ADHD assessment programme axed amid £1.5m cuts to Glasgow mental health services

Funding cuts worth £1.5 million to be implemented in mental health services across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde means that a programme specialising in ADHD assessments can no longer be developed.

The Glasgow IJB (Integrated Joint Board) had hoped to create a special service to help deal with the increasing number of ADHD referrals and relieve pressure on some of the other mental health services.

But the Scottish Government issued a letter last year to the IJB confirming that there would be a 5.48% reduction in funding across the board compared to 2024/25 meaning that the scheme could not progress.

A paper outlining the impact of the reduction in funding and the associated risks on existing mental health problems, including annual health checks for people with a learning disability, was brought before members of the IJB committee this morning.

During the meeting, councillor Lana Reid-McConnell said it was disappointing to learn that the IJB would not be able to push forward with the ADHD pathways scheme, a programme that the Scottish Government and the National Autism Implementation Team (NAIT) have been working to develop.

If successful, it would have meant a single pathway for ADHD assessments in Scotland, which would include primary care, secondary care, and specialist third-sector services.

Councillor Lana Reid-McConnell: “This is going to have a huge impact on a variety of services and, therefore, the individuals that are either waiting for those services and who are already receiving them.

“I think that from what has been outlined it puts us in a position that we can’t meet the mental health outcomes framework and the priorities outlined by the Scottish Government.

“It is incredibly disappointing that we can’t go forward with ADHD pathways work considering the clear demand on that service and what it would do to relieve some of the demand on services elsewhere.”

The report confirmed that there is an unprecedented increase in referrals over the past four years to Adult Community Mental Health Teams for ADHD assessment across NHSGGC has led to 700% in excess referrals.

There are currently a total of 6,474 patients on ADHD waiting lists board-wide, with an average longest wait of 2.4 years.

Over the past ten years, there has been a continued increase in referrals to the Adult Autism team (ASD), with a total of 1050 on the ASD waiting list.

The plan to implement a specialist service was predicated on availability of funding, and the reduction in A15 allocation – HSCP funding – of over £508K means that this is no longer viable.

Kelda Gaffney, Interim Assistant Chief Officer, Adult Services & Interim Chief Social Work Officer, said: “We have been peeling back some developments that had been planned – not plans that had already been in place.

“There is an impact on psychological therapies both for children and adults.”