NHS Scotland
ADHD & autism waiting times across Scotland
Current waiting times for NHS ADHD and autism assessment across all 14 Scottish health boards, gathered through Freedom of Information requests. Data is updated as responses are received.
Reviewed by ADHD Scot,
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Data is being gathered. FOI requests went to all 14 health boards on 24 June 2026, with responses due by 23 July 2026. Twelve have responded so far; you can see each board's status in the table below. A blank cell means a board has not yet responded, not that there is no wait. See our full FOI tracker →
What these figures do and don't show
Waiting times only count people already on a waiting list. They do not capture people whose GP declined to refer them, people told they did not meet referral criteria, or people who gave up before reaching the list. A short waiting time in a given area does not necessarily mean faster access, it may reflect a more restrictive referral threshold that keeps the list shorter. These figures are the most accurate data available, but they are a partial picture of the real access problem. Separately, general children's mental health (CAMHS) waits, which are not broken down by ADHD or autism, are published by Public Health Scotland.
Current waiting times
Median weeks wait from GP referral to first assessment, plus total people waiting. Gathered through Freedom of Information requests, figures appear as boards respond.
194 weeks Longest adult ADHD wait, NHS Grampian (1,823 adults waiting)
8,886 Biggest adult ADHD waiting list, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
2 boards No dedicated adult ADHD or autism pathway: NHS Dumfries & Galloway and NHS Forth Valley
Full board-by-board summary
As of August 2026, thirteen of Scotland's 14 NHS health boards have responded. The longest adult ADHD wait is in NHS Grampian (Aberdeen City HSCP) at 194 weeks, with 1,823 adults on the waiting list. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Scotland's largest board, reports the biggest adult ADHD waiting list, 8,886 people, median 111 weeks board-wide, rising to 139 weeks with 4,907 waiting in Glasgow City alone, plus 2,641 waiting for adult autism assessment (65 weeks). NHS Ayrshire and Arran reports 132 weeks for adult ADHD (211 waiting) and 28 weeks for autism (21 waiting). NHS Highland reports 38 weeks for adult ADHD (433 waiting) and 127 weeks for adult autism (443 waiting), and does not hold CAMHS data under Section 17. NHS Fife has a 22-week wait for children's CAMHS (297 waiting), though adult ADHD and autism data was refused under Section 12. NHS Western Isles reports 52 weeks for adult ADHD (277 waiting); its adult autism figure is unreliable as no assessments have been completed since the service began in 2024. NHS Dumfries and Galloway confirmed under Section 17 of FOISA that there is no adult ADHD or autism assessment service in the board area (the children's CAMHS position was not confirmed, as the data is not held in a reportable format). NHS Forth Valley does not operate condition-specific ADHD or autism pathways; adults are seen through general community mental health teams. NHS Lanarkshire refused median waits under Section 12 (its neurodevelopmental service is not broken down by condition) but reported combined waiting lists of 3,592 adults and 11,094 children. NHS Borders does not record ADHD or autism waiting times electronically and has no digital medical records system, so all four figures were refused under Section 12. NHS Lothian cannot separate ADHD from autism, so its figures combine both conditions: adults wait a median of 177 weeks (12,769 waiting), the longest board-wide adult median reported so far, and under-18s 141.5 weeks (12,275 waiting), putting more than 25,000 people on its combined lists. NHS Tayside gave no median waits at all and only Dundee figures, 632 adults waiting for ADHD assessment and 885 for autism assessment, with the rest of the board and all CAMHS data not held. NHS Orkney also gave no median waits, reporting only combined neurodevelopmental counts, about 139 adults and 25 under-18s waiting, as it assesses ADHD and autism together and could not separate them. The remaining board, NHS Shetland, has not yet responded, blank cells do not mean no wait exists.
