Frequently Asked Questions

Each assessment is delivered by a Consultant Psychiatrist–led multidisciplinary clinical team. Clinical governance is overseen by our Clinical Director, Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Vishnu Pradeep, who is GMC–registered and a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. All clinicians are registered with the appropriate UK statutory body (GMC, NMC, or HCPC).

Yes. Adult ADHD assessments are delivered entirely online via secure video, in line with NICE NG87 ("Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management"). Online delivery removes travel, reduces anxiety, and lets you complete the assessment in a familiar environment. Suitability is reviewed at your initial consultation — if a clinician feels online isn't the right fit for your situation, they'll say so.

Our private adult ADHD service is for people aged 18 and older living in Northern Ireland. We don't currently offer child or adolescent assessment in NI — if you're seeking an assessment for someone under 18, your HSC GP can advise on local options.

Adults with ADHD often have co-occurring conditions including anxiety, depression, autism, sleep disorders, or substance-use difficulties. Our comprehensive assessment screens for these and provides differential diagnostic guidance — so you leave with a complete clinical picture, not a single label. Where another condition is identified, we'll flag it and signpost appropriate next steps.

Diagnosis follows DSM-5 criteria, which is the international gold standard and aligned with NICE NG87 — the same evidence base used by HSC and NHS clinicians across the UK. Validated structured tools including DIVA-5 and CAARS are used during the Full Assessment.

For many adults, a formal diagnosis is the missing context for years of struggle — the explanation behind chronic underachievement, exhaustion, and self-blame. Diagnosis unlocks access to evidence-based treatment, workplace adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, university support via Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA), and exam access arrangements. For most patients, the biggest gain is self-understanding.

Yes. Our Consultant Psychiatrists are fully GMC–registered, and our diagnoses follow NICE NG87 and UK Royal College of Psychiatrists guidance. The written diagnostic report is recognised by HSC GPs, employers under the UK Equality Act 2010, universities for Disabled Students' Allowance, and CCEA / JCQ exam boards for access arrangements where appropriate.

Yes. Our reports are routinely used to support:

• Reasonable adjustments at work under the UK Equality Act 2010
• Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) for higher-education funding
• JCQ access arrangements (extra time, separate room, reader, scribe) for exam settings — including those administered by CCEA in Northern Ireland
• Internal university and college learning–support plans

Some private health insurers cover part or all of private ADHD assessment costs — coverage varies significantly by insurer and policy. Please contact your insurer directly to confirm before booking. We can provide an itemised invoice and any clinical letters required for a reimbursement claim.

Note on tax relief: Unlike Ireland's Med 1 / Revenue rebate scheme, the UK does not offer income tax relief on private medical expenses for individuals via Self Assessment — HMRC treats them as personal expenditure.

You receive a comprehensive written diagnostic report and a feedback session to talk through findings, next steps, and management options. From there you can:

• Enter our Adult Psychiatry pathway for medication initiation and titration
• Use the report for workplace, university, or exam adjustments
• Share the report with your HSC GP for shared care discussions
• Proceed without medication using non-pharmacological strategies

Yes — our reports are written to NICE NG87 standards and follow UK Royal College of Psychiatrists guidance, the same evidence base your HSC GP works from. Private ADHD diagnoses are generally accepted at face value across NI primary care.

Whether your GP enters a shared care agreement for ongoing prescribing is a separate decision — that's at the GP's discretion under the regional Interface Pharmacist Network NI shared–care guidelines (see psychiatry section below).

Book the £49 Initial Consultation online. You'll meet a clinician via secure video to talk through your symptoms, history, and concerns. They'll confirm whether the Full Assessment is the right next step — or, if it isn't, advise on better-matched alternatives.

Typically 3 to 6 weeks from your Initial Consultation to your final diagnostic report. The Initial Consultation itself is usually available within seven days of booking.

For comparison: HSC adult ADHD services are not yet formally commissioned in Northern Ireland (per the Department of Health's February 2026 ADHD Needs Assessment), and waiting times in some Trusts have stretched to several years. Our private pathway is designed to fix that gap.

No. Most adults in Northern Ireland can self–refer and book directly online. With your consent, we share your diagnostic report and care plan with your HSC GP afterwards so your wider care team is informed.

