NHS faces exodus of ADHD and autism services staff to private clinics

The NHS is experiencing a significant loss of staff in its ADHD and autism services, with many professionals leaving to join private clinics. This exodus has weakened the NHS and forced at least one trust in England to limit access to its neurodevelopmental service to only the most urgent cases. According to the Guardian Health, the brain drain of psychologists, psychiatrists, and nurses has left the NHS struggling to meet the huge demand for ADHD and autism care from children and adults.

A review in England has found that there is a risk of people being over-diagnosed with ADHD and autism. The review, which focused on younger age groups, warned that society was moving from an era of under-diagnosis to over-diagnosis or mis-diagnosis, as reported by BBC Health. The review also called for tougher regulation of private firms offering assessments for the NHS, citing concerns about quality and consistency.

The review, led by leading doctors in the field, concluded that economic uncertainty combined with social media was driving an increase in mental health problems among young people. It also found that diagnoses of mental health problems and ADHD and autism were often ending up as labels that defined people by their difficulties rather than their strengths and potential, harming their prospects at school, in work, and in life, as reported by BBC News.

Brief written by urgent.news from Guardian Health, BBC Health, BBC News, PsyPost — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.