Wait time: Under 26 weeks 26–52 weeks Over 52 weeks No data yet
| Health board | ADHD | Autism | FOI status | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adultswks wait · on list | Under 18wks wait · on list | Adultswks wait · on list | Under 18wks wait · on list | ||
| NHS Ayrshire & Arran Ayrshire & Arran | 132.1 wks 211 waiting | 160.1 wks 470 waiting | 28 wks 21 waiting | 160 wks 800 waiting | Received 09/07/2026 View FOI response |
Notes & caveatsFigures were provided in days and converted to weeks by dividing by 7. Data as at 25 June 2026. Adult autism waiting list (21) is notably low, treat with caution. | |||||
| NHS Borders Scottish Borders | Refused under Section 12 — all four categories | Refused* 28/07/2026 View FOI response | |||
Notes & caveatsNHS Borders 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 might exist in individual records, but extracting them would require a manual trawl of every record, exceeding the £600 cost limit, so all four categories were refused under Section 12. Ref: 176-2627. | |||||
| NHS Dumfries & Galloway Dumfries & Galloway | No service | —CAMHS data not held in a reportable format (Section 17) | No service | —CAMHS data not held in a reportable format (Section 17) | No pathway 17/07/2026 View FOI response |
Notes & caveatsSection 17 refusal, no adult ADHD or autism service exists. CAMHS data refused under Section 17 (not held in a reportable format), response does not confirm whether a CAMHS pathway exists. Ref: 26-176. | |||||
| NHS Fife Fife | Refused* | 22 wks 297 waiting | Refused* | 89 wks 113 waiting | Partial 06/07/2026 View FOI response |
Notes & caveatsAdult ADHD & Adult Autism refused under Section 12 (est. cost £10,710, ~8,570 records). CAMHS figures are medians covering all cases triaged for assessment, from all referral routes (not just GP referrals); the letter does not state the point the wait is measured from. | |||||
| NHS Forth Valley Falkirk, Stirling & Clackmannanshire | Refused under Section 12 — all four categories | Refused* 10/07/2026 View FOI response | |||
Notes & caveatsNHS Forth Valley doesn't run separate ADHD or autism assessment services, so it couldn't provide the figures we asked for. ADULTS: adults are assessed through general community mental health teams (CMHTs) if they meet the referral criteria. There's a 12-week target for accepted referrals, but that's a target, not an actual measured wait, and it isn't specific to ADHD or autism. UNDER-18s: children's mental health services (CAMHS) use a 'Choice' appointment system, a median wait of 5 weeks with 431 young people waiting, but this covers all their referrals, not ADHD or autism specifically. All four figures we asked for were refused under Section 12 (the board said extracting them would cost more than the £600 legal limit). | |||||
| NHS Grampian Aberdeen, Moray & Aberdeenshire | 194 wks 1,823 waiting Aberdeen City only | — | 130 wks 1,838 waiting Aberdeen City + Moray | — | Partial 17/07/2026 View FOI response |
Notes & caveatsNHS Grampian is made up of three areas (HSCPs) that run their services differently, so the figures don't cover the whole board evenly. ADULTS: the adult ADHD figure (194 weeks, 1,823 waiting) is for Aberdeen City only. The adult autism figure (130 weeks, 1,838 waiting) combines Aberdeen City and Moray. Aberdeenshire has no adult ADHD or autism assessment service at all. In Moray, the adult ADHD waiting list has been inactive since September 2021 (the board's own description), 567 people are on it with no active service. UNDER-18s: 682 children are waiting for a first assessment across the board, but the board can't split this into ADHD and autism separately. A separate children's service has 2,220 more children waiting (around 49 weeks for urgent referrals, 70 weeks for routine), but that covers a mix of conditions, not just ADHD or autism. (FOI/2026/531.) | |||||
| NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde Glasgow, Clyde & surrounding areas | 111 wks 8,886 waiting Glasgow City far higher: 139 wks, 4,907 waiting | 120 wks 2,563 waiting Under-18s: ADHD & autism counted together | 65 wks 2,641 waiting | 105 wks 4,921 waiting School-age only, plus 2,060 pre-school waiting | Received 22/07/2026 View FOI response |
