Guidance for NHS General Practitioners

We provide structured ADHD titration and medication management following diagnosis.

Some patients arrive well-informed about ADHD medication and may request specific options. Here we share some insight into our titration process and the types of medication we can and cannot prescribe.

Our Formulary (NICE compliant)

First-line options (adults):

• Methylphenidate
• Lisdexamfetamine

If not tolerated or effective, Atomoxetine (a non-stimulant) may be prescribed.

Treatment plans are personalised – balancing clinical suitability, lifestyle factors and patient preference.

Approximately 70–80% of patients report symptom improvement with stimulant medication.

Download our ADHD Medication Guide >

What GPs receive after assessment

After your patient’s assessment, you will receive:

• A detailed clinical report summarising assessment outcomes and recommendations
• Information on any follow-up investigations required for patients considering medication treatment

Shared Care Arrangements

Following titration, we will contact you to discuss a Shared Care Agreement, ensuring safe and consistent prescribing.

Depending on local NHS arrangements, patients reaching a stable dose may be discharged back to their local ADHD service.

Download Shared Care Guidance for GPs >

We invest continually in digital tools that enhance safety, efficiency and patient experience.

TwynSyght: AI-driven safeguarding tool identifying clinical risks in real time

QareScrybe: AI transcription drafting consultant-grade clinical letters within minutes

QareAssist (coming soon): Supports patients in completing pre-assessment forms accurately and efficiently

As a national provider we won’t show up like a local service. (You can find us with our postcode which is PL32 9PG)

We are listed as Psychiatry UK (Psych-UK Limited) .

As of 9th October how you can find us on eRS has changed due to new NHSD guidelines.

Our services will both now be listed under the speciality: Mental Health (Adults)

Our ADHD service will be in the clinic types: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Neurodevelopmental Conditions (excluding Autism)

Our ASD service will be in the clinic type: Autism

Guidance for NHS GP practices on how to refer to our Children and Young Persons (CYP) Autism Service.  

Psychiatry UK provides NHS-funded ADHD and autism services through Right to Choose for eligible patients registered with a GP in England. 

Our NHS Right to Choose services 

You can refer eligible patients for: 

Service	Age
Adult ADHD assessment	18+
Adult Autism Assessment
Children and Young Person’s Autism assessment	Ages 8–18
Adult ADHD medication treatment	Following diagnosis, where clinically appropriate

We do not currently provide NHS Right to Choose ADHD assessments for patients under 18. 

Waiting times vary by service. There is currently no waiting list for our Children and Young People’s Autism Service. 

Adult ADHD and autism services have separate waiting times, which are published and updated on our website. 

New: Right to Choose autism assessments for children and young people 

Psychiatry UK now provides NHS-funded autism assessments through Right to Choose for children and young people from age 8. 

The pathway is divided by age: 

Children aged 8–10 

Parents or guardians play an important role in the assessment process and provide information about the child’s development, experiences and everyday life. 

The child is also involved in a way that is appropriate for their age and understanding. 

Young people aged 11 to 18.

*If young person is aged over 17 years 9 months, they will be referred to our Adult Autism Service. 

The young person is directly involved in their assessment and decisions about their care. 

Consent and parent or guardian involvement are considered individually, taking account of the young person’s age, understanding and circumstances. 

Where appropriate and safe, young people may also be offered an opportunity to speak with their clinician privately. 

From 18 years 

Patients are referred to our Adult Autism Service. 

 

How the Children and Young People’s Autism Service works 

The service is delivered fully online. 

There is currently no waiting list for our NHS Right to Choose autism assessment service for children and young people. 

Following an accepted referral: 

1. The patient and/or parent or guardian is given information about using our MedQare patient portal. 

1. The required pre-assessment information and questionnaires are completed. 

1. Information is also gathered from the child’s or young person’s school, education setting or another professional who knows them well. 

1. Once we have all the information needed for the assessment, the patient and/or family is contacted about booking. 

1. The assessment includes a clinical assessment, structured observation and multidisciplinary review. 

1. The assessment outcome and recommended next steps are explained. 

1. A written report and relevant support information are provided. 

1. A follow-up appointment gives the young person and/or family an opportunity to discuss the outcome, report and next steps. 

Appointment availability can change. We will give patients and families the latest information once their referral has been accepted. 

We will confirm consent, parental responsibility and information-sharing arrangements as part of the pathway. 

Please include any known care, court, safeguarding or parental responsibility arrangements with the referral where these may affect communication or decision-making. 

