Private ADHD assessment and support for children and adults in Oxford and the UK

Follow-up appointments are only needed if a diagnosis is made and you'd like to discuss treatment options.

This may be ADHD medication if the clinician has recommended it as an option. Or it may be another treatment like coaching or therapy.

We'll always be clear about costs before you book anything further.

We provide ADHD assessments for anyone aged 6 or more, in two pathways:

• Children and young people aged 6 to 17

• Adults aged 18 and older

You can speak to us before committing to an assessment. An Assistant Psychologist will talk through your current situation, assess for risk, and help you determine if we're the right service. There is no commitment to anything at this stage. This conversation does not automatically lead to assessment.

The assessment process aims to build a rounded picture of the patient and may consider other conditions. The outcome of the assessment may be:

• ADHD diagnosis

• No ADHD diagnosis

• ADHD potentially combined with another condition

• Unclear assessment outcome

• A different explanation

If your clinician thinks there could be another condition, they may recommend further assessment. If this is the case, they will guide you through the next steps.

You can find out more by speaking to an Assistant Psychologist for a free 30-minute pre-assessment conversation.

They will ask questions about what you/your child are experiencing, assess for any risk, and answer your questions. The goal is to determine if we're the right service for you.

Most people are offered an assessment appointment within 2 weeks of contacting us. You'll get the diagnosis outcome at the end of the assessment appointment. You'll get a detailed written report within 15 working days of the appointment.

No, you don't need a GP referral for an ADHD assessment with us.

You can contact us by phone, or by filling out a form to request us to phone you at a convenient time.

On the pre-assessment call, we'll ask about:

• your current situation

• what you hope to gain

• indicators of risk we need to know about

This is to determine if Oxford ADHD & Autism Centre is the right fit for you. If you book an assessment, we'll guide you through the process, including:

• sending you welcome information

• setting you up with your secure patient access portal

• guiding you through the information we need from you

After that, we'll take you through the assessment interview, review all the information, then send you your report with our recommended next steps.

It's normal for anyone being assessed to feel nervous. Our team treats everyone with care and compassion. We encourage you to reassure your child that this is not a test with right or wrong answers. They can go at their own pace.

The assessment is done by a Neurodevelopmental Specialist who is experienced in assessing ADHD in children. They will support your child and help them feel comfortable throughout the process.

They will observe your child's behaviour, have a short conversation with them, or possibly ask them to complete a task.

We require a parent or guardian to be available at all times for the assessment.

Both adult and child ADHD assessments can be either in-person at one of the Oxford clinics, or held remotely by video call.

Yes, it's important for us to understand your child's experience in an educational setting. This is essential for your clinician to get a well-rounded view of your child's development. If you have concerns about this for any reason, please contact us and we can discuss your circumstances.

Yes, we ask for information from someone who knows you well, and knew you at an early age. This could be a family member, parent, close friend or partner. This is to help your clinician understand the full history of who they're assessing.

Adult outcomes can be:

• an ADHD diagnosis

• no ADHD diagnosis

• an unclear assessment outcome

• specific further assessment or support needed

If the clinician cannot determine the outcome, you'll get detailed advice on next steps.

If the clinician thinks another condition needs further assessment or testing, they will guide you on the next steps.

There are no right or wrong answers.

ADHD assessment is not an exam. It's an informal conversation about you or your child's experiences through life.

To diagnose ADHD accurately, we gather information from many different places. You're not diagnosed from one conversation or questionnaire alone.

For adults, we build a picture from sources that include questionnaires, rating scales, conversation, observation, and input from people who know you.

For children, we gather information through questionnaires, developmental history, school/learning environment input, interview conversation, and observation.

The report will include your clinician's:

• assessment conclusions

• any diagnosis they were able to make (or details if there's no diagnosis)

• clear recommendations for next steps

For children, the report will also include information gathered during the assessment.

The report can be shared with your GP, school, or other professionals involved in the child's care with consent.

You'll get results in a detailed written report within 15 working days of the appointment.

We'll tell you when it's available in your online patient portal.

Your clinician will usually explain the assessment outcome at the end of your appointment.

1. Contact us by phone or by filling out our enquiry form

2. Arrange a free 30-minute pre-assessment conversation, and we'll send you some information on the clinic and process

3. You book and pay for your assessment appointment. These are usually available within two weeks. You’ll need to make payment within 48 hours of booking.

4. We set up your secure patient portal

5. We guide you through giving us the information your clinician needs before the assessment. This includes questionnaires for you and one for someone who knew you as a child

6. You have the diagnostic interview appointment. This can last up to two hours. The clinician may explain the outcome in this session

7. You'll get the full written report in your patient portal within 15 working days. This includes clear recommendations for next steps.

1. Contact us by phone or with our enquiry form

2. Arrange a free 30-minute pre-assessment conversation, and we'll send you information on the clinic and the assessment process

3. You book and pay for your child's on or offline assessment appointment. These are usually available within 2 weeks. You’ll need to make payment within 48 hours of booking.

4. We set up your secure patient portal

5. We collect and review pre-assessment questionnaires about the child's experiences at home and at school

6. Your child has the diagnostic interview appointment with a parent or guardian present. This can last up to two hours

7. You'll get your child's full written report in your patient portal within 15 working days. This includes clear recommendations for next steps

8. If the clinician diagnoses your child with ADHD, we'll make follow-up appointments to talk about treatment options (which may include ADHD medication where appropriate). These follow-up appointments are not included in the assessment fee as not every child will need them.

With your consent, we can share child reports with GPs, schools and other care professionals.

They are often keen to know the outcome of the report so they can understand appropriate support for your child. The report includes recommendations from an experienced clinician.

Not all GPs accept shared care, so we strongly recommend you speak to your GP to understand their position before you move forward.

The requirements for external organisations vary. Please speak with us if you have any specific questions or worries.

You'll get a detailed written report and a post-assessment guide. This includes our recommendations for next steps and resources. This may include recommendations for support, further assessment, treatment or medication.

Next steps and support are based on what is clinically appropriate for you or your child. This could include ADHD medication, referrals for further assessment, treatment, coaching, psychoeducation, psychology consultations or educational learning needs support.

ADHD medication is completely optional. It is also only available when recommended by a clinician.

There are other treatments if you decide not to explore medication.

To start ADHD medication after diagnosis, there will be more medical checks and information gathering first.

Medication involves a process called titration. This is a period of time where we monitor you carefully to find the medication and dose that works best, and look for any side effects.

GPs may agree to take over prescribing through a process called shared care. It is entirely their decision whether to accept shared care.

If you're planning to approach your GP, we strongly recommend you do this before moving forward with a private assessment.

If your GP doesn't accept shared care, we can continue supporting you with prescription and care via a private medication service.

Adult ADHD assessment is £1000

This includes questionnaires for the patient, an informant questionnaire, for someone who knows them well, portal access, DIVA-5 diagnostic interview and a detailed personalised report with recommendations for next steps.

Child ADHD assessment is £1100

This includes multiple questionnaires (depending on the child's age), portal access, diagnostic interview and a detailed personalised report with recommendations for next steps.

Follow-up/medication review appointments are priced separately.

Payment for assessments or first appointments must be made within 48 hours of booking and before the appointment.

No, these are organised and paid for separately because not everyone will have follow-up appointments.

You can cancel or rearrange for free if you give us at least two working days' notice.

If you cancel with less than two working days, but over 24 hours’ notice, you'll be charged 50% of the appointment fee.

If you cancel with less than 24 hours' notice, you'll be charged the full appointment fee.