Poorly regulated clinics in England are putting children with ADHD at risk, warn doctors

Doctors are warning that children with ADHD in England are being put at risk by poorly regulated private clinics. These clinics are prescribing powerful stimulants, often through remote-only assessments, without conducting mandatory physical examinations, including cardiovascular checks. This practice has led to concerns about patient safety, with at least one doctor reporting cases of children with previously unknown heart conditions being prescribed medication without in-person assessment. Health authorities in Greater Manchester are responding by mandating face-to-face checks. The issue is exacerbated by high demand for ADHD services and the use of the "Right to Choose" scheme, which allows access to private care funded by the NHS, raising concerns about the infrastructure and safety protocols of some private providers.

Explore how the topics in this article connect to other news stories

Discover articles with similar content using semantic similarity analysis.