Your Right to Choose With ADHD360

An update on ADHD 360 RTC wait times and ICB referral budgets

As the demand for RTC referrals for ADHD and Autism assessments continues to grow, many ICBs are implementing budgets to manage their spending, which in some cases means that restrictions on activity come into force. In those cases, we may be able to process your referral but would be unable to book your ADHD assessment until the ICB updates its authorised allowance for assessments. For others, there are no changes, and we can continue to support the ADHD community in that area without restriction, in line with our available capacity.

At ADHD 360, we are dedicated to providing transparency and integrity to our patients as part of our commitment to being the provider of choice. To support our patients in making informed choices, we have created this guide to show you the ICB restrictions that are placed on us at present, and the impact this may have on your referral.

How to get your ADHD diagnosis & treatment via Right to Choose

If you're facing extended waiting times for ADHD assessments and treatments through the NHS, it's important to know that you have alternatives. In some areas, the wait can be excessively long, prompting the need to explore different options.

One viable option is exercising your Right To Choose (RTC).

Our services are available for Adults, as well as for Children aged 14 and 15, under the RTC framework.

Right to Choose Board

Starting your Right to Choose Journey
with ADHD360

We've made it easy to get the documents you need to start your Right to Choose (RTC) journey with ADHD360. To get started:

  1. Click the button below and complete our online RTC form.
  2. You'll receive an email from us with three attachments: a Right to Choose referral cover letter, referral document, and risk assessment.
  3. Complete and send these documents to your GP to request a RTC referral to ADHD360.

Please note that we can only accept Right to Choose referrals for children aged 14 and 15, and adults 16 years and older.

Once your GP sends us your referral, we'll reach out to you by email with the next steps.

So what is the Right to Choose?

There is a lot of misunderstanding about Right to Choose, let’s clear some of that up. The legal rights to choice of mental health provider and team apply when:

Patient Referral

The patient has an elective referral for a first outpatient appointment.

Patient Referred by a GP

The patient is referred by a GP.

Clinically Appropriate Referral

The referral is clinically appropriate.

Service Led By A Consultant

The service and team are led by a consultant or a mental healthcare professional.

NHS Standard Contrct

The provider has an NHS Standard Contract with any CCG or NHS England for the required service.

As in physical health, patients’ legal rights to choice apply following a referral by a GP to any provider that has an NHS Standard Contract with any CCG or NHS England for the required service.

NHS guidance states “Having chosen a provider, the patient must be treated by that provider for the entire episode of care for which the patient was referred (unless the provider does not provide the clinically appropriate service that the patient needs or, in the provider’s reasonable professional opinion, a patient is unsuitable to receive the relevant service, for as long as they remain unsuitable)”

Acting upon advice from NHS England we have interpreted this statement to mean that your assessment and treatment to a point where you are stable and optimised on your medication will be covered by your elected Right To Choose.

There are some exclusions from these legal rights to choice. These are where a patient is:

  • Already receiving mental health care following an elective referral for the same condition; or
  • Accessing urgent or emergency (that is, crisis) care; or
  • Accessing services delivered through a primary care contract; or
  • In high secure psychiatric services; or
  • Detained under the Mental Health Act 1983; or detained in a secure setting. This includes people in or on temporary release from prisons, courts, secure children’s homes, certain secure training centres, immigration removal centres or young offender institutions; or
  • Serving as a member of the armed forces (family members in England have the same rights as other residents of England).

Please note the following: No prior commissioner approval is required for consultant-led elective care or in the case of mental health, services led by a healthcare professional, where the patient has exercised choice of provider under the legal rights set out in the NHS Constitution. (NHS Document Right to Choose in Mental health v5 available here.

For a comprehensive understanding of your Right To Choose, you can access the official NHS guidelines here.

What do you, the patient, have to know?

  • You need to meet the criteria for an assessment for ADHD, that’s fair, as an assessment is expensive. We recommend you complete our screening questionnaire and submit the result with your application. You can find the screening tool on our iPhone app ADHD360 or we can send you a copy by email.
  • This should also be your first appointment for an assessment.
  • And finally, you can only ‘choose’ a service that is currently employed on NHS contracts, such as ADHD360.