Get an ADHD Referral Letter Today — Skip the 3-Year Wait

Most private psychiatrists require a GP referral letter before conducting a formal ADHD assessment. The letter provides the psychiatrist with clinical context — your symptoms, their history, and their impact on your life — before your first appointment. If you are using private health insurance, a GP referral is required by all major insurers before they will authorise psychiatric assessment. A FastDoc referral letter issued by a GMC-registered doctor satisfies these requirements.

A FastDoc referral letter supports your Right to Choose pathway but cannot replace the GP referral itself. Under Right to Choose legislation in England, your GP must send the referral directly to the approved provider — you cannot self-refer. However, a FastDoc letter provides your GP with a clear, clinically documented summary of your symptoms, which can significantly help when your GP is reluctant to refer, unfamiliar with the process, or needs documentation before acting. Many patients find that presenting a clinical letter alongside their request makes the GP conversation much easier.

NHS ADHD assessment waiting lists are among the longest in the UK healthcare system. The average wait across England is approximately 3 years, with some areas reporting waits of 5 to 7 years. Over 200,000 adults are currently waiting for an assessment in England alone. NHS Right to Choose — where you choose an approved private provider funded by the NHS — offers shorter waits of around 6–18 months depending on the provider, though some providers are also facing growing backlogs.

With a FastDoc referral letter, a private psychiatrist can typically see you within 2–6 weeks for a full ADHD assessment. This varies by location and the psychiatrist's current availability — London and major cities generally have more options. Telehealth private psychiatrists often have shorter waits than in-person clinics. Compare this to the 3-year average NHS wait.

A private ADHD assessment in the UK typically costs between £600 and £1,200 for the initial diagnostic assessment, with a reputable assessment averaging around £800 in 2026. If medication is recommended, titration appointments add approximately £150–£300 per session over 3–6 months. Once you reach a stable dose, many GPs will take over prescribing via a Shared Care Agreement, reducing ongoing costs significantly. Always confirm whether your GP will accept a Shared Care Agreement before booking a private assessment.

Many GPs will accept a private ADHD diagnosis and take over prescribing via a Shared Care Agreement, particularly if the assessment was conducted by a GMC-registered consultant psychiatrist following NICE guidelines. However, some GP practices have policies against shared care for privately diagnosed ADHD, and this varies significantly by area and practice. It is strongly advisable to check your GP's shared care policy before investing in a private assessment. If your GP refuses shared care without valid clinical reasons, you can ask for their refusal in writing and escalate to your local Integrated Care Board.

Some private health insurance policies cover psychiatric assessment including ADHD, but coverage varies significantly by insurer and policy. Bupa, AXA Health, and Aviva may cover initial psychiatric consultations if your policy includes outpatient psychiatric cover and you have a GP referral letter. Mental health cover is not standard in all policies — check your policy documents or contact your insurer before assuming ADHD assessment is covered. A FastDoc referral letter meets insurer requirements if your policy does include this cover.

If our GMC-registered doctor reviews your case and determines that an ADHD referral is not clinically appropriate based on the information provided, you will receive a full refund and an explanation. We will not issue referrals that are not medically justified. A FastDoc referral letter is not a diagnosis — it is a clinical referral for assessment. The psychiatrist will conduct their own full evaluation before making any diagnostic or treatment decisions.

FastDoc referral letters are for adults aged 18 and over. ADHD assessment for children and young people under 18 follows a different clinical pathway in the UK, typically involving CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and requires referral through NHS pathways or specialist paediatric psychiatry services.

Yes. All information you provide is encrypted, securely stored, and only accessed by the doctor reviewing your case. FastDoc is fully GDPR compliant and never shares your information with third parties without your explicit consent. Medical information about mental health is treated with the same strict confidentiality as all other health data.