is increasingly common for assessments delivered by video. What matters is that the clinician is appropriately regulated and experienced, the assessment meets recognised ADHD standards (NICE NG87), and the provider has experience supporting shared care with Scottish GPs, whose policies differ from those in England.

This varies by provider and assessment type. A private ADHD assessment typically involves a clinical interview of 1–2 hours, though some providers split this across two appointments. Autism assessments tend to take longer, often 2–4 hours, sometimes spread across multiple sessions.

Most providers will ask you to complete questionnaires in advance, so the appointment itself is focused on the interview rather than paperwork. Check with the provider what their process involves before booking so you know what to expect on the day.

Yes, private assessment for children is available in Scotland, though the number of providers offering paediatric services is smaller than those offering adult assessments. The process typically involves input from parents and often from school as well as the child directly.

The NHS route for children is through CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), but waiting times are often very long. See our child ADHD and autism assessment page for more detail on both routes.

Shared care is an arrangement where a private provider (usually a psychiatrist) and your NHS GP share responsibility for your ongoing treatment. In practice, the private provider prescribes your medication initially and oversees titration, then asks your GP to take over routine prescribing once your dose is stable.

In Scotland, shared care is at each GP practice's discretion. There is no national requirement for GPs to accept it. Acceptance varies widely across Scotland. Our shared care page explains this in more detail and includes what to ask your GP before committing to a private assessment.

Not automatically. Your GP may accept a shared care arrangement, but they are not obliged to. Many practices in Scotland do accept shared care; others refuse, or have a policy of waiting until a patient reaches the top of the NHS list.

It is strongly worth asking your own GP practice what their policy is before paying for a private assessment, so you know what to expect. See our shared care page for more.

If your GP declines shared care, your main options are:

• Continue obtaining prescriptions privately, which involves ongoing cost
• Ask your GP to provide their reasons in writing and consider raising this with your health board
• Ask whether a different GP within the same practice might take a different view
• Register with a different GP practice, shared care policies differ between practices

There is currently no legal right in Scotland that compels a GP to accept shared care from a private provider. This is one of the most difficult aspects of the private diagnosis route in Scotland.

Having ADHD does not automatically affect your driving licence. However, you are legally required to tell the DVLA if you have a medical condition that may affect your ability to drive safely. If your ADHD significantly impairs your driving, you must declare it.

Most people with well-managed ADHD drive safely without needing to notify the DVLA. ADHD medications such as methylphenidate and lisdexamfetamine are legal to take while driving, provided they do not impair you, you must not drive if you feel drowsy, dizzy, or otherwise affected. If you are unsure, discuss this with your prescribing clinician.

Yes, all NHS prescriptions in Scotland are free at the point of dispensing, including ADHD medication. This applies once you have shared care in place and your GP is prescribing on the NHS.

Private prescriptions are not free and typically involve a prescription fee from your clinic plus the cost of the medication at the pharmacy. This is one of the reasons setting up shared care after a private diagnosis matters.

ADHD medication falls into two main categories:

• Stimulants: methylphenidate, lisdexamfetamine (Elvanse), and dexamfetamine
• Non-stimulants: atomoxetine and guanfacine (Intuniv)

Which medication is appropriate depends on your individual presentation, other health conditions, and how you respond during titration. Your prescribing clinician will advise. See our medications guide for more detail.

No. Adults diagnosed with ADHD at any age can benefit significantly from both medication and non-medication support. Many people describe a late diagnosis as a turning point. Finally, having an explanation for lifelong difficulties, and access to treatment that can meaningfully improve daily life.

Medication can improve concentration, organisation, and emotional regulation. Alongside that, strategies for managing ADHD, support from others who understand it, and simply understanding your own brain, all make a difference.

ADHD can present differently in women and girls, and has historically been under-diagnosed in this group. Women are more likely to have inattentive-type ADHD, which is less visible than the hyperactive-impulsive presentation, and are more likely to mask or compensate for their difficulties in ways that make symptoms harder to spot.

