ADHD and autism assessment in Dundee

632 adults are waiting for ADHD assessment in the Dundee area — the only part of NHS Tayside with a countable list. NHS routes, private options, and what to do next

Reviewed by ADHD Scot,

The Dundee waiting list, in numbers

NHS ADHD and autism assessment in Dundee is the responsibility of NHS Tayside, the board serving around 416,000 people across Dundee City, Angus, and Perth and Kinross. When NHS Tayside answered ADHD Scot's Freedom of Information request on 10 August 2026 (ref IGTFOISA26481) — after the statutory deadline and only once we began formal escalation — nearly everything it could disclose related to Dundee: 632 adults waiting for an ADHD-related appointment and 885 adults waiting for an autism-related appointment, both counts covering the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership only.

What the board could not provide was a median waiting time for either condition. It says it cannot reliably identify which referrals came from GPs, and its Trakcare system does not record the clinical reason for a referral. Angus and Perth and Kinross hold no separate ADHD or autism figures at all (Section 17 of FOISA), so there is no board-wide total.

For people in Dundee, that cuts both ways: yours is the only part of Tayside where the queue can be counted, but nobody can tell you how quickly it moves. Full figures and the FOI detail are on the NHS Tayside page and the NHS waiting times table.

Children: the March 2025 referral restriction

In March 2025, NHS Tayside CAMHS stopped accepting new ADHD or autism referrals for children who do not also have a co-existing mental health condition. Around 4,500 children across Tayside were already on the neurodevelopmental pathway at that point. For many Dundee families, this means the NHS route to a children's assessment is currently closed.

If your child is already on the waiting list, they should retain their place — confirm this with your GP or with CAMHS directly. Schools must support children with additional needs regardless of diagnosis under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, so it is worth asking your child's school what can be put in place now. Raising the issue with your MSP is another practical step. The NHS Tayside page covers what families can do in more detail, and the position may change — always check the current situation with your GP.

Adult referrals: still open, via your GP

The adult pathway operates separately from CAMHS, and adults in Dundee should still be able to get a referral. Your GP refers you to NHS Tayside adult mental health services. A strong referral conversation helps:

  • Be specific about your symptoms — give examples from everyday life, not just "I can't concentrate"
  • Mention that symptoms have been present since childhood, even if they were not recognised at the time
  • Complete a validated screener beforehand — our ADHD self-screener or autism screener gives you something concrete to bring along
  • Ask directly whether an adult ADHD or autism assessment pathway is currently open in Tayside, and ask for a written record of when the referral was sent

If your GP is reluctant, you are entitled to ask why and to seek a second opinion from another GP within the same practice.

Private assessment in Dundee

With no NHS median wait to plan around, some people in Dundee choose to go private. A small number of local providers serve the city, and online providers cover the whole of Scotland; adult assessments typically cost between £800 and £2,000. Three things are worth checking before you book:

Regulation. Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) inspects registered private healthcare providers in Scotland. Registration is not legally required of every service — those with no medical doctor, nurse, or other listed professional involved are exempt, as are England-based online providers regulated by the CQC — so read our regulation page to understand what a provider's status means. Our compare tool lets you filter by HIS status.

Shared care. A private ADHD diagnosis usually means paying for private prescriptions at first. Many people then ask their NHS GP to take over prescribing under a shared care agreement, which is cheaper long-term — but not every GP agrees, and not every provider supports the process. Our shared care guide explains how it works.

Assessment method. A thorough assessment uses validated tools (Conners, DIVA-5, or ADOS-2 for autism) and gathers information from someone who knows you rather than relying on self-report alone. The compare tool shows which providers use validated instruments.

Find private providers near Dundee →

After a diagnosis in Dundee

ADHD medication

If you are prescribed ADHD medication privately, you can ask your NHS GP to take over prescribing through a shared care agreement. Shared care is used across Scotland, though specifics vary by health board and individual GPs retain the right to decline. Our shared care guide explains the process and what to do if your GP refuses.

Autism support

Following an autism diagnosis, support in Dundee is available through Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership and national organisations including Scottish Autism. Our after diagnosis page has more guidance on next steps.

Peer support in Dundee

Dundee has its own local ADHD peer support group — the Dundee and Angus ADHD Support Group (ADDAS) at adhddasupport.org, for adults and families across the Tayside area, with no diagnosis needed to attend. The Scottish ADHD Coalition lists further groups across Scotland, and national organisations such as ADHD UK and Scottish Autism can point ADHD and autistic people to other local support. Our support page links to the main organisations.

Useful links

ADHD Scot is an independent, non-clinical information project. Nothing here is medical advice. If you think you may have ADHD or autism, the right first step is a conversation with your GP.