ADHD and autism assessment pathway
NHS Highland covers the Highland Council area and Argyll and Bute, serving around 320,000 people across 42% of Scotland's landmass, the largest area of any Scottish health board. Children's assessments run through the Neurodevelopmental Assessment Service (NDAS), while adult ADHD referrals are currently restricted to the most severe cases.
NHS Highland's own clinical guidance states that its adult community mental health teams are "currently only able to accept referrals for those meeting the threshold statements for Level 4", the most severe category in the national framework. Adults who do not meet this threshold are signposted to self-help and support resources instead of assessment.
Reviewed by ADHD Scot,
Getting your child assessed
In the Highland Council area, children are assessed through the Neurodevelopmental Assessment Service (NDAS), run jointly by Highland Council and NHS Highland and delivered by a multi-agency team, the Pines Highland Neurodevelopmental Service in Inverness. NDAS assesses concerns about ADHD, autism, developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Argyll and Bute has a separate route through its council's Single Point of Access, see the note below the steps.
NHS Highland's NDAS guidance asks families to start with the child's health visitor (for younger children) or school, rather than going straight to the GP. Children go through a staged approach of support first, and a request to NDAS is made once they reach level 3 of that approach. If you would rather go through your GP, the guidance asks the GP to discuss the request with the school's named person or the NDAS coordinator first.
The multi-agency NDAS team reviews the request and decides on assessment. Families can contact the service directly with questions.
Email: nhsh.nds@nhs.scot · Phone: 01463 720057
Highland Council reported in March 2026 that more than 2,000 children and young people were waiting for an NDAS assessment, and approved a £1.2 million programme to reduce the list and improve the assessment process. In response to our FOI request, NHS Highland said it does not hold aggregate CAMHS ADHD or autism waiting data (Section 17 of FOISA): children are not placed on the CAMHS list specifically for an ADHD or autism assessment, and referrals must first meet CAMHS criteria (significant mental health concerns).
When the assessment takes place, the team looks at the child's presentation across settings and provides a clinical outcome, with a diagnosis where appropriate. Support at school does not depend on a diagnosis, see the support section below.
Argyll and Bute: children's neurodevelopmental assessment referrals go through the Single Point of Access (SPA), run by Argyll and Bute Council with the Health and Social Care Partnership. The SPA is a route for professionals, so speak to your child's school, health visitor, or GP about a referral. Council enquiries: 01546 605522.
Getting assessed as an adult
NHS Highland publishes clinical guidance for adult ADHD referrals, but the criteria are currently very restrictive: only referrals meeting the threshold for Level 4 (severe) of the national framework are accepted. There is no published adult pathway for people with milder or moderate ADHD, and the adult autism assessment route is not clearly documented publicly.
Request a referral for ADHD or autism assessment. Be specific about your symptoms and how they affect daily life. A completed ADHD screener or autism screener can support your conversation, though note that for ADHD referrals NHS Highland's guidance states self-report questionnaires are not required and will not be used.
For ADHD, the community mental health team accepts referrals only where there is a mental disorder of significant clinical severity or complexity with significant risk or functional impairment, plus evidence of ADHD symptoms in two or more settings with onset before age 12, and either diagnostic uncertainty or comorbid conditions raising safety concerns for prescribing. The same guidance covers referrals for people already diagnosed in NHS services elsewhere and for private diagnoses that meet documentation standards. If you do not meet the criteria, ask your GP what support is available and see the resources below.
NHS Highland responded to our FOI request on 27 July 2026 (ref 29528, partial). Adult median waits: ADHD 38 weeks (433 waiting) and autism 127 weeks (443 waiting). The board notes it cannot tell from its data whether the first appointment was screening, triage or assessment. See waiting times by board. If the wait is too long, consider private assessment.
While you wait, support and resources
You do not need a formal diagnosis to access most of the following resources. Support is available now.
NHS Highland resources
NHS Highland's autism page brings together the referral routes and local support organisations for both the Highland and Argyll and Bute areas.
Peer support in Highland
The Highland One Stop Shop in Inverness supports autistic adults across Highland, with drop-ins in Thurso and Fort William, no diagnosis is needed to attend. Caithness has a local ADHD support group listed on the Scottish ADHD Coalition map.
Scotland-wide support organisations
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 the wait for adult assessment is too long, our compare tool lists providers in central Scotland with filters for HIS registration, cost, and shared care support. Our shared care guide explains what happens after a private diagnosis.
References
- NHS Highland, ADHD guidelines (adult therapeutic guidelines), Right Decisions Service, v3, September 2025
- NHS Highland, Neurodevelopmental Assessment Service (NDAS) paediatric guidelines, Right Decisions Service
- NHS Highland, Autism, services A to Z
- NHS Highland, Our population and people
- Highland Council, Neurodevelopmental Assessment Services (NDAS) investment, March 2026
- Argyll and Bute Council, Single Point of Access (SPA) for children and young people
- FOI response ref 29528, NHS Highland, 27 July 2026 (partial response), provided in response to a request from ADHD Scot