Symptoms like emotional dysregulation, difficulty sustaining attention, disorganisation, and chronic overwhelm may be dismissed or attributed to anxiety or low mood. Many women are diagnosed in their 30s or 40s, often after their child is diagnosed, or after a period of burnout.

Some private providers on our compare tool specifically list expertise in late or AFAB (assigned female at birth) ADHD presentations.

AuDHD is an informal term used by people who have both autism and ADHD. The two conditions overlap considerably but are clinically distinct, each needs to be assessed in its own right. In people with both, the conditions can interact in complex ways, and standard advice for either alone may not always apply.

See our AuDHD page for more information.

If your diagnosis is from a private provider, the immediate priority is usually medication if that is part of your treatment plan, and setting up shared care with your GP so prescribing transfers to the NHS.

Beyond that, after diagnosis is a good time to understand your rights, at work, in education, and with public services, and to connect with support. See our after-diagnosis guide for a full overview.

Yes. A private diagnosis from a registered clinician carries the same legal weight as an NHS diagnosis under the Equality Act 2010. Employers and universities cannot discriminate based on how or where you were diagnosed. What matters is the diagnosis itself, not whether it came from an NHS or private provider.

You may be asked to provide evidence, usually your diagnostic report, when requesting reasonable adjustments. If an employer or institution refuses to accept a private diagnosis, they are not acting in accordance with the law. Your diagnostic report should clearly state the clinician's credentials and the assessment method used.

ADHD and autism are both recognised disabilities under the Equality Act 2010. Your employer has a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments if your condition puts you at a substantial disadvantage compared to colleagues, this can include flexible hours, written instructions, quiet working space, or extra time for tasks.

Access to Work is a government scheme that can fund practical support including coaching, assistive technology, and support workers. It is significantly underused by neurodivergent people and is worth exploring even if you are already employed.

Yes. Several organisations offer resources, peer communities, and advocacy specifically in Scotland:

• ADHD Scotland, peer support groups and information
• Scottish ADHD Coalition, advocacy and policy
• Scottish Autism, support services and resources for autistic people and their families
• ADHD UK, community and resources

See our support page for a full list of resources and services.

Yes, there is no age limit for assessment. Many people receive a diagnosis in their thirties, forties, fifties, or later. Late diagnosis is particularly common in women, people who masked their difficulties in childhood, and those from communities where neurodivergence was less recognised or less likely to be referred.

A diagnosis at any age can be genuinely helpful, both in understanding yourself and in accessing appropriate support.

Waits differ enormously across Scotland's 14 boards. From the figures we have gathered through Freedom of Information requests, some adult ADHD waits run to several years, for example, NHS Grampian reported around 194 weeks (roughly four years) in Aberdeen City, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde reported the largest adult ADHD list at 8,886 adults, and NHS Lothian reported more than 25,000 people waiting for combined ADHD and autism assessment. Our NHS waiting times page shows the latest figures board by board.

Not everywhere. Provision is very uneven across Scotland, some boards run dedicated neurodevelopmental services, some route ADHD through general adult psychiatry, and at least one board (NHS Dumfries and Galloway) confirmed to us that it has no adult ADHD or autism assessment service at all. Check our waiting times page and FOI tracker for what each board has told us, and ask your GP what is available locally.

Scotland does not routinely publish waiting times specifically for adult ADHD and autism assessment, and boards do not all record the data in the same way. That is exactly why we submit Freedom of Information requests to every board and publish what comes back, so the picture is at least visible. See our methodology for how we do it.

Every figure comes from a Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act request submitted to a named NHS health board, with the original response documents published alongside. Boards must respond within 20 working days. We publish the data as responses arrive, with the date each figure was provided. Our FOI tracker shows the status of every request.