  

How to refer a patient 

1. Choose the appropriate service

Please check that the patient meets the age requirements for the service you are referring to. 

For autism referrals: 

• Ages 8–18: Children’s Autism Service. 

• From 18: Adult Autism Service. 

For ADHD referrals, our NHS Right to Choose assessment service is currently for patients aged 18 and over. 

  

2. Check suitability for an online service

Psychiatry UK is a fully online provider. 

Before referring, please consider whether the patient is clinically and practically able to take part in an online assessment, with reasonable adjustments or appropriate support where needed. 

Please tell us about any communication, sensory, learning, accessibility or other needs that may affect how the patient takes part. 

  

3. Complete the correct referral form

Please use the appropriate Psychiatry UK referral form for the service required. 

The patient’s date of birth will determine whether they enter the Children’s or Young People’s Autism pathway. 

• Download GP Adult Referral Form Template (word doc) 

• Download GP Children and Young People Form Template (word doc) 

• Download EMIS GP Referral Form Template (word doc) 

SystmOne Adults and CYP, and EMIS CYP Referral forms coming soon. 

 

4. Include the clinical information we need

Please make sure the referral contains all mandatory information. 

This should include: 

• The reason for referral and relevant clinical concerns. 

• Relevant medical and developmental history. 

• Current medication. 

• Relevant physical and mental health conditions. 

• Any known risk or safeguarding information. 

• Previous assessments, referrals or interventions where relevant. 

• The patient’s medical summary. 

• The contact information requested on the referral form. 

• Any known legal, care, court or parental responsibility arrangements that may affect consent or communication for a child or young person. 

Please complete all mandatory fields. Missing information may delay the referral being accepted. 

You do not need to gather all school or education information before referring a child or young person. Where this is required for the assessment, we will explain what information is needed during the pre-assessment process. 

  

5. Submit the referral through eRS

Patient self-referrals cannot be accepted. 

Referrals must be submitted by an appropriate healthcare professional through the NHS e-Referral Service (eRS). 

Adult ADHD and Adult Autism 

Psychiatry UK is listed on eRS as: 

Organisation: Psychiatry UK (Psych-UK Limited)
Specialty: Mental Health – Adults of All Ages
Clinic type: Psychological Disorders/Difficulties or Not Otherwise Specified 

You can also search using our postcode: PL32. 

Children and Young People’s Autism 

Psychiatry UK is listed on eRS as: 

Organisation: Psychiatry UK (Psych-UK Limited)
Specialty: Mental Health – Child and Adolescent
Clinic type: Not Otherwise Specified 

You can also search using our postcode: PL32. 

If you are unable to find the appropriate Psychiatry UK service on eRS, please contact our Referrals Team: 

rtc-referrals@psychiatry-uk.com 

  

What happens after you refer? 

Referral review 

We aim to process referrals within around two weeks. 

If information is missing, we may need to contact the practice before the referral can be accepted. 

Once a referral has been accepted, we contact the patient and/or parent or guardian directly with information about what happens next. 

  

Adult ADHD and Adult Autism 

Patients referred to our adult services are added to the appropriate assessment waiting list once their referral has been accepted. 

We contact patients directly about: 

• Setting up and using their MedQare patient portal. 

• Forms and questionnaires they need to complete. 

• Important updates. 

• Booking their assessment when we are able to progress their referral. 

Patients do not need to contact their GP practice or Psychiatry UK to maintain their place on the waiting list. 

Current estimated adult waiting times are published on our website and may vary where local NHS funding restrictions apply. 

Children and Young People’s Autism 

There is currently no waiting list for our Children and Young People’s Autism Service. 

Once the referral has been accepted, we contact the young person and/or their parent or guardian with information about: 

• Setting up and using the MedQare patient portal. 

• Pre-assessment forms and questionnaires. 

• Information needed from school, an education setting or another professional. 

• Any consent, parental responsibility or information-sharing arrangements that need to be confirmed. 

• Booking the assessment once we have all the information we need. 

Patients and families do not need to contact the GP practice to check the progress of an accepted referral. We will contact them when there is an update or something they need to do. 

Appointment availability can change, so we will provide the latest information directly to patients and families as their referral progresses. 

  

Assessment and reporting 

Assessments are delivered remotely by clinicians with appropriate expertise in the condition and age group being assessed. 

Following assessment, we provide a clinical report setting out the outcome, findings and recommended next steps. 

For autism assessments, the patient and/or family also receives relevant information and signposting to ongoing support.