Choose a quiet, private space with a stable internet connection and good lighting. Before your appointment, gather:

• School reports or memories of childhood difficulties
• Family history of ADHD or related conditions
• Specific examples of how symptoms affect your work, study, or relationships
• Any prior assessment reports or current medication details

The more concrete context you can provide, the more tailored your formulation will be.

Through a structured three-step pathway:

Step 1 — Initial Consultation (£49): Clinical interview, symptom and history review, suitability check.
Step 2 — Full Assessment (£495): Comprehensive evaluation using validated DSM-5 tools including DIVA-5 and CAARS, with informant input where appropriate.
Step 3 — Diagnosis & Report (£325): Formal written diagnosis and management plan you can share with your HSC GP, employer, university, or exam board.

Total pathway: £869, only if you proceed at each clinical decision point.

Yes. The £49 Initial Consultation is paid up–front. Klarna interest–free monthly payment plans are available for both the £495 Full Assessment and the £325 Diagnosis & Report — so the largest costs can be split across manageable monthly instalments. Call 028 2544 0987 for more information.

Yes. Following a confirmed ADHD diagnosis, you can transition to our Adult Psychiatry pathway for medication initiation, titration and ongoing follow–up — Consultant Psychiatrist–led and GMC–registered. Non–pharmacological strategies are also discussed at every step.

The pathway is split into three transparent stages:

• £49 — Initial Consultation
• £495 — Full Assessment
• £325 — Diagnosis & Report

Total: £869, only if you proceed through all three stages. Klarna monthly payment plans are available for Stages 2 and 3.

For most individuals, no. HMRC treats private medical costs as personal expenditure, so they are not deductible from income tax via Self Assessment. This differs from the Republic of Ireland, where Med 1 allows a 20% Revenue rebate.

Some employers offer private medical insurance as a workplace benefit (which may cover part of an ADHD assessment); some private insurers also cover ADHD assessment directly. Check with your insurer or HR team before booking.

Once you're stabilised on medication through our titration programme, your HSC GP may be willing to enter a shared care agreement to take over repeat prescribing under specialist guidance.

This is at the GP's discretion. Northern Ireland uses an "amber" classification for ADHD medications under the Interface Pharmacist Network's regional shared–care guidelines — meaning shared care is supported in principle, but each individual GP can decline based on capacity or clinical grounds. We provide full clinical correspondence to support the request.

If your GP declines, you have two ongoing–care options with us: £125 follow–up reviews as needed, or Duality Healthcare membership at £49.99/month for prescription continuity.

NICE NG87 recommends lisdexamfetamine (brand: Elvanse) or methylphenidate (brands: Concerta XL, Ritalin, Equasym XL, Medikinet) as equally valid first–line options for adults. If neither suits, options include:

• Dexamfetamine — if responding to lisdexamfetamine but unable to tolerate the longer effect profile
• Atomoxetine (Strattera) — non–stimulant
• Guanfacine (Intuniv) — non–stimulant

Your psychiatrist will discuss what's clinically right for your profile, lifestyle, and any co–existing conditions.

Yes. A DSM–5 diagnosis requires that symptoms were present before age 12, but does not require formal diagnosis in childhood. Many adults — particularly women, people who masked their symptoms, and those who attended school before ADHD was widely recognised — were missed as children. Adult assessment is the right route for them.

You'll still receive a full clinical report explaining the findings, alternative explanations for your symptoms, and recommended next steps — whether that's a referral to a different specialist, evidence–based self–management strategies, or therapy via your HSC GP. The assessment is never wasted.

ADHD is highly heritable — twin studies estimate around 74% genetic component. It's common for adults assessed with us to recognise ADHD traits in parents, siblings, or children. Your assessment may be the first ADHD identification in a family that has carried it for generations.

Persistent, lifelong patterns including:

• Difficulty focusing on non–stimulating tasks
• Chronic procrastination and time blindness
• Emotional dysregulation and rejection sensitivity
• Impulsivity and restlessness
• Working–memory lapses ("walking into a room and forgetting why")
• A long history of "underachieving despite trying hard"

These patterns typically reach back into childhood. If they significantly affect your work, study, or relationships, an assessment is worth considering.

Research links untreated adult ADHD with higher rates of unemployment and workplace burnout, relationship difficulty, secondary anxiety and depression, sleep problems, substance misuse, and accidental injury. Diagnosis and evidence–based treatment are associated with measurable improvements across all of these domains.