Notes & caveatsScotland's largest health board, it gave figures for all four categories, but adult and under-18 data are measured differently, so read them separately. ADULTS (ADHD and autism): the wait shown is how long people already on the list have been waiting so far, and the figures count everyone referred, not only people referred by a GP. Adult ADHD varies a lot by area, Glasgow City has by far the longest wait at 139 weeks with 4,907 people waiting, while smaller areas are much lower. The 111 weeks and 8,886 shown are the board-wide totals across all six areas (East Dunbartonshire 635 waiting / 56 weeks, East Renfrewshire 582 / 67, Inverclyde 296 / 84, Renfrewshire 2,207 / 88, West Dunbartonshire 259 / 58). UNDER-18s (CAMHS): the NHS runs one combined service that assesses ADHD, autism and other conditions together, so the ADHD and autism numbers can't be fully separated. The reason for referral isn't always recorded and can differ from the final diagnosis, and children seen elsewhere (for example in general CAMHS) aren't counted, so the true numbers are likely higher. The waits shown are for children referred by a GP. A further 3,056 under-18s are waiting for a combined ADHD-and-autism assessment. PRE-SCHOOL: a separate pathway has 2,060 young children waiting for autism assessment (no typical wait was given). The board also said children who were first seen in June 2026 had waited 90 weeks on average. Figures are from early July 2026 (FOI 2601315). | |||||
| NHS Highland Highland & Argyll & Bute | 38 wks 433 waiting | —CAMHS not held (Section 17) | 127 wks 443 waiting | —CAMHS not held (Section 17) | Partial 27/07/2026 View FOI response |
Notes & caveatsNHS Highland gave adult figures but does not hold CAMHS (under-18) data. ADULTS: adult ADHD median wait 38 weeks (433 waiting); adult autism median wait 127 weeks (443 waiting). The board notes it cannot tell from the data whether the first appointment was for screening, triage or assessment. UNDER-18s: under Section 17 of FOISA, NHS Highland does not hold aggregate CAMHS ADHD or autism waiting data. Children are not placed on the CAMHS list specifically for an ADHD or autism assessment; referrals must first meet CAMHS criteria (significant mental health concerns). General CAMHS waits are published separately by Public Health Scotland. Ref: FOI 29528. | |||||
| NHS Lanarkshire North & South Lanarkshire | Adults — ADHD, autism & other 3,592 waiting Under 18s — ADHD, autism & other 11,094 waiting Combined neurodevelopmental totals, not split by type; median waits refused under Section 12. | Refused* 24/07/2026 View FOI response | |||
Notes & caveatsNHS Lanarkshire's neurodevelopmental service isn't broken down by condition, so median waits for all four types were refused under Section 12 (extracting them would exceed the £600 cost limit). They did provide combined neurodevelopmental waiting-list totals (ADHD, autism and other conditions together, not split by type): 3,592 adults and 11,094 children waiting. | |||||
| NHS Lothian Edinburgh, Midlothian, East & West Lothian | Adults — ADHD & autism 177 wks 12,769 waiting Under 18s — ADHD & autism 141.5 wks 12,275 waiting Combined figures, cannot be split by condition; as at 22 July 2026. | Partial 30/07/2026 View FOI response | |||
Notes & caveatsNHS Lothian cannot report ADHD and autism assessments separately. After a clarification exchange, the board confirmed by email that it would provide a combined summary covering both conditions together, so all figures are combined neurodevelopmental totals, not ADHD-only or autism-only. ADULTS: median wait to assessment 177 weeks (about 3 years 5 months), the longest board-wide adult median reported by any Scottish board (NHS Grampian's higher 194-week figure covers Aberdeen City only), with 12,769 adults waiting. UNDER-18s (CAMHS): median wait 141.5 weeks, with 12,275 children waiting. More than 25,000 people in total were on Lothian's combined waiting lists at 22 July 2026. The response (ref 11646, dated 30 July) arrived after both the statutory deadline of 23 July and the extended deadline of 27 July that the board had set itself. | |||||
| NHS Orkney Orkney Islands | —≈139 waiting (ADHD & autism combined); no median given | —25 waiting (CAMHS combined ND); no median given | —Combined with ADHD (≈139 total); no median given | —Combined with ADHD (25 total); no median given | Partial 11/08/2026 |
