For general practitioners

Helping your patient access ADHD care.

Whether you’re referring a patient for an ADHD assessment or supporting someone who already has an ADHD diagnosis, ADHDconnect makes it easier to give their clinician the information they need.

Your patient doesn’t need a referral to see us. We’re a GP-led service, so patients can book directly. If you’re already reviewing them, what’s below is what helps.

ADHD assessment

Referring for an ADHD assessment

A detailed handover helps our clinician understand your patient’s medical and mental health history before their assessment begins — so the appointment is spent on the assessment rather than on rebuilding a history you already hold.

There are no tests to arrange first. For a new assessment we organise bloods and, where indicated, an ECG after the comprehensive assessment — so there is nothing to complete before you send a patient to us.

Helpful information to include

  • Reason for referral and presenting concerns
  • Relevant medical history
  • Mental health history
  • Current and previous medications
  • Relevant family history
  • Cardiovascular history — personal or family
  • Any previous assessments, reports or supporting information

Worth considering before you refer

Several conditions produce the same picture as ADHD. Where one is already being investigated or treated, the assessment that follows is a clearer one. Entirely your call — offered because you’re the one who can see the patient in front of you.

Causes of cognitive fog

Thyroid, iron, B12 and folate, glucose and vitamin D can all produce difficulty concentrating that looks like ADHD and responds to treating the cause.

Sleep-disordered breathing

Obstructive sleep apnoea, and allergic airway disease that affects breathing at night, produce daytime inattention no stimulant will fix.

Mood, anxiety and autism

Each overlaps heavily with ADHD and each changes what helps. Where one is already being treated, a clearer picture usually follows.

Send patient information online

Referral already written? Upload what you have — no need to retype it.

Existing ADHD diagnosis

Helping a patient transfer their ADHD care

Patients who already have an ADHD diagnosis may not need to repeat the full assessment pathway. Their clinician reviews the existing diagnostic information, current health, treatment history and individual circumstances to decide the appropriate next steps.

Helpful information to provide

  • ADHD diagnostic report
  • Current and previous ADHD medication history
  • Current medications
  • Relevant medical and mental health history
  • Recent clinical observations or investigations, where available

Help reduce treatment delays

Baseline health information is needed before ADHD medication starts.

Many patients are diagnosed by a psychologist, who isn’t able to order these investigations — and we haven’t met the patient yet. If they arrive without them, their clinician has to arrange the tests and wait for results, which usually means a second appointment before treatment can be discussed.

Where these have already been done and the results are sent through beforehand, treatment can often be discussed at the transfer of care appointment itself.

Observations

  • Blood pressureBaseline reading
  • PulseBaseline reading
  • WeightBaseline
  • ECGWhere cardiovascular history indicates one

Bloods

  • Full blood count
  • Electrolytes and renal function, including eGFR
  • Liver function
  • Glucose
  • Thyroid function
  • B12 and folate
  • Iron studies
  • Vitamin D — where considered appropriate

Results from the last three months don’t need repeating. What’s needed depends on the individual patient — cardiovascular history determines whether an ECG is indicated — and treatment and prescribing remain subject to clinical assessment and clinical appropriateness.

What happens next

You send the information

Securely, in about two minutes.

It joins the patient's file

Matched to them, or held until they create one.

Their clinician reads it

As part of preparing for their appointment.

Sending relevant information early helps the clinician prepare, and helps them identify whether anything further is needed before the appointment.

Send what you have.

Built for a busy consultation. Give us what you have now — there’s no need to recreate anything that already exists in a referral or a report.

Send patient information

Not an emergency service. For a medical or mental health emergency call 000 or your local mental health triage.