NHS England responds to ADHD Taskforce final report

An independent taskforce established to tackle challenges in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) care has today (6 November 2025) published its final report.

The ADHD Taskforce final report assessed services across health, education, employment, and the criminal justice system.

The independent report recognises that cross-sector services across the country are under significant pressure due to the growing number of people seeking assessment and support which has resulted in long waits for diagnosis and treatment.

Since the publication of the interim report earlier this year, NHS England has already been working with local systems to implement key recommendations and improve care for people with ADHD.

Through the Medium-term planning framework, NHS England has set clear expectations for local integrated care boards (ICBs) and trusts to improve access, experience, and outcomes for ADHD services over the next three years, focusing on improving quality and productivity.

The Taskforce’s final report makes a series of recommendations to transform ADHD services across England, many of which require cross-government collaboration.

It calls for ADHD to be recognised and treated as a common condition, supported by new diagnosis models to help reduce waiting lists and that professionals across healthcare including GPs should receive more training on recognising symptoms and having an appropriate role in treatment.

The report also highlights the need for stronger collaboration between government departments — across health, education, employment, and criminal justice — to ensure more joined-up support.

Other recommendations include greater use of digital tools and data to enable services to work more efficiently with patients.

Dr Adrian James, NHS England’s medical director for mental health and neurodiversity, said: “We want to thank everyone who has been involved in shaping this work, and we are committed to ensuring the voices of people with ADHD and their families remain central to how we support local teams to improve services.

“We will review the recommendations in the final report with colleagues across Government, as well as continuing to make progress on wider work to support local teams to address challenges.”

Professor Anita Thapar, Chair of the independent Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) taskforce, said: “I am hugely grateful to everyone who has contributed to this work, from people with ADHD and their families, to clinicians, researchers, and colleagues across the NHS and beyond. This report reflects a real shared commitment to improving understanding, support, and outcomes for people living with ADHD. ADHD impacts are wider than health alone, and the taskforce’s recommendations will need action across government and society, not just within the NHS, if we are to make changes. A report alone won’t transform things overnight, but it’s an important step forward and one that gives real hope for the future.”

Health Minister Zubir Ahmed said: “I want to thank everyone on the ADHD Taskforce, especially those with personal experience of ADHD, for this important work.

“Too many are waiting too long to get the ADHD assessment and help they need, which can have a huge impact on their working life, social life, and wellbeing. We’re working across government to prioritise early intervention and provide support for people who need it most as part of our 10 Year Health Plan.

“Now, we’ll be looking closely at the recommendations from the taskforce so we can continue to make real improvements to the support and services available to people with ADHD.”

The cross-sector ADHD Taskforce was launched last year by NHS England, in partnership with government, to address rising demand, waiting times, and variation in patient experience. It has been chaired by Professor Anita Thapar, and supported by three expert groups:

•  an Experts by Experience subgroup of people living with ADHD or supporting others with the condition
• an Experts in Evidence subgroup bringing together leading researchers in ADHD; and
•  a Clinical Reference Group made up of senior clinicians with direct experience of NHS ADHD care

NHS England has been working on improving ADHD services alongside the taskforce’s work. The Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme, delivered with the Department for Education, is helping teachers better identify and support neurodiverse pupils and work with their families. By March 2026, six in ten pupils will also have access to a Mental Health Support Team in school.

Earlier this year NHS England also published the first publicly available reporting on ADHD referrals and waiting times, helping local teams understand performance and improve care. NHS England is also supporting local areas to trial new and innovative ways of delivering ADHD services.

NHS England will now review the Taskforce’s final recommendations with colleagues across government, building on progress already made since the interim report to continue improving ADHD care nationally.