Pulse PCN launches a roundtable on ADHD in primary care
Pulse PCN has launched a roundtable exploring how PCNs can respond to growing demand for ADHD services, titled ‘ADHD: How PCNs can manage the demand’
Demand for ADHD assessment and treatment is rising among both adults and children. Long waiting lists mean patients, parents and carers often turn to general practice for support while they wait to be seen.
This leaves GP practices trying to support patients without a confirmed diagnosis, while also managing an already heavy workload and, in some cases, complex prescribing and shared care arrangements.
The Pulse PCN roundtable brings together six primary care professionals to discuss the issue and to explore possible solutions - including examples of PCNs piloting community-based ADHD services.
Dr Chibby Orjiekwe, clinical director of St Helens South PCN, shared how a local enhanced service was helping to ease workload for the main ADHD service provider and improve support for patients.
‘Essentially, we've got a hub-and-spoke system. The hub is the main provider and we are the spokes,’ he said.
And East Sussex GP Dr Beckie Akroyd shared details about a new 12-month pilot for adult ADHD services.
She said: ‘It's upskilling general practitioners to be GPs with an extended role in ADHD. It's going to be a really interesting pilot. If it works, it's going to be a model that others can follow.’
Government figures show that the number of children and young people waiting for an ADHD assessment rose from 21,000 in April 2019 to 270,000 by December 2025.
In January 2026, analysis of data from 32 of the 42 ICBs suggested there would be a £164 million overspend on ADHD services in England in 2025/26. As a result, some ICBs are restricting Right to Choose pathways, while GP practices are increasingly refusing to enter into shared care agreements with private providers.
Pulse PCN editor Victoria Vaughan said: ‘ADHD is a very difficult area for PCNs and practices. GPs are left holding the risk with patients who are on these very long waiting lists, or they are dealing with shared care agreements with Right to Choose and private providers.
‘This Pulse PCN roundtable highlights how PCNs can take a lead in finding solutions. It showcases how some areas are being proactive about tackling the issue, supporting their practices and helping patients.’
Read more thought-provoking roundtables on Pulse PCN covering topics such as digital transformation, ARRS GPs and pharmacists in primary care.
Pulse PCN’s roundtable series is part of our comprehensive offering for our community of PCN clinical directors and their teams. And they are hosted on the dedicated Pulse PCN site making it easier to access these great clinician-led debates.
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