The way we understand and approach ADHD at The London Neurocognitive Clinic

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, May 16, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- Since the BBC Panorama documentary was released on the 15th of May 2023, exposing the malpractice of some private attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) practices in the UK, it has left a great deal of unease. This unease not only may affect the people for who have received a diagnosis in a private ADHD clinic (as discussed on the programme) but also those still seeking and in need of help.

ADHD is first and foremost a neurodevelopmental condition. What this means is that differences such as inattention (a reduced cognitive attention span) and high impulsivity are present early in life and inconsistent with a person’s ‘developmental level’ (the physical, mental, and emotional stage that a child goes through as they grow and mature). This means that early in life a person may be observed to behave differently to what one theoretically understands and expects at any given age. Whatsmore, these differences are persistent and negatively impact directly on social and academic activities. And because these differences are persistent, they can affect people in adulthood too, causing disruption to occupational activities as well. Most importantly though, presentations of ADHD in adulthood, will have a basis in childhood.

At The London Neurocognitive Clinic, we run an ADHD assessment service. Our service ensures Clinical Psychologists are appropriately trained and registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) with NHS experience of conducting assessments for neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD and autism (ASD), as well as offering this service privately. And all our Clinical Psychologists receive ongoing expert supervision to ensure their work is safe and responsible. We have developed a package of care that follows the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for the diagnosis and management of ADHD. This assessment includes a thorough developmental history that is approximately two hours long and is structured using a scientifically validated clinical interview. In addition to this, we gather information from, again, scientifically validated psychometric tools (questionnaires) and observation (using a computer-based test that measures attention and impulse control). What this means is that we ‘triangulate’, i.e., pull together at least three sources of information, to reach a conclusion about whether a person meets DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for ADHD, and we do not rely on self-report alone. This conclusion is fed back to our clients in an appointment, and they are provided with a full record of what has been discussed and what tools have been used to facilitate the assessment process. We pride ourselves in having exceptional attention to detail and being transparent in our approach.

At The London Neurocognitive Clinic, we also have a very important extra step. Every person who approaches our service for a diagnostic care package for ADHD will be first offered a ‘screening’ assessment. This is important for two reasons: 1) in this additional clinical interview (which lasts at least one hour), we screen for alternative explanations for the differences (or difficulties) that an individual is reporting, and if we feel that ADHD is unlikely, we offer alternative, more appropriate, support; 2) as the cost of our ADHD diagnostic assessments need to reflect the amount of clinical effort and expertise that go in to producing a high quality service, we have chosen to split the process into two parts so that people do not need to fund unnecessary, or even unhelpful, procedures.

If you think we can help you, please contact enquiries@thelondonneurocognitiveclinic.co.uk.

Patrick Litani
The London Neurocognitive Clinic
+44 20 7467 8416
media@thelondonneurocognitiveclinic.co.uk
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