From ADHD Waiting Times to Safer Care: Practical Steps for Health & Care Teams

ADHD Waiting Times Are a National Concern

Mathew Lock was a young Councillor from Sefton who died in 2023, aged 19, after waiting five years for an ADHD diagnosis. His parents are now taking their campaign to Westminster, calling for ADHD screening in Schools and improved GP Training so fewer families are left navigating long waits and limited support.

While this story has prompted National discussion, it also reflects what many Health and Social Care Professionals are seeing on the ground: people are waiting longer for assessment and diagnosis, and many need practical support long before the paperwork arrives.

 

ADHD Support in the UK: Why This Matters Now

ADHD Services are under significant pressure, with high demand. During this waiting period, people may struggle with Education, employment, relationships, emotional regulation and Mental Health.

For Health and Social Care Services, that often translates into:

· Increased crisis presentations

· Higher Safeguarding concerns

· Distressed behaviour being misunderstood as “non-compliance”

· Staff feeling underprepared to respond confidently

· Families feeling unheard or passed between systems

The challenge isn’t simply “more awareness.” It’s consistent, role-appropriate competence across the workforce.

 

ADHD and Autism: Why Support Can Be Missed

Many people experience overlapping needs. ADHD and Autism can co-occur, and signs can be misunderstood, masked, or attributed to something else.

In practice, this can lead to:

· Diagnostic overshadowing (assuming everything is “just Autism” or “just behaviour”)

· Support plans that don’t fully match the person’s needs

· Delays in adjustments that could reduce distress and risk

For Health and Social Care Teams, the key is being able to recognise when someone may need Neurodivergence-informed support, regardless of whether a diagnosis is confirmed yet.

Even without a formal diagnosis, practical approaches can significantly improve outcomes. Especially in frontline Care and support settings!

 

Why Oliver McGowan Training Belongs in This Conversation

In Health and Social Care, Autism and Learning Disability Training is Mandatory. The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training strengthens how Services understand and support people with these needs, helping safer, more consistent Care become the norm.

It is shaped by Lived Experience, bringing real voices into learning so Staff can turn guidance into everyday practice.

Too many people with a Learning Disability still die from preventable causes. In the most recent National LeDeR programme findings, around 39% of deaths reviewed were classed as avoidable—roughly 1,400 people in a single year.

Oliver McGowan was one of many; his death highlighted what can happen when Complex Needs are not properly understood.

 

Why This Matters for Health and Social Care Professionals

Health and Social Care Teams are often supporting people at the most difficult points—during long waits, when systems feel fragmented, and when individuals and families are exhausted.

The priority is consistent, Neurodivergence-informed practice: recognising early indicators of distress, communicating effectively, and applying reasonable adjustments reliably across Teams and shifts. When Training is role-appropriate and grounded in Lived Experience, it supports better understanding in everyday interactions and reduces the risk of escalation, inequality and avoidable harm.

 

How We Support: Services with Autism and Oliver McGowan Training

CBAT Education works with Services Nationally to deliver structured programmes, including Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training, to build workforce capability and strengthen safe, Person-Centred Care.

If your Teams are supporting people during extended ADHD assessment waits or presenting with co-occurring needs, contact us to discuss role-appropriate Training to strengthen accessible, responsive practice.

Call us on: 01772 816922

Email us: marketing@cba-training.co.uk