Unprecedented demand for ADHD assessments in Worcestershire means people are waiting years to get support.
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care Trust said the county’s Community Paediatrics service faced an “unsustainable pressure” in referrals.
Nine-year-old Corey has an ADHD diagnosis and his family said medication had helped him at school. But they say they have been waiting five years for an autism assessment.
His dad said the long delay was emotionally draining.
The health and care trust said waiting times for all neurodivergence assessments had been made worse by an “unprecedented demand” for ADHD tests.
Thousands of adults in Worcestershire are currently seeking an assessment.
“People ask us why we’re pushing for [an autism] diagnosis. It’s because Corey’s known as the naughty kid, the disruptive kid, the mad kid… when he’s basically just a kid with extra needs,” said Corey's father Adrian, of Stourport.
