What is ADHD?

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a behavioural disorder that includes symptoms such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

People who have ADHD may have difficulties in staying focused, have problems in meeting deadlines, be disorganised or easily distracted. Those displaying signs of hyperactivity will have difficulty in staying still, will often talk over others and may be inpatient with people. Impulsiveness may give rise to rash and unpredictable behaviours.

ADHD affects people in different ways and not everyone will display all the symptoms, or the same symptoms in the same way.

Some people may receive an ADHD diagnosis as a child. Childhood behaviours tend to persist to adulthood but they may change or diminish over time. Some people learn to mask their symptoms of ADHD through coping strategies as they grow up.

Who is this service for?

Oxfordshire’s ADHD Service is a part-time service that supports adults who have ADHD. The service provides:

• Support to get a diagnosis and medication.
• Diagnostic assessment for new patients.
• Support to GPs and adult mental health teams.

How do I get referred to the service?

Patients seen by this service are referred by GPs, the adult mental health team and inpatient services.

What happens once a referral has been made?

You will be asked to complete two questionnaires and then we will need some information about you from others. This is usually a parent or sibling so we can identify how you were as a child.

You will then receive an appointment for an assessment. The majority of clinics will be undertaken digitally (via Microsoft Teams), and if necessary, face-to-face appointments will be offered in Green Tree Lodge at Warneford Hospital.

Once we have enough information we will produce a full report that will be shared with you and the professionals working with you.

We’ll discuss different approaches available to meet your needs, and if a diagnosis is given, treatment options will be discussed with you. We will also signpost you to appropriate services to meet any identified needs.