ADHD and autism assessment pathway
NHS Shetland covers the Shetland Islands, serving around 23,000 people. The board is one of Scotland's smallest health boards and provides services from its main site at Gilbert Bain Hospital in Lerwick, with some specialist services delivered through visiting consultants and videolink clinics.
We sent NHS Shetland a Freedom of Information request on 24 June 2026 asking for ADHD and autism assessment waiting times. After missing the statutory deadline, the board responded on 19 August 2026 following our requirement for review (ref FOI/1807). Under Section 17 of FOISA it confirmed it does not hold ADHD- or autism-specific waiting data: its waiting lists are not coded by condition. As the nearest equivalent, it provided whole-service figures as at 30 June 2026 — adult Psychological Therapies: 257 people waiting, median 22 weeks; CAMHS (under 18s): 17 waiting, median 4 weeks. These cover all conditions, so they cannot be read as ADHD or autism waits. See our NHS waiting times page and FOI tracker for updates.
Reviewed by ADHD Scot,
Getting your child assessed
Children and young people in Shetland who may have ADHD or autism are seen through the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), which operates from Breiwick House on South Road in Lerwick. CAMHS is listed as covering ADHD and autistic spectrum disorders as part of its diagnosis pathway. NHS Shetland has not published a detailed step-by-step pathway document publicly, so the steps below reflect the general referral process confirmed by available NHS Shetland sources.
A concern about a child's neurodevelopment can be raised by parents, school staff, GPs, health visitors, or other professionals. You do not need to know in advance which specific condition to raise a concern about.
NHS Shetland CAMHS accepts referrals from health professionals, education staff, and social work. Families can also speak to their GP about a referral. CAMHS is based at Breiwick House, South Road, Lerwick, ZE1 0RB.
Phone: 01595 743006 · Email: shet.mentalhealth@nhs.scot
The CAMHS team at Breiwick House is multidisciplinary and provides consultation, assessments, and interventions. Where a formal assessment for ADHD or autism is required, this is carried out by the team. Treatment can include individual therapy (behavioural, cognitive, systemic, psychodynamic), family work, and medication where appropriate.
NHS Shetland told us (FOI/1807, August 2026) that it does not hold ADHD- or autism-specific waiting figures — its lists are not coded by condition. Ask your GP or contact CAMHS directly to ask about current waiting times.
Getting assessed as an adult
The adult ADHD and autism referral pathway in NHS Shetland is not clearly documented publicly. Adults are referred via their GP to the Community Psychiatric Service, which operates with support from visiting consultants and videolink clinics. NHS Shetland's Learning Disability and Autism Nurse Service also supports adults with autism and learning disability, though it focuses on ongoing support rather than initial diagnosis.
Request a referral for ADHD or autism assessment. Be specific about your symptoms and how they affect daily life. Mention difficulties present since childhood. A completed ADHD screener or autism screener can support your conversation.
Your GP refers you to NHS Shetland's Community Psychiatric Service. Confirm with your GP which service they are referring you to and ask for a written record of when the referral was sent. Some specialist input is provided through visiting consultants or by videolink.
No current waiting time figures have been provided by NHS Shetland in response to our FOI request. Contact NHS Shetland at nhsshetland.scot or speak to your GP to ask about current provision and expected waits.
What NHS Shetland's own referral guidance says
NHS Shetland publishes no clinician-facing adult referral protocol; what the board has said about its adult pathways comes from FOI responses in its published FOI register, both from 2024 and therefore not necessarily current. Children's referral information is on the board's Right Care Right Place pages (undated at the time of our review, September 2026). Key points:
- Adult ADHD: an FOI response published in December 2024 stated the average adult ADHD assessment wait was 14 months, with 235 adults waiting; NHS Shetland said it follows national pathways, that a local pathway had been developed but was "yet to be formally approved" (the draft was not released), and answered "No" to ever having ceased routine adult ADHD assessments. See FOI 2024-572.
- Adult autism: an FOI response published in August 2024 stated referrals to the Adult Autism Pathway Service come from GPs or mental health professionals (other sources may be considered) and are seen in the order received, using DSM-V criteria with tools including ADOS-2 and DISCO; the board stated there was no pathway previously and that it holds no policy document on this. See FOI 2024-249.
- Children: CAMHS receives ADHD and autism referrals. The Right Care Right Place CAMHS page states the multidisciplinary CAMHS team at Breiwick House, Lerwick receives referrals for problems including ADHD and "autistic spectrum disorders (as part of the pathway to diagnosis only)".
While you wait, support and resources
You do not need a formal diagnosis to access most of the following. Support is available now.
NHS Shetland resources
NHS Shetland's Learning Disability and Autism Nurse Service provides specialist nursing care and support to children and adults with a learning disability or autism across the whole of the Shetland Islands. Individuals, parents, carers, and professionals can make direct referrals to this service.
Local support in Shetland
There is no dedicated local ADHD support group currently listed for Shetland on the Scottish ADHD Coalition's group finder. The Scottish ADHD Coalition's online groups and national helplines are accessible to Shetland residents.
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 Education (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 private providers with filters for HIS registration, cost, and shared care support. Our shared care guide explains what happens after a private diagnosis.
References
- NHS Shetland, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
- NHS Shetland, Learning Disability and Autism Nurse Service
- NHS Shetland, Services
- Enquire.org.uk, NHS Shetland Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services listing
- Shetland Community Directory, Mental Health Department
- National Records of Scotland, Shetland Islands council area profile
- Scottish ADHD Coalition, local groups in Scotland
- NAIT, Children's Neurodevelopmental Pathway Practice Framework (Scottish Government funded), May 2021
- Scottish Government, National Neurodevelopmental Specification: principles and standards of care for children and young people, 2021
- Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, ADHD and autism pathways and support, January 2026
- Scottish Parliament Research Briefing SB 25-25: Neurodevelopmental Pathways and Waiting Times in Scotland, June 2025