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NHS area · England

ADHD assessment in NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB

Figures come from our own Freedom of Information requests. Last updated 2 September 2026.

At a glance

Adults
22,066
adults waiting for an NHS ADHD assessment
At the current pace, a new referral to a local NHS service could wait about 7 years.
27th longest of 36 areas we have figures for. Middle of all areas: 12 years.
Children and young people
8,410
children waiting, across the NHS services we have figures for
At the current pace, a new referral to a local NHS service could wait about 2.1 years.
23rd longest of 40 areas we have figures for. Middle of all areas: 2.7 years.
Right to Choose
Available, but restricted
The NHS here limits how Right to Choose can be used. Some providers still report short waits.
Shortest adult ADHD waits reported: Harley Street Mental Health 2 weeks, ProblemShared 6 weeks, Montrose Health Group 8 weeks.
See all Right to Choose providers

How NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB compares with other areas

Each dot is one NHS area. Further right means a longer wait at the current pace.

Middle of all areas: 12 yearsThis area: about 7 years
010 yrs20 yrs30 yrs40 yrs50 yrs60 yrs70+ yrs
What does "at the current pace" mean?

We divide the number of people waiting by the number of assessments the service did in the last year. It shows how long someone joining the list today could wait if nothing changes. It is an estimate, not a promise: services can speed up, and some people are seen sooner because of urgency. The NHS standard for non-urgent care is 18 weeks.

Local NHS services

The NHS services that assess people here, with their latest figures.

22,066 adults waiting across the whole area, according to the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB (31 March 2026).
What they told us

NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB told us via FOI (FOI-964-LSC, dated 26/05/2026) that 22,066 adults are waiting: 6,009 on the main provider's assessment waiting list PLUS 16,057 still awaiting triage (end March 2026). 3,396 adults were assessed in 2025/26 (main provider + main RtC providers) - at that rate the combined backlog represents roughly 6.5 years. RtC providers (Feb 2026, only half reporting): 2,637 waiting, 59% under 18 weeks, 261 over 52 weeks. IAPs in place for 16 adult RtC providers, capped at 4-39 new assessments/month (~138/month total). Pathway (Neurothrive): GP referral -> clinical triage -> assessment -> psychosocial interventions -> treatment review -> prescribing pathway. Pathway document: https://adhduk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026.0526-Lancs-SCumbria-FOI-964-LSC-Adult-Pathway.pdf

Source

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Older figures (Mar 2023)
1,518waiting
1,300assessed in the year to Mar 2023
~1.2 yrsat current pace
Figures at 31 March 2023 · Source
What they told us

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust reported that 1,300 adult ADHD assessments were carried out in 2023. Around 1,518 adults were reported to be waiting for an ADHD assessment.

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Not commissioned; closed to new referrals
461waiting
0assessed in the year to Mar 2026
-at current pace
Figures at 31 March 2026 · Source
What they told us

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (FOI/08877, response 8 Jul 2026): the Trust is NOT commissioned to provide adult ADHD assessments and is closed to new referrals; the adult pathway was in business continuity through 2025/26 with 0 assessments completed. A limited wait-list initiative holds 461 adults across a 4-stage screening process.

Figures from individual services come from different dates and some services cover more than one area, so they won't add up to the whole-area total.

Right to Choose: other NHS-funded providers

In England you can ask your GP to refer you to a different NHS-funded provider, often with a shorter wait. These are the waits providers have told us for NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB, shortest first. How Right to Choose works

ProviderWait for assessmentWait for medication (titration)Link
Harley Street Mental Health2 weeks20 weeksProvider page
ProblemShared6 weeks32 weeksProvider page
Montrose Health Group
from all forms back - restricted numbers this financial year
8 weeks14 weeksProvider page
Mentalwell
Right to Choose Restricted via Indicative Activity Plan
46 weeks4 weeksProvider page
Care ADHD
Care ADHD reports a current wait of around 52 weeks for adult assessment in this area. This reflects the ICB's Right to Choose cap (around 20 Care ADHD adult assessments a month), now applied strictly across all providers. Care ADHD is still accepting new referrals. Provider-confirmed via ADHD UK, July 2026.
52 weeks11 weeksProvider page
Clinical Partners
NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB has asked providers to reduce new assessments for people who have waited less than 52 weeks, to prioritise the longest waiters. Referrals remain open.
52 weeks39 weeksProvider page
Psicon
Limited activity being funded
52 weeks16 weeksProvider page
Psychiatry-UK
The budget set by your ICB has limited the number of assessments we can deliver during 2026/27. This means waiting times in your area are longer than our current estimated NHS Right to Choose waiting times. As a result, many patients may wait longer for an assessment than they were expecting when they were originally referred. In excess of 52 weeks means that patients may wait longer than one year from the date you were referred. At present, we are unable to give you a reliable maximum waiting time or tell you exactly when you will be invited to book your appointment.  What happens next?  Where we have already confirmed that your referral has been accepted, and you have completed your forms, you will remain on our waiting list. There is no need to contact us for an update.  We will contact you via email and SMS as soon as we are able to progress your referral.
52 weeks48 weeksProvider page
ADHD 360
ADHD 360 lists this area as 2+ years.
104 weeksUnder 2 weeksProvider page
Berkeley Psychiatrists
Berkeley Psychiatrists lists a minimum wait of 104 weeks for this area due to an ICB cap.
104 weeksUnder 2 weeksProvider page
Xyla Services
Restrictions the provider told us about here: No clear local pathway.
Cannot accept referrals
Not acceptingNot acceptingProvider page
19 more providers serve this area but have not told us their wait yet.

