ADHD waiting lists ‘clogged by patients returning from private care to NHS’

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Sarah Marsh Consumer affairs correspondentJanuary 23, 2026 at 07:00 AM

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NHS ADHD waiting lists in England are being lengthened by patients returning from private care due to issues like non-compliance with NICE guidelines and lack of qualified staff for prescribing. A major NHS trust, MPFT, reports that these returns reduce capacity for new cases and increase risks of care delays. Patients face high prescription costs and treatment gaps when GPs withdraw from shared care agreements with private clinics. This trend exacerbates existing pressures on NHS ADHD services, which are already overspending by £164 million annually and struggling with over 500,000 people awaiting assessment. The government acknowledges its failure to manage the increasing number of ADHD referrals.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

BBC Radio Oxford 30% The Guardian ×240% National Institute for Health and Care Excellence 60% Wes Streeting 60% England ×270% Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) ×275% National Health Service (NHS) ×790% Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) ×595%

Keywords

adhd 100% waiting lists 90% private care 80% nhs 80% shared care agreements 70% prescription costs 60% mental health 50% healthcare funding 50% national institute for health and care excellence 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.60

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

England

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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adhd waiting lists private care nhs shared care agreements prescription costs mental health healthcare funding national institute for health and care excellence

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