Notes & caveatsNHS Orkney runs a single neurodevelopmental (ND) service that assesses ADHD and autism together, so it cannot separate ADHD from autism figures, and it gave no median waits. ADULTS: around 139 people were waiting for a combined ADHD and/or autism assessment. No median was provided, the board says waits depend on individual clinical need, referral complexity and capacity. As a reference point, in August 2026 the service was assessing adults referred in November 2024, roughly 21 months earlier. UNDER-18s (CAMHS): 25 children and young people were on the CAMHS neurodevelopmental assessment waiting list. There is no separate paediatric ND service, and the pathway covers children already open to CAMHS with complex mental health needs, so an ADHD-only figure could not be given. Ref: 202627-138. | |||||
| NHS Shetland Shetland Islands | — | — | — | — | Awaiting |
Notes & caveatsNo response within statutory timescale. NHS Shetland acknowledges breach of FOISA and offered s20 review right. Promised response by Fri 7 Aug 2026. Note: Shetland issues a new case number per email; original request 24 June 2026, latest ref FOI/1807. | |||||
| NHS Tayside Dundee, Perth & Kinross, Angus | —632 waiting (Dundee only); no median given | —CAMHS not held (Section 17) | —885 waiting (Dundee only); no median given | —CAMHS not held (Section 17) | Partial 10/08/2026 |
Notes & caveatsNHS Tayside gave waiting-list headcounts but no median waiting times, and only for Dundee. ADULTS (Dundee HSCP): 632 people waiting for an ADHD-related appointment and 885 for an autism-related appointment. The board could not give a median wait for either, it says it cannot reliably identify which referrals came from GPs (ADHD), and its Trakcare referral system does not record the clinical reason for a referral, so autism assessments can't be separated from referrals of all kinds. Angus and Perth & Kinross HSCPs hold no separate ADHD or autism figures (Section 17), so these counts cover Dundee only, not the whole board. Because the board does not hold this data in reportable form for those two areas, individuals in Perth & Kinross and Angus also cannot be told their own position on the waiting list or how long they are likely to wait. UNDER-18s (CAMHS): no ADHD- or autism-specific pathway and the figures are not held (Section 17). Tayside CAMHS also stopped accepting new neurodevelopmental referrals in March 2025. Ref: IGTFOISA26481. | |||||
| NHS Western Isles Outer Hebrides (Eilean Siar) | 52.3 wks 277 waiting | 2.3 wks Counts all referrals, not GP only | 24.9 wks 78 waiting Service has completed none since 2024, treat with caution | 69.3 wks | Received 09/07/2026 View FOI response |
Notes & caveatsNHS Western Isles is a small board that runs its services differently from most, so the figures need care. Its neurodevelopmental (ND) assessment service only started in August 2024. ADULTS: adult ADHD is assessed by a separate community psychiatric nurse (CPN) team, 52.3 weeks, with 277 people waiting. Adult autism is listed at 24.9 weeks, but the board says the ND team (which assesses adult autism) has completed no adult autism assessments since it started in August 2024, so it can't give a true median, treat 24.9 with caution. There's no separate adult-autism waiting-list count; adult neurodevelopmental referrals (78 people) are counted together. UNDER-18s: separate median waits were given for children's ADHD (2.3 weeks, this counts all referral sources, not just GP referrals, as a breakdown wasn't available) and children's autism (69.3 weeks); the combined under-18 neurodevelopmental wait is 70.3 weeks. The waiting-list count isn't split by condition, 164 children are on the combined under-18 list. These assessments are run by the ND team, separately from CAMHS. Waiting lists at 30 June 2026: adult ADHD 277, adult neurodevelopmental 78, under-18 neurodevelopmental 164. (FOI 356-2026.) | |||||
NHS Ayrshire & Arran Ayrshire & Arran
Received ADHD Adults 132.1 wks 211 waiting
ADHD Under 18 160.1 wks 470 waiting
Autism Adults 28 wks 21 waiting
Autism U18 160 wks 800 waiting
Notes & caveats
Figures were provided in days and converted to weeks by dividing by 7. Data as at 25 June 2026. Adult autism waiting list (21) is notably low, treat with caution. NHS Borders Scottish Borders
