Private vs NHS ADHD assessment in Scotland

Two routes to an ADHD assessment in Scotland

If you are an adult in Scotland who suspects you may have ADHD, there are two main ways to be assessed: a referral from your GP to your local NHS service, or a self-funded private assessment. Neither is automatically the right answer — the honest position is that each route has real advantages, and the better choice depends on your circumstances, your finances, and how much the wait is costing you in the meantime.

This guide sets out the practical differences as plainly as possible, so you can make an informed decision. Note that Scotland has no equivalent of England’s Right to Choose scheme — there is no route to an NHS-funded private assessment north of the border. Our separate guide to Right to Choose in Scotland explains why. This page focuses specifically on the Scottish position; readers weighing up the same decision south of the border, or in Wales or Northern Ireland, will find each nation runs its own NHS system with its own rules — see our guides to private ADHD assessment in Newcastle, Wales, and Belfast & Northern Ireland for the equivalent picture in each.

Private vs NHS at a glance

Private figures are Caledonian Psychiatry’s published fees; NHS waiting-time figures are from Scottish Parliament research (2025) and are indicative only — waits vary considerably by health board.

The NHS route: what it involves

You ask your GP to refer you to your local NHS mental health or neurodevelopmental service. The assessment, any diagnosis, and all subsequent treatment — titration appointments, prescriptions, and ongoing review — are free at the point of use, and your care stays within a single system alongside your GP records.

The difficulty is the wait. Demand for adult ADHD assessment has grown far faster than NHS services were resourced to meet it: as of March 2025, around 23,300 adults were waiting for a neurodevelopmental assessment in Scotland, and most boards see fewer than half of patients within the recommended 36-week standard (Scottish Parliament, 2025). Waits vary widely by health board — our guide to NHS ADHD waiting times in Scotland sets out the board-by-board picture and its caveats.

When the NHS route may be right for you

• Cost is the deciding factor. If £800 plus follow-up costs would be a genuine financial strain, the NHS route is free at every stage, and no diagnosis is worth hardship. Joining the NHS list costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
• Your local wait is comparatively short. Waits range widely between boards. It is worth asking your GP what the current wait actually is in your area before deciding.
• You want prescribing to stay in one system. If you would rather not depend on your GP later agreeing to shared care, an NHS diagnosis keeps assessment, prescribing and review under one roof from the start.
• Your needs are broader than an assessment. If you may need input from a wider multidisciplinary team or other local NHS services alongside diagnosis, the NHS pathway connects to those services directly.
• Your difficulties are not urgent. If your symptoms are manageable and a diagnosis is more about understanding than immediate treatment, waiting may be a reasonable trade-off.

The private route: what it involves and what it costs

A private assessment removes the wait but transfers the cost to you — and it is important to understand the full cost, not just the assessment fee. At Caledonian Psychiatry, a private ADHD assessment is £800, covering two 60-minute video consultations and a detailed written report, typically completed within 7–10 working days. Assessments are usually available within a few weeks of enquiry, and no GP referral is needed. The full schedule is on the fees page.

If you are diagnosed and choose to start medication privately, ongoing costs continue until either your dose is stable or shared care is agreed: follow-up appointments during titration are £130 each (usually every 3–4 weeks), prescriptions are £25–£30 each, and the medication itself typically costs £20–£120 per month at your pharmacy — the medication cost guide gives a per-drug breakdown. Costs reduce once you are stable, and reduce further if shared care is established with your GP.

The other differences are practical: you choose your clinician rather than being allocated one, appointments are scheduled around you, and the assessment takes place by video from home. A private diagnosis made by a GMC-registered psychiatrist is a formal medical diagnosis — it is not a lesser finding because it was made outside the NHS.

You do not have to choose one route exclusively. Remaining on the NHS waiting list while arranging a private assessment is common and sensible: the private report gives you a clinical answer now, and your NHS referral is preserved for later prescribing support or specialist services if needed.

Shared care: coming back to your GP

The biggest financial question about the private route is what happens after titration. Under a shared care arrangement, your GP takes over routine NHS prescribing while the private clinician remains available for review — which removes most of the ongoing private cost.

Be aware, though, that there is no national NHS Scotland policy requiring a GP to accept shared care after a private diagnosis. It is a clinical decision for the individual GP, and practice varies between health boards and between practices. What supports the request is a thorough, clearly written report from a GMC-registered psychiatrist, prepared in line with NICE and Royal College of Psychiatrists guidance, with a full developmental and collateral history and the physical health checks responsible prescribing requires. The shared care page explains how the process works and what Caledonian Psychiatry’s reports include. If shared care matters to you, it is worth sounding out your GP practice’s position before you book with any private provider.

Regulation: how to judge a private provider

Not all private ADHD services are alike, and the sector has attracted fair scrutiny. Two checks are worth making before paying anyone: that the assessing clinician is a GMC-registered psychiatrist, and that the service itself is regulated. In Scotland, independent clinics and medical agencies are regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) — the same body that inspects NHS hospitals. Caledonian Psychiatry is registered with HIS as an independent medical agency (reg. no. 03427); our guide to what HIS regulation means explains what that involves and how to verify any provider’s registration.

Assessments at Caledonian Psychiatry are carried out by Dr David Crocker, an experienced psychiatrist (MRCPsych). For a fuller picture of what a private assessment involves — including costs, the process, and city-by-city information — see our guide to private ADHD assessment in Scotland.