Section 12 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act lets a public body decline a request if answering it would cost more than £600 (around 40 hours of staff time). When a board refuses waiting-time figures under Section 12, it does not mean no waiting list exists. It means they say the numbers can't be extracted within that cost limit. We flag these clearly on our waiting times page.

Yes. Many private assessments in Scotland are now carried out by video, and this is a common route given long NHS waits. What matters is that the clinician is properly regulated and experienced, the assessment meets recognised clinical standards, and, if you want NHS prescribing later, that the provider has experience supporting shared care with Scottish GPs. Our compare tool lets you filter for online providers.

The DIVA-5 (Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in adults) is a structured clinical interview based on the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. It works through each ADHD symptom in both childhood and adulthood, using real-life examples, and is one of the validated tools a thorough adult ADHD assessment may use. Our regulation page explains the tools a credible assessment should involve.

No. Screening tools, including ours, are not diagnostic. They help you recognise and organise your experiences and give you something concrete to bring to a GP or assessor, but only a qualified clinician can diagnose ADHD or autism. Our ADHD self-screener and autism screener run entirely in your browser and store nothing.

The WFIRS (Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale) measures how much ADHD affects everyday functioning, across areas like work, home life, relationships, and self-care. It is often completed before an appointment to show the real-world impact of symptoms, not just their presence. You can complete our WFIRS-S and print a clean copy to bring to your GP or assessment.

The CAT-Q (Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire) measures how much a person masks or compensates for autistic traits, something that often hides autism, particularly in women and people diagnosed later in life. It is a screening aid, not a diagnostic test. You can try it on our CAT-Q page.

Masking is consciously or unconsciously hiding traits of ADHD or autism to fit in, rehearsing conversations, suppressing stims, or working extremely hard to appear organised. It is more common in women and in people who learned to compensate early. Because masking hides the outward signs, it is a major reason many people are missed in childhood and diagnosed only as adults, often after burnout.

Two things affect this: the wait to be seen, and the assessment itself. Waits vary widely by board and can run to years (see our waiting times page). The assessment process, once it begins, is usually longer than an ADHD assessment, often several appointments, and may include developmental history and input from someone who knew you as a child.

Adult private autism assessments in Scotland typically cost more than ADHD assessments, often ranging from around £800 to £2,000 depending on the provider and how many sessions are involved. Combined ADHD-and-autism assessments cost more again. Our compare tool lists current prices for every provider we track.

Titration is the process of starting ADHD medication at a low dose and adjusting it over several weeks to find what works best with the fewest side effects. It usually involves several review appointments and is normally charged separately from the assessment, with the cost varying by provider, worth checking before you book. See our medications guide for more.

Sometimes. Some insurers cover ADHD or autism assessment and treatment, but many exclude neurodevelopmental conditions or treat them as pre-existing. Cover, referral requirements, and whether medication is included vary a lot between policies, so check the specific terms with your insurer before assuming you are covered.

Start with your GP, health visitor, or your child's school, in some areas schools can refer directly. NHS referrals for under-18s go to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) or a dedicated neurodevelopmental team. Private paediatric assessment is also available, though fewer providers offer it. Our child assessment page covers both routes.

CAMHS neurodevelopmental waits are often very long, several years in some areas, and some boards have reported closing or pausing their children's lists. Our Freedom of Information data on the waiting times page includes children's figures where boards have provided them.

In some Scottish health boards, schools can refer directly to CAMHS or a neurodevelopmental service; in others, referrals must go through a GP. It is worth speaking to both your child's school, they can often provide valuable observations and support the process, and your GP. A school's written observations are useful evidence whichever route you take.

Yes. ADHD and autism are both covered by the Equality Act 2010, which applies across Scotland. That means employers, universities, colleges, and service providers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments where your condition puts you at a substantial disadvantage. You do not need to consider yourself "disabled" to be protected.