Refused* Refused under Section 12 — all four categories
Notes & caveats
NHS Borders 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 might exist in individual records, but extracting them would require a manual trawl of every record, exceeding the £600 cost limit, so all four categories were refused under Section 12. Ref: 176-2627. NHS Dumfries & Galloway Dumfries & Galloway
No pathway ADHD Adults No service
ADHD Under 18 —CAMHS data not held in a reportable format (Section 17)
Autism Adults No service
Autism U18 —CAMHS data not held in a reportable format (Section 17)
Notes & caveats
Section 17 refusal, no adult ADHD or autism service exists. CAMHS data refused under Section 17 (not held in a reportable format), response does not confirm whether a CAMHS pathway exists. Ref: 26-176. NHS Fife Fife
Partial ADHD Adults Refused*
ADHD Under 18 22 wks 297 waiting
Autism Adults Refused*
Autism U18 89 wks 113 waiting
Notes & caveats
Adult ADHD & Adult Autism refused under Section 12 (est. cost £10,710, ~8,570 records). CAMHS figures are medians covering all cases triaged for assessment, from all referral routes (not just GP referrals); the letter does not state the point the wait is measured from. NHS Forth Valley Falkirk, Stirling & Clackmannanshire
Refused* Refused under Section 12 — all four categories
Notes & caveats
NHS Forth Valley doesn't run separate ADHD or autism assessment services, so it couldn't provide the figures we asked for. ADULTS: adults are assessed through general community mental health teams (CMHTs) if they meet the referral criteria. There's a 12-week target for accepted referrals, but that's a target, not an actual measured wait, and it isn't specific to ADHD or autism. UNDER-18s: children's mental health services (CAMHS) use a 'Choice' appointment system, a median wait of 5 weeks with 431 young people waiting, but this covers all their referrals, not ADHD or autism specifically. All four figures we asked for were refused under Section 12 (the board said extracting them would cost more than the £600 legal limit). NHS Grampian Aberdeen, Moray & Aberdeenshire
Partial ADHD Adults 194 wks 1,823 waiting Aberdeen City only
ADHD Under 18 —
Autism Adults 130 wks 1,838 waiting Aberdeen City + Moray
Autism U18 —
Notes & caveats
NHS Grampian is made up of three areas (HSCPs) that run their services differently, so the figures don't cover the whole board evenly. ADULTS: the adult ADHD figure (194 weeks, 1,823 waiting) is for Aberdeen City only. The adult autism figure (130 weeks, 1,838 waiting) combines Aberdeen City and Moray. Aberdeenshire has no adult ADHD or autism assessment service at all. In Moray, the adult ADHD waiting list has been inactive since September 2021 (the board's own description), 567 people are on it with no active service. UNDER-18s: 682 children are waiting for a first assessment across the board, but the board can't split this into ADHD and autism separately. A separate children's service has 2,220 more children waiting (around 49 weeks for urgent referrals, 70 weeks for routine), but that covers a mix of conditions, not just ADHD or autism. (FOI/2026/531.) NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde Glasgow, Clyde & surrounding areas
Received ADHD Adults 111 wks 8,886 waiting Glasgow City far higher: 139 wks, 4,907 waiting
ADHD Under 18 120 wks 2,563 waiting Under-18s: ADHD & autism counted together
Autism Adults 65 wks 2,641 waiting
Autism U18 105 wks 4,921 waiting School-age only, plus 2,060 pre-school waiting
Notes & caveats
Scotland's largest health board, it gave figures for all four categories, but adult and under-18 data are measured differently, so read them separately. ADULTS (ADHD and autism): the wait shown is how long people already on the list have been waiting so far, and the figures count everyone referred, not only people referred by a GP. Adult ADHD varies a lot by area, Glasgow City has by far the longest wait at 139 weeks with 4,907 people waiting, while smaller areas are much lower. The 111 weeks and 8,886 shown are the board-wide totals across all six areas (East Dunbartonshire 635 waiting / 56 weeks, East Renfrewshire 582 / 67, Inverclyde 296 / 84, Renfrewshire 2,207 / 88, West