Left Waiting: The Hidden Cost of the ADHD Crisis

(A response to the BBC’s findings on NHS ADHD services closing to new patients)

If you have read this week’s BBC article, “ADHD services shutting door to new NHS patients as demand soars,” you’ll know what so many of us have quietly known for years — the system is at breaking point.

Across the UK, adults are being turned away from ADHD services or told the waiting list is closed. For many women, this means living in limbo — knowing something isn’t quite right, but being unable to access the help that could change everything.

The truth is, this crisis didn’t appear overnight.

For decades, women were missed, masked, or mislabelled and called anxious, hormonal, or ‘just a bit scattered. Now that awareness is finally catching up, the system is not equipped to handle the surge in demand.

And it’s not just about diagnosis.

The real heartbreak lies in what happens after — or rather, what doesn’t. So many women find themselves with a label, but no guidance, no aftercare, and no emotional support to navigate what this means for their lives.

As an ADHD and holistic coach, I see the human side of this story every day. The women who come to me are not chasing a diagnosis — they are searching for understanding. They are tired of feeling out of sync with their minds, of burning out, and of constantly wondering why things feel harder than they should.

While we can’t fix the NHS crisis overnight, we can start bridging the gap.

This begins with compassion. With accessible education. With learning practical tools that calm the mind, restore self-trust, and help you create small systems that actually work for your brain.

Diagnosis is just one part of the journey ……. but living well with ADHD takes so much more.

And even if the system can not yet meet the demand, we can meet each other - in community, in understanding, and in the shared belief that we deserve more than waiting lists.

Because the wait for support shouldn’t mean waiting to live your life.

If you are currently waiting for an assessment or feeling unsure where to turn next, you are not alone.

My coaching offers a gentle, practical space to help you find clarity, calm, and control while you wait — and beyond. For further information on how I can support you, or to book a complimentary discovery call, contact me HERE.