Possibly. In Scotland, the disability benefit for daily living and mobility is Adult Disability Payment (ADP), delivered by Social Security Scotland, which replaced PIP for Scottish residents. ADP is not awarded for a diagnosis itself, but for how much your condition affects daily living and getting around, so some people with ADHD or autism qualify and others do not. It helps to describe specific everyday difficulties. See our ADP guide, and consider free advice from Citizens Advice Scotland.

Scottish students can apply for the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) through SAAS, which can fund assistive technology, study coaching, and other support. Your institution's disability service can also arrange adjustments such as extra time in exams, note-taking support, or extended library loans. A diagnostic report is usually needed to access these.

Yes. Under the Equality Act 2010, employers and exam bodies must make reasonable adjustments, for example flexible hours, written instructions, a quieter space, or extra time. At work, the government's Access to Work scheme can fund practical support and is widely underused. You may be asked for your diagnostic report as evidence.

Long silences are common, but you can chase it. Contact the service you were referred to (or your board's central booking team) and ask them to confirm in writing that you are still on the list and your current position. If you get no answer, or you are concerned about how you have been treated, the Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS), free through Citizens Advice Scotland, can help, and you can make a formal complaint to your health board.

Some people also begin a private assessment in parallel to avoid staying in limbo. Being on the NHS list does not stop you. See our compare tool.

Some Scottish boards have paused or closed adult neurodevelopmental lists when demand outstripped capacity. If this affects you, ask the board in writing what it means for people already referred and what the alternative is. You can raise a formal complaint and contact PASS for independent help.

If you cannot wait, a private assessment is the main alternative route. Our waiting times page tracks what boards have reported about closures and pauses.

You should not be removed without being informed, but people do report being taken off lists, sometimes after a missed letter or a service change. If you are unsure of your status, contact the service directly and ask for written confirmation that you are still on the list and your position on it. Keep copies of any correspondence.

If you believe you were removed unfairly, you can complain to the board and get help from PASS.

Provision genuinely varies, and some Scottish boards have very limited or no adult neurodevelopmental service. If you have been told to go private, it is reasonable to ask your GP or board to confirm this in writing and to explain what NHS options remain. You can raise a formal concern with the board.

If a private assessment is your only realistic route, our compare tool lists providers and costs. It is worth checking shared care with your GP before you commit.

Ongoing reviews, such as an annual medication review, are part of good care, but capacity pressures mean some people wait a long time or fall through the gaps. Contact whoever holds your care (your GP if you are on shared care, or the service that diagnosed you) and ask specifically for a review.

If you cannot get one, raise it with your GP practice or health board, and PASS can advise on next steps.

A GP can decline a referral if there is a clinical reason, but they must be able to explain it, and "not severe enough" is not always a fair basis on its own. You can ask for their reasons in writing, request a second opinion from another GP in the practice, or register with a different practice.

You can also self-refer to a private provider without GP involvement. See our GP refused a referral guide.

You can complain directly to your health board's feedback and complaints team about delays or how you have been treated. If you are not satisfied with their response, you can escalate to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO). The Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS), free through Citizens Advice Scotland, can help you make a complaint.

A complaint will not speed up your own assessment, but complaints are logged and add to the documented pressure for change.

No. ADHD Scot is an independent, non-clinical information project run by one person in Scotland who has been through the system. It is not affiliated with the NHS, any health board, any clinical provider, any charity, or any commercial interest. See our about page for more.

Yes, everything on the site is free, with no ads and no paywalls. The self-screening tools, the provider comparison, the waiting-time data, and the guides are all free to use.

No provider pays to be listed, to appear higher, or to get a better entry. Listings are compiled from publicly available sources and verified against primary records before publication, with a "last checked" date on each. We filter from the patient's point of view and don't rank clinics or make qualitative judgements about named providers. Our methodology page sets out exactly how it works.

Each page carries a "last reviewed" date, and provider listings show when they were last checked. Waiting-time figures are dated to when each board provided them, and we add new FOI responses as they arrive. If you spot something out of date or inaccurate, please tell us.