In short
- An NHS ADHD assessment is free, but the NHS says waits can be several months or years.
- Right to Choose lets families in England ask their GP to refer their child to another provider that holds an NHS contract. You cannot self-refer.
- BZ Clinic is not on the Right to Choose pathway. A private assessment here costs £1,700 and no GP referral is needed.
- NHS England guidance says diagnostic reports from independent providers should generally be accepted, but GP practices make their own decisions about shared care.
- Whichever route you take, ask who will assess your child and whether the assessment follows NICE guidance.
If your child might have ADHD, you will soon come across three phrases: NHS assessment, Right to Choose and private assessment. Parents looking into Right to Choose ADHD options for a child are usually trying to work out the same thing. Which route will get my child a proper assessment, and how long will it take? This guide sets out the options fairly, including where a private clinic like ours fits and where it does not.
A word about where we stand. Dr Bozena Zoric led one of the largest NHS ADHD clinics in the country for 20 years, and Dr Lisa Wall has been Clinical Lead for Surrey Developmental Paediatrics since 2017. We know the NHS well and respect the people who work in it. For many families, the NHS is the right route.
The NHS route: a free child ADHD assessment
An NHS ADHD assessment is free. It usually starts with your child's school and your GP. The teacher involves the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO), and the GP looks at how much the difficulties are affecting your child. If things do not improve with support, your child can be referred to a community paediatrician or child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).
An NHS assessment should follow the same NICE guidance any good private clinic follows: a full developmental history, information from home and school, and a decision made by a specialist paediatrician or psychiatrist. NHS teams include many very experienced specialists.
The difficulty is usually waiting. The NHS says waits vary and that children may wait several months or years for an assessment. That is not a criticism of the people working in those services. If your child is on an NHS list, they should still get support at home and at school while you wait. Your GP or the SENCO can tell you what is available locally, including parenting support groups.
What is Right to Choose for a child with ADHD?
In England, patients have a legal right to choose which provider they are referred to for many NHS services, including mental health care. This has applied since 2014, and NHS England's guidance confirms it can cover ADHD assessment. This is what people mean by Right to Choose.
The main points for parents:
- It is for the NHS in England. Families in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should ask their GP about local options.
- It works through your GP. Your GP makes the referral and shortlists providers. You cannot self-refer under Right to Choose, so tell your GP your preference.
- The provider must hold an NHS contract. Some Right to Choose providers are independent organisations, but the NHS pays, so there is no charge to you.
- The referral has to be clinically appropriate. Your GP judges this, with NICE guidance in mind.
- Care usually stays with that provider. The right covers the first appointment and the treatment that follows for that episode of care.
The NHS says Right to Choose may help you find a service with a shorter waiting list. Waits still vary and change over time, so ask your GP what is available when you are referred.
BZ Clinic is not on the NHS Right to Choose pathway. If you would like an NHS-funded assessment through Right to Choose, your GP can explain which providers are available to you. We would always rather you knew this before you contact us.
The private route
With a private assessment, you pay for the assessment yourself, and you can usually contact the clinic directly. Prices and what they include vary a great deal between clinics. Always check what the fee covers: the length of the appointment, whether school questionnaires and any computer-based test are included, and what follow-up appointments and prescriptions cost.
At BZ Clinic:
- A new assessment costs £1,700. It includes 90 minutes face to face with a consultant paediatrician, questionnaires for you, school and, where appropriate, your child, and a QbCheck, a computer-based test of attention, activity and impulsivity.
- If your child already has a diagnosis, a clinic transfer costs £1,200 for 60 minutes, subject to the previous report.
- A short medication review costs £270 and a clinic review £370. A prescription costs £40, or £30 if collected in clinic.
- No GP referral is needed. Camille, our clinic manager, handles every enquiry and booking.
- Camille can give you our current waiting time when you get in touch.
There is a full breakdown on our private ADHD assessment cost page.
Is a private ADHD assessment for a child recognised by the NHS?