Dunbartonshire 259 / 58). UNDER-18s (CAMHS): the NHS runs one combined service that assesses ADHD, autism and other conditions together, so the ADHD and autism numbers can't be fully separated. The reason for referral isn't always recorded and can differ from the final diagnosis, and children seen elsewhere (for example in general CAMHS) aren't counted, so the true numbers are likely higher. The waits shown are for children referred by a GP. A further 3,056 under-18s are waiting for a combined ADHD-and-autism assessment. PRE-SCHOOL: a separate pathway has 2,060 young children waiting for autism assessment (no typical wait was given). The board also said children who were first seen in June 2026 had waited 90 weeks on average. Figures are from early July 2026 (FOI 2601315). NHS Highland Highland & Argyll & Bute
Partial ADHD Adults 38 wks 433 waiting
ADHD Under 18 —CAMHS not held (Section 17)
Autism Adults 127 wks 443 waiting
Autism U18 —CAMHS not held (Section 17)
Notes & caveats
NHS Highland gave adult figures but does not hold CAMHS (under-18) data. ADULTS: adult ADHD median wait 38 weeks (433 waiting); adult autism median wait 127 weeks (443 waiting). The board notes it cannot tell from the data whether the first appointment was for screening, triage or assessment. UNDER-18s: under Section 17 of FOISA, NHS Highland does not hold aggregate CAMHS ADHD or autism waiting data. Children are not placed on the CAMHS list specifically for an ADHD or autism assessment; referrals must first meet CAMHS criteria (significant mental health concerns). General CAMHS waits are published separately by Public Health Scotland. Ref: FOI 29528. NHS Lanarkshire North & South Lanarkshire
Refused* Adults — ADHD, autism & other 3,592 waiting
Under 18s — ADHD, autism & other 11,094 waiting
Combined neurodevelopmental totals, not split by type; median waits refused under Section 12. Notes & caveats
NHS Lanarkshire's neurodevelopmental service isn't broken down by condition, so median waits for all four types were refused under Section 12 (extracting them would exceed the £600 cost limit). They did provide combined neurodevelopmental waiting-list totals (ADHD, autism and other conditions together, not split by type): 3,592 adults and 11,094 children waiting. NHS Lothian Edinburgh, Midlothian, East & West Lothian
Partial Adults — ADHD & autism 177 wks 12,769 waiting
Under 18s — ADHD & autism 141.5 wks 12,275 waiting
Combined figures, cannot be split by condition; as at 22 July 2026. Notes & caveats
NHS Lothian cannot report ADHD and autism assessments separately. After a clarification exchange, the board confirmed by email that it would provide a combined summary covering both conditions together, so all figures are combined neurodevelopmental totals, not ADHD-only or autism-only. ADULTS: median wait to assessment 177 weeks (about 3 years 5 months), the longest board-wide adult median reported by any Scottish board (NHS Grampian's higher 194-week figure covers Aberdeen City only), with 12,769 adults waiting. UNDER-18s (CAMHS): median wait 141.5 weeks, with 12,275 children waiting. More than 25,000 people in total were on Lothian's combined waiting lists at 22 July 2026. The response (ref 11646, dated 30 July) arrived after both the statutory deadline of 23 July and the extended deadline of 27 July that the board had set itself. NHS Orkney Orkney Islands
Partial ADHD Adults —≈139 waiting (ADHD & autism combined); no median given
ADHD Under 18 —25 waiting (CAMHS combined ND); no median given
Autism Adults —Combined with ADHD (≈139 total); no median given
Autism U18 —Combined with ADHD (25 total); no median given
Notes & caveats
NHS Orkney runs a single neurodevelopmental (ND) service that assesses ADHD and autism together, so it cannot separate ADHD from autism figures, and it gave no median waits. ADULTS: around 139 people were waiting for a combined ADHD and/or autism assessment. No median was provided, the board says waits depend on individual clinical need, referral complexity and capacity. As a reference point, in August 2026 the service was assessing adults referred in November 2024, roughly 21 months earlier. UNDER-18s (CAMHS): 25 children and young people were on the CAMHS neurodevelopmental assessment waiting list. There is no separate paediatric ND service, and the pathway covers children already open to CAMHS with complex mental health needs, so an ADHD-only figure could not be given. Ref: 202627-138. NHS Shetland Shetland Islands
