London, December 06, 2025
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has announced an independent review into mental health, ADHD, and autism diagnoses and services across England to investigate rising demand, diagnosis trends, and service effectiveness amid unprecedented NHS waiting times and increasing patient numbers.
Government response to rising demand and waiting times
The review is prompted by soaring requests for assessments of neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD and autism, alongside stretched mental health services, with waiting lists for assessments growing exponentially. The number of people awaiting mental health assessments has increased 13-fold over the past five years. Meanwhile, prescriptions for ADHD medication among adults rose nearly 25% between 2023/24 and 2024/25, reflecting a marked surge in demand.
The government aims to understand whether recent diagnostic increases reflect overdiagnosis or are a result of unmet need. While the review will explore potential overdiagnosis, frontline organizations emphasize the opposite problem: profound underdiagnosis. Many individuals, especially girls, high-achieving children, and adults, experience waiting times ranging from two to eight years or longer before receiving assessments. Delayed diagnosis often leads to worsening symptoms and mental health crises including burnout and depression.
Leadership and scope of the review
The review is chaired by clinical psychologist Professor Peter Fonagy and supported by an advisory group comprising medical experts, service providers, and those with lived experience of neurodevelopmental conditions. The team will investigate systemic pressures on NHS and local services, gaps in support, and the effectiveness of current diagnostic and intervention approaches.
Streeting has stressed the importance of grounding the review in evidence and lived realities, underscoring the necessity of timely, effective diagnosis and access to care. Findings are expected in summer 2026 and will inform updates to the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan for mental health, designed to transform adult and child mental health services.
Challenges facing services and the affected population
The NHS is currently under extraordinary pressure, struggling to keep pace as demand escalates. Long waiting lists exacerbate clinical risk and increase the likelihood that individuals will attend crisis services rather than receive early support. Early diagnosis and intervention are critical to improving outcomes, yet recognition of neurodevelopmental differences remains challenging, particularly in individuals whose presentations are less obvious.
The review also reflects concerns regarding the adequacy of resources and capacity within both specialist and generalist services, highlighting the urgent need for investment and strategic reform.
Implications for healthcare policy and service provision
This independent review represents an important step toward addressing systemic weaknesses in mental health and neurodevelopmental care in England. By identifying diagnostic trends and evaluating service effectiveness, it may lead to more targeted resource allocation and policy reforms. The outcome has the potential to shape the future landscape of assessment and treatment, aiming to reduce waiting times and enhance support pathways for those affected.
As mental health conditions such as ADHD and autism become better understood and more commonly diagnosed, health policy must adapt to meet growing needs without compromising quality of care. The forthcoming findings from Professor Fonagy’s review will provide a much-needed evidence base to guide these efforts in the coming decade.