Wondering about ADHD or autism?

Practice news · Freshers 2026

Published 28 July 2026 · by Dr David Crocker, Founder & Clinical Director

This September, Caledonian Psychiatry is packing up a banner and a bag of leaflets and coming to meet you in person — at two freshers fairs in Scotland. If you have ever wondered whether ADHD or autism might explain how your mind works, or the question has only surfaced since you got your place, come and say hello. There is no appointment, no sign-up sheet and no pressure: just a chance to ask a psychiatry practice anything you like, in plain language, and walk away with honest answers.

Caledonian Psychiatry is an online psychiatry practice regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, providing psychiatrist-led ADHD and autism assessment and ongoing care for adults by secure video, wherever in the UK you happen to be — which suits student life rather well, whether you are in halls, in a flat with unreliable heating, or back home for the holidays.

Where to find us

Dr David Crocker, the practice’s founder, will be on the stand at both fairs — so the person you chat to over a free pen is the same psychiatrist who could later carry out your assessment.

20% off for freshers

To mark Freshers 2026, we are offering new students 20% off the assessment fee, in a more compact appointment format:

Assessment	Standard fee	Freshers fee
ADHD assessmentOne 90-minute appointment	£800	£640
Autism (ASD) assessmentOne 90-minute appointment	£800	£640
Combined ADHD & autism assessmentOne 90-minute + one 60-minute appointment	£1,300	£1,040
General psychiatric assessmentOne 60-minute appointment (our standard format)	£350	£280

The freshers format is more compact than our standard assessments — which run over two 60-minute appointments for ADHD and autism, and three for the combined assessment — but the psychiatrist, the diagnostic standards and the full written report and GP letter are exactly the same. The shorter format works because most students are at the start of their adult lives, with a shorter history to cover; if more time is needed, your assessment is simply extended. Where clinically appropriate, ADHD medication is started during the assessment, just as it would be on our standard pathway.

How to claim: say hello at either fair, or email admin@caledonianpsychiatry.co.uk with “Freshers 2026” in the subject line — we’ll book you in at the freshers rate.

Runs 1 September – 30 November 2026 · places are limited · full terms

Why university is often when the question surfaces

School provides structure whether you ask for it or not: timetables, teachers chasing deadlines, parents keeping the fridge full. University removes most of that scaffolding at once. For plenty of people that transition is simply an adjustment — but if you have spent years quietly compensating for an attention span with a mind of its own, or carefully rehearsing your way through social situations that others seem to navigate on autopilot, first year can be the point where the old strategies stop stretching far enough.

That is why so many adults trace the start of their diagnostic journey to their student years. If any of this sounds familiar, our free screening questionnaires are a sensible first step — they take a few minutes, score themselves instantly, and give you a rough sense of whether a full assessment is worth pursuing. You can also read about how our ADHD and autism assessments actually work, and what they cost, before deciding anything.

Already diagnosed and moving away from home?

If you already have an ADHD diagnosis and are heading to university — perhaps leaving the prescriber who has looked after you since school — we can take over your care so treatment does not lapse mid-semester. We review your existing diagnosis documents, continue prescribing where appropriate, and work with your GP on shared care when the time is right.