AQW 38544/22-27

Mrs Michelle Guy
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley

Tabled Date: 19/01/2026
Answered On Date: 11/03/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail any actions being taken to improve waiting times for ADHD assessments.

Answer:

There is currently no commissioned service for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Northern Ireland. ADHD provision has evolved across Trusts in response to population demand and expertise within HSC teams. There is some provision available across the Health and Social Care system, but there are inconsistencies and lengthy waiting times across Trusts. In response, the Department commissioned a needs assessment on ADHD in early February 2025, with the purpose of informing options for a commissioned ADHD service across Trusts, subject to future budget availability.

The needs assessment, which covers both adults and children, aimed to determine the level of demand for a commissioned service, as well as recommendations for what such a service might look like, including potential implementation and staffing costs. The final needs assessment was received by the Department on 30 November 2025 (in line with the revised agreed timeframe for completion) and subsequently published on 12 February 2026, noting that any decisions on future commissioning of ADHD services would be in the context of overall affordability.

Officials have now commenced an options appraisal process to identify what options could potentially be implemented in the short to medium term to help address the need for ADHD services.

The Department is currently operating within a constrained budget and is required to make decisions in relation to the work that can be delivered within current resources. Any decision to commission services in the future will be based on an assessment of the level of demand for services, and in the context of future budget availability.