{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,12]],"date-time":"2026-10-12T03:48:15Z","timestamp":1791776895183,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"Royal College of Psychiatrists","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,28]],"date-time":"2026-08-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787875200000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["cambridge.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Br J Psychiatry"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Summary<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The management of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) continues to burden healthcare systems globally. This challenge is compounded by fragmented care pathways and escalating waiting times. In England, the NHS commissioned an independent taskforce to review existing ADHD services, understand the challenges in care and make recommendations for system-wide reform. It furnished its final report in 2025, documenting a comprehensive vision for reform. The report stresses substantial unmet needs, persistent underdiagnosis, variation in service provision and the wider implications of untreated ADHD. This paper examines the taskforce\u2019s recommendations and how they are relevant to ADHD care. It highlights its key strengths, such as advocacy for a needs-led, cross-sector approach covering healthcare, education, employment, justice systems and data infrastructure. Several challenges, including sustained funding commitments, poor consistency around diagnostic standards and limited guidance on National Health Service and private sector integration, are also discussed. It points out crucial areas such as medication oversight and the role of emerging technologies. Although the taskforce offers a credible reform framework overall, a consistent, well-resourced and measurable effort is required before the vision can be materialised. The lessons outlined may also be relevant internationally in addressing gaps in ADHD care and improving long-term outcomes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1192\/bjp.2026.10757","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,28]],"date-time":"2026-08-28T13:12:47Z","timestamp":1787922767000},"page":"1-5","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/policypage","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Bridging gaps in ADHD care globally: lessons from the NHS England independent taskforce report"],"prefix":"10.1192","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6575-5648","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yasser Saeed","family":"Khan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/02zwb6n98","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Hamad Medical Corporation"},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00yhnba62","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Qatar University"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Abdul Waheed","family":"Khan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/02zwb6n98","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Hamad Medical Corporation"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Khurram","family":"Sadiq","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Augmentive"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Asif","family":"Bachlani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cygnet Health Care"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Joanne","family":"Farrow","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Psychiatry UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5023-9245","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ovais","family":"Wadoo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/02zwb6n98","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Hamad Medical Corporation"},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00yhnba62","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Qatar University"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"170","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1741-7015-10-99"},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref28","first-page":"315","article-title":"Life expectancy and years of life lost for adults with diagnosed ADHD in the UK","volume":"227","author":"El Baou","year":"2025","journal-title":"Br J Psychiatry"},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref9","unstructured":"9 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Diagnosis and Management. NICE, 2018 (https:\/\/www.nice.org.uk\/guidance\/ng87)."},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1192\/bjp.2025.129"},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref10","unstructured":"10 NHS England Digital. ADHD Management Information \u2014 May 2025. NHS England Digital, 2025 (https:\/\/digital.nhs.uk\/data-and-information\/publications\/statistical\/mi-adhd\/may-2025)."},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1192\/j.eurpsy.2024.1786"},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref31","unstructured":"31 Department for Education. Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group: Report. GOV.UK, 2026 (https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/neurodivergence-task-and-finish-group-report)."},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref12","unstructured":"12 Financial Times. Private ADHD Clinics Have Led to \u2018Two-Tier\u2019 System in England, Warns Task Force. Financial Times, 2025 (https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/d205740e-3c86-44a7-917d-bc1cb78c1430)."},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref13","unstructured":"13 Marsh, S , Aguilar Garc\u00eda, C , Hall, R . NHS ADHD Spending over Budget by \u00a3164m as Unregulated Private Clinics Boom. The Guardian, 2026 (https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk-news\/2026\/jan\/12\/nhs-england-overspending-adhd-millions-under-regulated-private-clinics)."},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref6","unstructured":"6 NHS England. NHS England Responds to ADHD Taskforce Final Report. NHS England, 2025 (https:\/\/www.england.nhs.uk\/2025\/11\/nhs-england-responds-to-adhd-taskforce-final-report\/)."},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref30","unstructured":"30 Agency for Clinical Innovation. ADHD Care in General Practice. NSW Government (https:\/\/aci.health.nsw.gov.au\/projects\/adhd-in-general-practice)."},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref15","unstructured":"15 ADHD 360. The ADHD Crisis in the UK: A Call to Action. ADHD 360, 2025 (https:\/\/www.adhd-360.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/V2.0-The-ADHD-Crisis-in-the-UK-A-Call-to-Action.pdf.pdf)."},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0447.2010.01607.x"},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref4","unstructured":"4 Royal College of Psychiatrists. RCPsych Responds to ADHD Taskforce Final Report. Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2025 (https:\/\/www.rcpsych.ac.uk\/news-and-features\/latest-news\/detail\/2025\/11\/06\/rcpsych-responds-to-adhd-taskforce-final-report)."},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref2","unstructured":"2 Ford, T , Albajara Saenz, A , Alder, E , Bellato, A , Cortese, S , Daley, D , et al. Report of the Independent ADHD Taskforce: Part 2. NHS England, 2025 (https:\/\/www.england.nhs.uk\/long-read\/report-of-the-independent-adhd-taskforce-part-2\/)."},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref5","unstructured":"5 Royal College of General Practitioners. College Responds to NHS England\u2019s ADHD Taskforce Report. Royal College of General Practitioners, 2025 (https:\/\/www.rcgp.org.uk\/News\/ADHD-taskforce-report)."},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref14","unstructured":"14 Topping, A . ADHD Services \u2018Swamped\u2019 Say Experts as More Women Seek Diagnosis. The Guardian, 2023 (https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2023\/jan\/13\/adhd-services-swamped-say-experts-as-more-uk-women-seek-diagnosis)."},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1192\/bjp.2026.10556"},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref1","first-page":"96","article-title":"Practice standards for the assessment of ADHD: a synthesis of recommendations from eight international guidelines","volume":"35","author":"Skirrow","year":"2025","journal-title":"JNZ Coll Clin Psychol"},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref3","unstructured":"3 Ford, T , Albajara Saenz, A , Alder, E , Bellato, A , Cortese, S , Daley, D , et al. Report of the Independent ADHD Taskforce: Part 1. NHS England, 2025 (https:\/\/www.england.nhs.uk\/long-read\/report-of-the-independent-adhd-taskforce-part-1\/)."},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1192\/bjb.2023.88"},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1192\/bjo.2026.11009"},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/15374416.2017.1417860"},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13034-021-00386-2"},{"key":"S0007125026107570_ref16","unstructured":"16 Steibahl, S . FAQ: ADHD Statistics (England). 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Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Royal College of Psychiatrists","name":"copyright","label":"Copyright","group":{"name":"copyright_and_licensing","label":"Copyright and Licensing"}},{"value":"This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited.","name":"license","label":"License","group":{"name":"copyright_and_licensing","label":"Copyright and Licensing"}},{"value":"This content has been made available to all.","name":"free","label":"Free to read"}]}}