Your CARE ADHD Journey
At CARE ADHD, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. This page outlines what your journey with us will look like—from your first consultation to ongoing support—so you’ll know exactly what to expect as we work together on your ADHD journey.
CARE ADHD Assessment and Treatment Pathway
-
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition. It is a complex condition that impacts every aspect of a person’s life, from school or work to relationships.
Adults with ADHD may find they have problems with:
Organisation and time management
Following Instructions
Focusing and completing tasks
Coping with stress
Feeling restless or impatient
Impulsiveness and risk taking
Some adults may also have issues with relationships and social interaction
-
When you pay on our site, you will get a payment confirmation. We will see you on our system and get in touch, usually within 24 hours, but sometimes up to 48 hours. Please note that our team works Monday to Friday 9-5, so please bear this in mind if you book in the evening or weekend.
Our Client Success team will send you some pre-assessment questionnaires and request some necessary basic information (such as your ID).
These questionnaires allow our clinicians to come to your assessment well prepared, and provides them with the evidence they need to make an accurate diagnosis. This pre-assessment work makes the assessment itself and post-assessment process much smoother.
Once we have received all of your completed questionnaires, our team will call or email you to book you in to an assessment slot that works for you. This takes an average of 10-12 days but we usually say this can take up to 4-6 weeks to account for our busiest times (even at our busiest times, we are pretty sure we have some of the lowest waiting times you will find anywhere).
-
Before your assessment you will be sent a set of internationally recognised questionnaires about your symptoms and the impact they have had on your life. If possible we encourage family or people who have known you since childhood to complete a questionnaire too.
This pre-assessment work will be reviewed by our specialist ADHD assessors before your official assessment and gives the best chance of making an accurate diagnosis. It makes the assessment and post-assessment process much smoother.
-
The assessment is a virtual appointment. It will include you, your assessing clinician and anyone else that you would welcome on your journey. We promote having close family or friends in the assessment as their observations can be helpful.
Our trained specialist ADHD clinicians will use internationally validated structured assessments, and if you meet the diagnostic criteria set out in NICE guidelines, you will receive an ADHD diagnosis.
You can expect the appointment to last 60-90 minutes, or as long as needed to complete a thorough assessment.
-
The diagnosis of ADHD at our clinic is a thorough process, with rigorous adherence to standards set by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Your specialist ADHD clinician will conduct detailed interviews and review a comprehensive history across an array of areas of your life including work, education, relationships, social contacts, hobbies and self-confidence.
Following the NICE guidelines means we consider ADHD diagnosis only if the symptoms are persistent, manifest in more than one setting, cause significant impairment, and are not better explained by another condition.
We offer a person-centred, compassionate and patient approach, with your needs and experiences at the heart of every decision.
-
Taking new medications is not a decision that should be taken lightly and we believe it is important for all our clients to understand the potential benefits and drawbacks in order to make an informed decision. You can find out more about ADHD medication here.
At our clinic, we believe in a balanced approach to managing ADHD, and that includes a low dose policy when it comes to medication. While medication can be a crucial tool in managing ADHD symptoms, it’s not the only solution. As per NICE guidelines, we believe it is important to combine medication with other structured psychological interventions that you will find in our bespoke CARE ADHD app.
-
NICE recommends psychological interventions as an important part of ADHD treatment. The evidence points towards supportive coaching, assistance with organising daily activities and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Our app was designed by a team of ADHD experts to pinpoint the specific psychological issues associated with ADHD. It aims to help the client to engage with a series of daily exercises to build new habits and behaviours.
The package includes CBT for ADHD and a series of workbook exercises. People who receive a diagnosis of ADHD will be allocated a personal ADHD coach who provides daily support through the app and 3 x coaching appointments to help monitor your progress and goals.
‘Waiting well’ pre-assessment service
The psychological interventions provided through the app have been designed so that they can be made immediately available to an entire waiting list. This product was developed in response to concerns about people waiting for years without access to support.
As NHS clinicians and managers ourselves, we know that this offer will provide peace of mind that thousands of people on your waiting list are receiving some help while they await a formal assessment.
-
Medication Titration
You will receive regular reviews with our specialist medication prescribing and titration team to ensure that you are getting the best experience from your medication. After your first medication initiation appointment, you will typically have a further appointment at week 4 and another at week 12 after you start your treatment. We will ensure we are recording any positive experiences but that we also address any unwanted side effects.
ADHD Specialist Coach
Our ADHD Coaches are online between Monday and Friday 09:00 and 5pm ready to support you. Log onto the CARE ADHD app and be sure to complete the daily commitments and exercises. If you are diagnosed, you will have the option of up to 3 appointments with a coach to help monitor your progress, build new habits and identify and work towards your goals.