Awaiting ADHD Adults —
ADHD Under 18 —
Autism Adults —
Autism U18 —
Notes & caveats
No response within statutory timescale. NHS Shetland acknowledges breach of FOISA and offered s20 review right. Promised response by Fri 7 Aug 2026. Note: Shetland issues a new case number per email; original request 24 June 2026, latest ref FOI/1807. NHS Tayside Dundee, Perth & Kinross, Angus
Partial ADHD Adults —632 waiting (Dundee only); no median given
ADHD Under 18 —CAMHS not held (Section 17)
Autism Adults —885 waiting (Dundee only); no median given
Autism U18 —CAMHS not held (Section 17)
Notes & caveats
NHS Tayside gave waiting-list headcounts but no median waiting times, and only for Dundee. ADULTS (Dundee HSCP): 632 people waiting for an ADHD-related appointment and 885 for an autism-related appointment. The board could not give a median wait for either, it says it cannot reliably identify which referrals came from GPs (ADHD), and its Trakcare referral system does not record the clinical reason for a referral, so autism assessments can't be separated from referrals of all kinds. Angus and Perth & Kinross HSCPs hold no separate ADHD or autism figures (Section 17), so these counts cover Dundee only, not the whole board. Because the board does not hold this data in reportable form for those two areas, individuals in Perth & Kinross and Angus also cannot be told their own position on the waiting list or how long they are likely to wait. UNDER-18s (CAMHS): no ADHD- or autism-specific pathway and the figures are not held (Section 17). Tayside CAMHS also stopped accepting new neurodevelopmental referrals in March 2025. Ref: IGTFOISA26481. NHS Western Isles Outer Hebrides (Eilean Siar)
Received ADHD Adults 52.3 wks 277 waiting
ADHD Under 18 2.3 wks Counts all referrals, not GP only
Autism Adults 24.9 wks 78 waiting Service has completed none since 2024, treat with caution
Autism U18 69.3 wks
Notes & caveats
NHS Western Isles is a small board that runs its services differently from most, so the figures need care. Its neurodevelopmental (ND) assessment service only started in August 2024. ADULTS: adult ADHD is assessed by a separate community psychiatric nurse (CPN) team, 52.3 weeks, with 277 people waiting. Adult autism is listed at 24.9 weeks, but the board says the ND team (which assesses adult autism) has completed no adult autism assessments since it started in August 2024, so it can't give a true median, treat 24.9 with caution. There's no separate adult-autism waiting-list count; adult neurodevelopmental referrals (78 people) are counted together. UNDER-18s: separate median waits were given for children's ADHD (2.3 weeks, this counts all referral sources, not just GP referrals, as a breakdown wasn't available) and children's autism (69.3 weeks); the combined under-18 neurodevelopmental wait is 70.3 weeks. The waiting-list count isn't split by condition, 164 children are on the combined under-18 list. These assessments are run by the ND team, separately from CAMHS. Waiting lists at 30 June 2026: adult ADHD 277, adult neurodevelopmental 78, under-18 neurodevelopmental 164. (FOI 356-2026.)Waiting times are self-reported by health boards in response to FOI requests submitted by ADHD Scot under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. They represent point-in-time data and may not reflect current waits. Full request and response records are available in our FOI tracker.
FOI status key:
Received Full waiting time data provided by the board
Partial Response received but some data not available or not recorded separately
Refused, S.12 Section 12: data may exist but extracting it would exceed the £600 cost limit, does not mean no waiting list
No pathway Section 17: NHS Dumfries & Galloway confirmed no adult service exists. CAMHS status not confirmed, data not held in a reportable format
Awaiting FOI request sent, response not yet received, blank cells do not mean no wait exists
Waits at a glance
Median wait to assessment in weeks, as reported by each board under FOI. Boards measure differently, so read the footnotes; the table above has the full caveats.