This is one of the most common worries, and a fair one. A diagnosis is a clinical opinion. What NHS doctors look for is whether it was reached properly: by a suitably qualified specialist, following NICE guidance, with information from more than one setting and a clear written report.
NHS England's 2026/27 payment guidance for commissioners says diagnostic reports from independent providers should be accepted by NHS-commissioned titration services unless there is a clear clinical reason not to, so that children are not assessed twice. This is guidance for NHS commissioners, so it may not cover every privately funded report. In practice, each GP practice and local service still makes its own decisions, so it is sensible to ask early.
After an assessment at BZ Clinic, your GP is sent the letter, so your child's NHS records reflect the diagnosis and the recommendations.
Private diagnosis and shared care with your GP
Not every child with ADHD needs medication. Where it is used, NICE says it should be started by a specialist and, once your child is stable on it, prescribing and monitoring should move to the GP under a shared care arrangement. Shared care is a formal agreement in which the specialist and the GP each take on part of your child's care.
GPs do not have to agree to shared care with a private clinic, and practices differ. At BZ Clinic, once your child's medication is stable, usually after around 3 to 4 months, we ask your child's NHS GP to take over prescribing under shared care. If the GP will not, a private GP practice in West Byfleet that we work with can take over. We do not provide long-term prescriptions for children.
Before you choose any private route, it is worth asking your GP practice whether they usually accept shared care from private specialists. It is far easier to know this at the start. Our guide to ADHD medication for children explains how medication is started and monitored.
Questions to ask any ADHD provider
Whether you are on an NHS list, using Right to Choose or paying privately, these questions help you judge any service:
- Who will assess my child, and what is their specialty and experience with children?
- Does the assessment follow NICE guidance?
- Will you gather information from school as well as from us?
- Will you look for other conditions that can look like ADHD or sit alongside it?
- What exactly does the fee include, and what do follow-up appointments and prescriptions cost?
- Will my GP receive a written report?
- If medication is started, how will it be monitored, and what happens about shared care?
- What support will you suggest for home and school, whether or not there is a diagnosis?
- Are you on the Right to Choose pathway? This tells you who will pay.
So which is better, NHS or private?
Neither is better in itself. A careful NHS assessment and a careful private assessment should reach the same conclusion about your child. The real differences are time, cost and who looks after your child afterwards.
If you can wait, or if Right to Choose is open to you, those are sensible options. If the wait would mean your child struggling for a long time without answers, and you are able to pay, a private assessment may be the right step. Some families do both: they stay on the NHS list and seek a private opinion in the meantime.
Whichever route you take, you do not have to decide blindly. Our guide to how to get a child tested for ADHD explains each step, and our ADHD questionnaire can help you put your observations in order. If you would like to talk about a private ADHD assessment for your child in Surrey, Camille is happy to help.
Questions parents ask
Can I use Right to Choose for a child ADHD assessment?
In England, usually yes. Your GP needs to agree that a referral is clinically appropriate and then refer your child to a provider that holds an NHS contract for ADHD assessment. You cannot self-refer under Right to Choose. BZ Clinic is not on the Right to Choose pathway.
Is there a free child ADHD assessment in the UK?
Yes. ADHD assessment through the NHS is free, whether it is with your local service or, in England, with another NHS-funded provider through Right to Choose. The main cost for families is usually waiting time.
Is a private ADHD assessment for a child recognised by the NHS?
A well-conducted private assessment by a qualified specialist, following NICE guidance, is a valid clinical diagnosis. NHS England guidance for commissioners says reports from independent providers should be accepted by NHS-commissioned titration services unless there is a clear clinical reason not to. GP practices still make their own decisions about shared care, so ask yours early.
Can I self-refer my child for an ADHD assessment?
On the NHS, referral usually comes through your GP or your child's school. Privately, you can usually contact a clinic directly. At BZ Clinic no GP referral is needed: call or email Camille, our clinic manager.
Will my GP prescribe ADHD medication after a private diagnosis?
Many GPs will, under a shared care agreement, once your child is stable on medication, but they do not have to. If your child's GP will not, BZ Clinic works with a private GP practice in West Byfleet that can take over prescribing.