Private ADHD Assessment in Edinburgh
ADHD Assessments
At The Mind & Psychiatry Clinic we offer comprehensive ADHD assessments, in line with the national guidelines from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK Adult ADHD Network and NICE.
Our assessments are conducted by consultant psychiatrists, who have years of experience diagnosing and managing neurodevelopmental conditions, both privately and in the NHS.
What is ADHD?
ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects 3-6% of people in the UK. Although ADHD is lifelong, people often don’t realise they have the condition until adulthood, when the symptoms start to impact their work, education or relationships.
Common symptoms include:
- Trouble concentrating
- Disorganisation
- Lack of motivation
- A busy brain
- Restlessness
- Poor time management
- Procrastination
- Impulsivity
People with ADHD can often feel exhausted by trying to manage their obligations, workload and daily administrative tasks. This can lead to long term struggles at work or university. A prompt, thorough assessment and evidence-based treatment plan is vital to help you access the right support.
Our Assessment Process
Our psychiatric assessments are comprehensive, and screen for associated conditions such as: anxiety, depression, trauma, or insomnia, as well as ADHD. This ensures you receive the right diagnosis and an evidence-based treatment plan.
Stage 1: Pre-assessment Questionnaire
When you book an appointment, we will send you our pre-assessment bundle. This includes screening tests for ADHD and a questionnaire about your early development. We ask you to complete these online prior to your appointment.
Stage 2: Assessment Appointments
We conduct our assessment over two appointments, each lasting 90 minutes. Some patients prefer to combine these into one 3-hour assessment.
1. Initial Psychiatric Assessment
We will meet you, online or in person, for an initial comprehensive assessment. Our psychiatrists will explore your concerns, symptoms, medical history and general mental health. This ensures that we screen for any other psychiatric or medical conditions that may be impacting your functioning.
2. Diagnostic Interview
At your second appointment we will focus more in depth on your symptoms of ADHD. We use the DIVA-5, the gold standard diagnostic interview based on DSM-5 criteria, to assess for ADHD. This looks for symptoms both in childhood and adulthood, across multiple life domains.
We ask all patients to bring with them a family member or close friend to provide an observer history.
Stage 3: Feedback & Treatment Plan
At the end of the assessment process we discuss with you a summary of our findings and provide a formal diagnosis (if appropriate).
We then work with you to build a comprehensive, holistic treatment plan to meet your needs. We provide recommendations for medication, therapy, support, coaching or workplace/academic adjustments.
After the assessment you will receive a full medical report, which can be sent to your GP. We also can provide separate letters for university or work, requesting appropriate adjustments.
We offer treatment bundles for patients wishing to trial medication. Please see our Fees page for more details.
Why Our Approach Works for You
Specialist Expertise
Unlike many other providers, we only offer assessments by consultant psychiatrists. This is the gold standard, recommended by NICE.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors, with specialist training in mental health. Our consultants have extensive experience diagnosing and managing ADHD and mental health conditions, both privately and in the NHS.
Comprehensive Assessments
Our assessments don’t just look for ADHD – our expertise means we consider the whole person and assess for overlapping conditions and other diagnoses as standard.
Holistic Management
Our treatment plans are not one-size-fits-all. We ask about your lifestyle, health, circumstances and needs to work out how to support you best. We work with trusted professionals from other disciplines – therapists, coaches, GPs – to ensure you receive the best management.
Supportive Environment
Assessments can bring up unexpected emotions, and we recognise that people can often be nervous beforehand. We don’t rush you or go through a checklist like some other providers. Instead we give you the time and space to discuss your concerns in a calm, supportive environment.