ADHD Autism ADHD & autism combined
NHS GrampianADHD: Aberdeen City only · autism: Aberdeen City + Moray
NHS Lothiancannot split by condition
NHS Ayrshire & Arran
NHS Highland
NHS Greater Glasgow & ClydeGlasgow City ADHD alone: 139 wks, 4,907 waiting
NHS Western Islesautism figure unreliable, no assessments completed since 2024
One year = 52 weeks. Source: FOI responses to ADHD Scot, June–August 2026 · adhdscot.co.uk/nhs-waiting-times
ADHD Autism ADHD & autism combined
NHS Ayrshire & Arran
NHS Lothiancannot split by condition
NHS Greater Glasgow & ClydeADHD & autism counted together; autism is school-age only
NHS Fifeall referral routes, not GP only
NHS Western Isles164 children on the combined list
One year = 52 weeks. Source: FOI responses to ADHD Scot, June–August 2026 · adhdscot.co.uk/nhs-waiting-times
Not chartable: NHS Lanarkshire refused median waits under Section 12 but reported 3,592 adults and 11,094 children on its combined neurodevelopmental lists. NHS Borders refused all figures (paper records). NHS Dumfries & Galloway has no adult service and holds no reportable children's data. NHS Highland holds no children's data. NHS Tayside gave no median waits, only Dundee waiting-list counts (632 adults for ADHD, 885 for autism); the rest was not held. NHS Orkney gave no median waits either, only combined neurodevelopmental counts (about 139 adults and 25 under-18s) and could not separate ADHD from autism. NHS Shetland has not responded.
How to access NHS assessment
The pathway varies by health board and by whether you are an adult or a child.
Adults (18+)
- Speak to your GP and ask for a referral for ADHD or autism assessment via your local NHS mental health or neurodevelopmental service.
- Your GP may ask you to complete a questionnaire before referring. Completing one in advance can help, try the ADHD self-screener or autism screener, or the WFIRS-S (how ADHD affects your daily life) to bring to your appointment.
- You are entitled to ask your GP for a referral. They cannot refuse without clinical reason.
- Once referred, you will be placed on the waiting list for your health board's assessment service. Wait times vary significantly.
Children & young people (under 18)
- Speak to your child's GP or school. Schools can also make referrals to CAMHS in some boards.
- Referrals go to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) or a dedicated neurodevelopmental team.
- The process and wait times for CAMHS differ from adult services, often significantly longer in some areas.
- Ask your GP specifically for a neurodevelopmental assessment referral, not just a general CAMHS referral.
All 14 NHS Scotland health boards
Links to each board's website for referral information, service details, and contact information.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran Ayrshire & Arran NHS Borders Scottish Borders NHS Dumfries & Galloway Dumfries & Galloway NHS Fife Fife NHS Forth Valley Falkirk, Stirling & Clackmannanshire NHS Grampian Aberdeen, Moray & Aberdeenshire NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde Glasgow, Clyde & surrounding areas NHS Highland Highland & Argyll & Bute NHS Lanarkshire North & South Lanarkshire NHS Lothian Edinburgh, Midlothian, East & West Lothian NHS Orkney Orkney Islands NHS Shetland Shetland Islands NHS Tayside Dundee, Perth & Kinross, Angus NHS Western Isles Outer Hebrides (Eilean Siar)
About this data
All waiting time figures on this page are gathered by ADHD Scot through Freedom of Information requests submitted to each health board under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Boards must respond within 20 working days.
Data is published here as responses arrive, with the date each figure was provided. Figures represent a point-in-time snapshot. Actual current waits may differ. Where a board provides a range rather than an average, we show the range.
Your rights
Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, health boards must acknowledge FOI requests within 3 working days and respond within 20 working days.
If a board misses the deadline or refuses a request without good reason, you can complain to the Scottish Information Commissioner, who can require the board to release the information.
If you believe waiting time data in your area is inaccurate or has changed, let us know and we will follow up.
Citing this data
Data collected by ADHD Scot through FOISA requests may be reproduced freely with attribution. Suggested citation for journalists, researchers, and bloggers:
ADHD Scot, NHS ADHD and autism waiting times in Scotland [date accessed]. adhdscot.co.uk/nhs-waiting-times, data obtained via Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
FOI reference numbers for each board are listed in the FOI request tracker. If you're writing about this data and need the original response documents, get in touch.
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