Private psychiatry companies are routinely misdiagnosing ADHD in children and must face tighter regulation, a government review led by Professor Peter Fonagy of University College London will conclude this week. The report, commissioned by former health secretary Wes Streeting, finds that most NHS-funded ADHD assessments now occur in the private sector—a 'market failure' inflating diagnosis rates. It will recommend a Care Quality Commission investigation of private clinics and a ban on advertising NHS-funded assessments.

Waiting lists have driven families to private providers, with over half of NHS-funded ADHD assessments now conducted by independent firms, leading to rushed consultations and wrong diagnoses. The report urges schools to decouple support from diagnosis and promote non-medical responses like social prescribing. While acknowledging private sector capacity, it warns that market incentives compromise diagnostic accuracy.

Henry Shelford of ADHD UK defended private clinics, citing NHS failures as the root cause of private sector reliance.