Adults with ADHD in Northern Ireland are being failed by a system that does not provide a realistic, accessible pathway to assessment, diagnosis, treatment, or ongoing care.

Across Northern Ireland, there is currently no commissioned adult ADHD service. Instead, adults are left waiting years, forced into expensive private treatment simply to function, or left without any support at all. ADHD is a recognised neurodevelopmental condition and a disability under equality legislation, yet adults are being denied timely and appropriate healthcare despite the clear and well-evidenced impact ADHD has on mental health, employment, education, relationships, and overall quality of life. This is not an inconvenience. It is a matter of dignity, equality, and human rights.

Over the past while, I have exhausted every appropriate professional and regulatory route available. I have raised concerns with commissioning bodies, health trusts, oversight organisations, the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority, the Ombudsman, and the Equality Commission. At every stage, the issue has been acknowledged — but responsibility has been passed on.

I have repeatedly been signposted from one body to another, only to be redirected back again. Each organisation recognises unmet need, but no one takes ownership of commissioning or delivering adult ADHD services. This creates a closed loop in which adults with ADHD are left trapped: the problem is recognised, but no viable route to care exists.

Official correspondence from the Health and Social Care Trust confirms that there is no commissioned adult ADHD service and that what currently exists is a small, unfunded pilot, with waiting times exceeding two years. Access to this pilot requires navigating multiple gatekeeping stages, including GP referral and community mental health services — a process many adults with ADHD cannot realistically manage.

Rather than offering treatment or preventative care, individuals are advised that if their mental health deteriorates significantly, they should contact their GP, Lifeline, or Samaritans.

Crisis support is essential — but it is not healthcare, and it is not treatment for ADHD. What is entirely missing are the services in between: assessment, diagnosis, medication management, psychological support, monitoring, and continuity of care that prevent people from reaching crisis point in the first place. A system that intervenes only once someone is already in distress is not preventative, not equitable, and not compliant with disability or equality obligations.

This situation raises serious human rights and equality concerns, particularly under Section 75, regarding equal access to healthcare for disabled people. Adults with ADHD are not being excluded because support is unnecessary — they are being excluded because the system does not provide a viable route to care at all.
This is not an isolated issue. It is systemic.

Our local MLA is currently raising this issue directly with the Health Minister, with dedicated Assembly time allocated to adult ADHD services and commissioning. I also have a solicitor appointment this week to explore legal avenues, following consistent advice from professional bodies that this represents a systemic failure affecting a protected group.

This petition calls for

Fair and timely access to ADHD assessment and treatment

Properly commissioned adult ADHD services in Northern Ireland

Recognition of ADHD as a condition requiring ongoing, supported care 

An end to postcode-based inequality that leaves people without help

This is an ongoing petition because people are still being affected every single day. If you have experienced these barriers yourself, supported someone through them, or been forced into private care due to the absence of services, your story matters. I am actively seeking lived-experience accounts to support legal action and advocacy efforts. If you are willing to share your experience, please get in touch.

I am sharing this not just for myself, but for everyone who has been left without support. 💛