AQW 37487/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Health
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the number of (i) adults; and (ii) children, currently awaiting assessment for ADHD, broken down by Health and Social Care Trust.
Asked by Danny Donnelly MLA on 5 January 2026
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 5 January 2026
- Answer due by
- 20 January 2026
- Answered
- 6 February 202632 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
Answer
There is currently no commissioned service for ADHD in Northern Ireland and therefore HSC Trusts do not regularly provide information on ADHD waiting times. The information provided below is management information sourced from Trusts' manual returns, and not official statistics. The implementation of Encompass from 2024 has impacted on both the returning of data and confidence in its accuracy. In light of this HSC Trusts are currently completing validation exercises to assess the robustness of their data returns. The figures for ADHD waits were collated and provided by individual Trusts for waiting times in October 2025.
(i) Number of patients on waiting list for ADHD assessment
Adults
| Number of Adults waiting for ADHD assessment | |
| HSC Trust | Current waiting list* |
| Belfast | 3,984 |
| Northern | N/A |
| South Eastern | 3,889** |
| Southern | N/A |
| Western | N/A |
| Total | 7,873 |
**The waitlist figures provided by South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust are unvalidated as the Trust continue to implement Encompass. They are reflective of all new referrals and those waiting a new patient appointment for the overall ADHD service which will extend beyond waiting an assessment for diagnosis.
(a) Number of patients on an ADHD assessment waiting list
Children and Young People
| Number of Children waiting for ADHD Diagnostic Assessment | |||
| HSC Trust | Paediatric waiting list | CAMHS waiting list | Total |
| Belfast | 1,366 | 0 | 1,366 |
| Northern | 2,055 | N/A | 2,055 |
| South Eastern | 1,776 | 9* | 1,788 |
| Southern | N/A | 751 | 751 |
| Western | 452 | N/A | 452 |
| Total | 5,649 | 760 | 6,409 |
*Belfast Health and Social Care Trust deliver CAMHS across both Belfast and South Eastern Trust areas. Their CAMHS service will undertake ADHD assessments if required for those children and young people open to CAMHS with a co-morbid mental health condition. Currently there are 9 young people waiting within South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust CAMHS for an ADHD assessment.