Providers update their own figures through our provider portal. Waits can change quickly, so check with the provider before asking your GP.

What is restricting access here

Rules the NHS here has put in place that limit who can be assessed, or how fast.

Adults

Capping Right to Choose

This area has caps on Right to Choose ADHD assessments for adults, allowing about 140 new assessments a month across 16 providers. About 22,000 adults are waiting, and there are no caps for children.

26 May 2026 · Source
  • Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Not commissioned; closed to new referrals

Know of a restriction we've missed? Tell us.

What you can do

1

Ask your GP for a Right to Choose referral

Pick a provider from the list above and ask your GP to refer you there. Our guide explains what to say.

Read the guide
2

Get updates for this area

We'll email you when new figures or restrictions are published for NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB, and when complaint letters are ready.

3

Write to the ICB and your MP

Letter templates for this area are being prepared. Sign up and we'll tell you when they're ready.

Coming soon
4

Tell us something we've missed

A new restriction, a letter from your trust, a figure that looks wrong. It helps us keep this page accurate.

Sources and how we work

In May 2026 we sent Freedom of Information requests to 5 organisations here. 5 have replied: 1 in full, 4 in part.

OrganisationReplyReceivedDocument
NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICBPartial26 May 2026View
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation TrustPartial6 July 2026View
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustFull7 July 2026View
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustPartial8 July 2026View
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS TrustPartial2 September 2026View
Older figures and records (9)
  • May 2026 NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB (children) · Source
    NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB told us via FOI (FOI-964-LSC, dated 26/05/2026) that it does not hold child ADHD waiting/assessment data - held by Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS FT, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS FT and Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS FT. The ICB expects commissioned providers to deliver a pathway in line with NICE guidance. NO IAPs in place for child RtC providers.
  • Jul 2024 NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB (adults): 416 waiting, 443 assessed · Source
    The BBC published research on ADHD wait times. They published data by NHS provider. In some cases the provider covers more than one NHS area. We've mapped the BBC data onto your ICB. It reported that in 2024 Blackpool Hospitals had 416 people waiting with 443 seen in 2023/24. Giving an effective wait time of 0.9 years
  • Mar 2023 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (adults) · Source
    Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust told us that No adult ADHD assessment activity or waiting list figures were provided in the response.
  • Mar 2023 Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (adults) · Source
    Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust told us that No adult ADHD assessment activity or waiting list figures were provided in the response.
  • Mar 2023 NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB (adults): 1,518 waiting, 1,300 assessed · Source
    The NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board told us via FOI that 1,300 adult ADHD assessments were carried out in 2023. around 1,518 adults were reported to be waiting for an ADHD assessment. The expected wait time is 1.2 years.
  • Mar 2023 Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (children) · Source
    Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust told us that No child ADHD assessment activity or waiting list figures were provided in the response.
  • Mar 2023 Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (children) · Source
    Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust told us that No child ADHD assessment activity or waiting list figures were provided in the response.
  • Mar 2023 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (children): 5 waiting, 120 assessed · Source
    Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust reported that 120 child ADHD assessments were carried out in 2023. Around 5 children were reported to be waiting for an ADHD assessment.
  • Mar 2023 NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB (children) · Source
    The NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board told us via FOI that they did not provide a figure for how many child ADHD assessments were carried out. they did not provide a figure for how many children were waiting for an ADHD assessment.

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This information was obtained, checked and analysed by ADHD UK through our own Freedom of Information requests. Copying it to another website, or into a commercial product, dataset or AI tool, is not permitted. See our website terms. Questions about using this information? Contact us.