Referrals to Adult ADHD have temporarily stopped
- Healthwatch Reading
- Dec 1, 2025
- 2 min read
From 1 December 2025, Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has temporarily stopped accepting new referrals to their Adult ADHD service.
The trust said:
"This difficult decision has been made in discussion with our local Integrated Care Boards (the organisations responsible for planning health services in their local area) to make sure we can continue to provide safe, effective and sustainable care for people who already use the service."
"We know this news may be worrying, and we want to explain why this step is necessary and what it means for you."
What is happening
Over the past few years, demand for adult ADHD assessments and ongoing care has grown much faster than anyone anticipated. The service now receives more referrals in a single month than it was originally commissioned to assess in a whole year.
We have also been affected by national medication shortages.
This situation has become unsustainable, so we’re temporarily stopping new referrals to protect patient safety by focusing on those currently under our care and redesigning the service for the future.
The Adult ADHD service is not closed. This is a temporary, safety-focused measure which will allow the trust to focus on patients currently under our care, and design a better, more sustainable ADHD pathway for the future. They are working with service users, GPs, local authorities, and voluntary organisations to make sure the redesigned service meets people’s needs across Berkshire.
The service will reopen for new referrals once it’s safe, stable, and sustainable to do so - there is no fixed date yet.
What this means for you
If you’ve already been referred for an ADHD assessment or have received a diagnosis and you’re waiting to start medication, you’ll stay on our waiting list, you don’t need to do anything.
If you’re on ADHD medication and being reviewed by our Adult ADHD team, your care will continue as normal. During this period, we’re prioritising medication reviews to make sure everyone’s treatment is safe and effective.
If you’re transitioning from children’s ADHD services to adult services, this will go continue as planned. You don’t need to do anything.
If you were planning to seek a referral, please still speak to your GP. They can offer advice, support, and information about managing symptoms and accessing other sources of help while referrals are temporarily closed.
For more information and support
You can also contact the trust's team with any questions.
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