ADHD and autism assessment pathway

NHS Borders covers the Scottish Borders council area, serving around 116,000 people. For most adults, ADHD and autism diagnostic assessment is not available through NHS Borders: the board's adult mental health service offers these assessments only to adults with moderate to severe mental illness. The children's pathway runs through CAMHS but is not clearly documented publicly.

Last verified: August 2026 · References: NHS Borders BACMHS · NHS Borders Autism Point · Right Decisions CAMHS toolkit

Adult diagnostic assessments are not available for most adults

The Borders Adult Community Mental Health Service (BACMHS) states that "ADHD/ASD diagnostic assessments are not available through BACMHS, the service offers these assessments and treatment for adults with moderate to severe mental illness only". Most adults seeking a diagnosis will therefore need to pursue a private assessment. Adults who already hold an NHS ADHD diagnosis can continue to access medication management and annual monitoring through BACMHS.

Reviewed by ADHD Scot, August 2026

Getting your child assessed

For children and young people in the Scottish Borders, neurodevelopmental assessments including ADHD and autism are handled by CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services). Within CAMHS, a dedicated Borders Autism Team (BAT) carries out autism assessments. CAMHS assesses neurodevelopmental conditions when they have a significant functional impact on a child's day-to-day life and/or are associated with other mental health difficulties. NHS Borders has not published a step-by-step pathway document equivalent to those available in some other health boards, so the information below is based on what is available on the NHS Borders and Right Decisions websites.

Raise a concern with a professional

Concerns about a child's neurodevelopment can be raised with a GP, health visitor, school, educational psychologist, or social worker. Any of these professionals can initiate or support a CAMHS referral. Parents can also ask their GP directly for a referral.

Referral submitted to CAMHS

GPs refer via SCI-Gateway. Schools can submit their own referral form. Other professionals can refer by email or via EMIS upload. Referrals are triaged twice weekly. The CAMHS secretaries can be contacted at camhs.secretaries@borders.scot.nhs.uk. The team is based at the Andrew Lang Unit, Viewfield Lane, Selkirk, TD7 4LJ.

Triage and waiting list

CAMHS triages referrals and places accepted cases on a waiting list. Mild to moderate difficulties may be signposted to community resources rather than added to the assessment waiting list. NHS Borders has not published current waiting times for children's neurodevelopmental assessment (see the waiting times section below).

Assessment by CAMHS or Borders Autism Team

ADHD assessments are carried out by the CAMHS team. Autism assessments for children are carried out by the Borders Autism Team (BAT), which operates within CAMHS. The assessment may involve questionnaires, observations, and gathering information from home and school. A diagnosis is given where appropriate.

Getting assessed as an adult

The Borders Adult Community Mental Health Service (BACMHS) offers ADHD and autism diagnostic assessment only to adults with moderate to severe mental illness. The board says this follows a Scottish Government commissioned report (the NAIT Adult Neurodevelopmental Pathways report). Adults outside that group who want an NHS assessment cannot currently access one through NHS Borders, and the adult pathway is not otherwise documented publicly.

See your GP

Although NHS Borders does not currently offer adult diagnostic assessments, speaking to your GP is still the right starting point. Your GP can confirm the current position, provide a referral letter if you pursue private assessment, and ensure you are supported for any co-occurring mental health difficulties. A completed ADHD screener or autism screener can support your conversation.

Consider private assessment

Because NHS Borders does not currently offer adult ADHD or autism diagnostic assessments, a private assessment is the main route to a formal diagnosis for most adults in the Borders. Our compare tool lists regulated providers with filters for cost, condition, and shared care support. Our shared care guide explains what happens after a private diagnosis, including how to transfer prescribing back to your GP.

Existing NHS diagnosis: medication management continues

If you already hold an NHS ADHD diagnosis, BACMHS will continue to provide medication management and annual monitoring. This also applies to people transitioning from CAMHS and to adults relocating to the Borders with an existing prescription. Contact your GP to be registered with BACMHS for ongoing medication support.

Waiting times, FOI response, and support while you wait

Waiting times: what our FOI found

NHS Borders responded to our Freedom of Information request on 28 July 2026 (ref 176-2627). It refused all four categories we asked about (adult and child ADHD waits, adult and child autism waits, and list sizes) under Section 12 of FOISA: the board does not record ADHD or autism assessment waiting times electronically and has no digital medical records system. Patient records are held on paper. The figures may exist in individual records, but extracting them would require a manual trawl of every paper record, which would exceed the £600 cost limit. See our NHS waiting times page and FOI tracker for the full response and comparisons across all Scottish health boards.

Local support in the Scottish Borders

You do not need a formal diagnosis to access most of the following resources.

AVATAR BordersA charity run by and for autistic adults in the Scottish Borders. Free membership, peer support via Discord, and community events. Must be 18+ and live, work, or study in the Borders. No diagnosis needed to enquire. Being Me (Cheviot Youth)Up to eight one-to-one sessions with a therapist experienced in neurodivergence, for young people aged 10 to 25 in the Scottish Borders who have recently received a diagnosis of autism and/or ADHD. Contact: 07842 416 554 or info@cheviotyouth.co.uk

Scotland-wide support organisations

ADHD ScotlandScotland's ADHD charity, helpline, resources, and support for all ages Scottish AutismSupport, advice, and resources for autistic people and their families across Scotland Scottish ADHD CoalitionBringing together ADHD organisations across Scotland, resources, campaigns, and local group finder

Your child's school rights, no diagnosis needed

Schools in Scotland are required to support children with additional needs under the Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 2004. No diagnosis is required. Ask your child's school about a Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) or Individual Education Programme. These can be put in place while waiting for assessment.

If you need to pursue a private adult assessment, our compare tool lists regulated providers with filters for HIS registration, cost, and shared care support. Our shared care guide explains what happens after a private diagnosis.

References

ADHD Scot is an independent, non-clinical information project. This page is based on publicly available information and may not reflect real-time changes to NHS services. Always confirm current referral routes with your GP or NHS Borders directly.