Government launches review into rising ADHD, autism and mental health diagnoses
The Government has launched an independent review into rising diagnoses of ADHD and autism, as well as other mental health conditions in England.
It will look at the reasons behind the growing prevalence and the knock-on demand for services in both adults and children.
Pulse exclusively revealed in March that the review would take place, when the Government said it would crack down on ‘unregulated private sector’ therapists and counsellors.
Speaking at Pulse Live, primary care minister Stephen Kinnock said he was ‘very worried that there are diagnoses being given out by the private independent sector which are not rooted in clinical expertise’.
He added that ‘demand just continues to go through the roof’ partly as a result of private sector counsellors and therapists.
The review – which will take three to six months and will report in the summer next year – will look at evidence around ‘medicalisation’ of mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, including potential harms ‘and the difference between non-clinical need and disorder’, the Government said today.
The now published scope of the review set out that it will look at how increased diagnoses of ADHD, autism, and mental health conditions have impacted NHS services. It will also look at inequalities in accessing support for children, young people and adults.
The independent committee, led by Professor Peter Fonagy, head of psychology and language sciences at University College London, will investigate how diagnostic pathways and criteria have changed in the past decade.
It will consider the value of diagnosis to individuals as well as barriers in getting one, the Government said. Long-term outcomes of pharmacological treatment for young people and adults will also be examined.
Health secretary Wes Streeting had previously raised concerns that mental health conditions were being over-diagnosed.
While announcing the review, he said: ‘We must look at this through a strictly clinical lens to get an evidence-based understanding. That’s the only way we can ensure everyone gets timely access to accurate diagnosis and effective support.’
Professor Fonagy said: ‘This review will only be worthwhile if it is built on solid ground. We will examine the evidence with care — from research, from people with lived experience, and from clinicians working at the frontline of mental health, autism and ADHD services — to understand, in a grounded way, what is driving rising demand.
‘My aim is to test assumptions rigorously and listen closely to those most affected, so that our recommendations are both honest and genuinely useful.’
It comes after an independent taskforce reported last month that the Government should incentivise GP practices to take on some aspects of care for ADHD.
NHS data has shown an ongoing steady rise in medicines prescribed for ADHD that included a 28% increase in 2023/24.
Between April and June this year there were 23 million antidepressant items prescribed to an estimated 7 million identified patients.
Mental Health charity Mind noted that Lord Darzi’s investigation into the NHS showed that more people are experiencing common mental health problems than a decade ago.
Dr Sarah Hughes, chief executive of Mind, said: ‘This is a huge opportunity to really understand what is driving increasing levels of mental illness, especially among our young people.
‘More people need help than services can see, people’s mental health deteriorates while they wait, and when people do get access to support it is not always appropriate to their needs. We also need to be tackling the social and economic factors that are helping to drive increased demand.’
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READERS' COMMENTS [9]
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The issue arises because we are over medicalising normal human emotions and unhappiness. Of course there are folks who need diagnosis and help, but they are being lost and abandoned in a sea of people with minor difficulties and who “self identify” as needing a label. As a previous MH lead – I have never seen a patient referred to ADHD/Autism services who DOESN’T get a diagnosis- especially if they go under the RTC system. It’s no wonder MH services are drowning in referrals and struggling to manage- there is no answer to it when there are perverse incentives to getting a “label” whether that be in health, education, benefits or employment. a good example is on a recent visit to a theme park where the queue for those with health problems (who could get on the rides more quickly) was longer than the queue of those without any kind of disability! No wonder the tragic statistics around suicide remain so disheartening when those in real distress cannot get the help they need or deserve.
Stephen Kinnock worries that there are “diagnoses being given out by the private independent sector which are not rooted in clinical expertise.”
If only it were that simple. It’s not a matter of “unscrupulous independent sector” vs “virtuous public sector”.
As Rebecca says above, no patient is turned away without a diagnosis. Sadly, that applies to the local NHS service as much as the independent sector.
“Long-term outcomes of pharmacological treatment for young people and adults will also be examined.”
Could this be the “Cass Report” moment for ADHD?
I would respond to Dylan and suggest long term outcomes for treatment = bankrupt NHS
The difference between trait and state and perhaps trait and disorder.
I’ll save them some time……TikTok and benefits
Misery, poverty, shit housing, an actively underfunded NHS to failing point, an uncaring sick society where we’re not in it together (add more points of your own) – and uniparty Govts stuck in the irrelevant vocabulary of doom neoliberal economics, mutating into paleo-libertarianism, and captive to the interests of the Rich And Powerful Elite (there’s an appropriate acronym here, describing what they do to the rest of us and planetary resources) Club. These are some of the political causes of the pressures behind rises in diagnoses of autism and ADHD.
We must be near to a tipping point where if we don’t get a terrestrial political class that’s willing to deal with our real-world problems, and offering money-based economic solutions and hope, not hate and division, then like the USA we’re in for the fall and decline of democracy.
Spot on STBFA.Bet it will say those naughty GPs are all at fault though convenient scapegoat as we are.
I’m a bit perplexed that taking amphetamins such as ‘crack’ is very damaging to physical and mental health, uet we willingly allow patients to be on similar drugs for decades. I guess it must be safe but its puzzling.