Address
Lancaster House
Falcon Court
Westland Way
Preston Farm Industrial Estate
Stockton-On-Tees
TS18 3TS
Telephone
Service opening hours
Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm
What is the adult ADHD service?
The adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) service provides a specialist assessment, diagnostic and treatment service for adults with a suspected ADHD.
The service also offers advice on care management to individuals with a pre-existing diagnosis of ADHD at the request of other professionals involved with a person’s care.
Our team
In our team we have:
- consultant psychiatrist specialising in adult ADHD
- clinical nurse specialists
- team administrator.
What is ADHD?
ADHD is a condition with core features of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity which begin in childhood but can continue into adulthood causing significant problems in a person’s day-to-day functioning.
Inattention: difficulty concentrating or completing tasks, being disorganised, easily distracted, forgetful and finding it difficult to listen when people are talking.
Hyperactivity: being fidgety or restless, talking excessively and being overactive.
Impulsivity: acting without thinking, interrupting others and finding it difficult to wait your turn.
Referral process
Referrals to our service are by the local mental health access team or registered mental health professionals within our Trust. Your GP can arrange referral to the local mental health access team.
What will happen at my first appointment?
You will see a nurse and/or doctor and be invited to talk about your difficulties. This appointment usually lasts one to two hours and you can take a break if you need to.
Anything you say will be confidential within the team unless there is a legal duty to inform outside agencies. This will be explained before the assessment.
It can be helpful to bring along:
- A parent/someone who has known you a long time (preferably since childhood): to support you in describing your difficulties
- Your school reports: these are helpful for us to understand your childhood.
At the end of the assessment we will look together at the best options to help you with your needs, either within our team or another service.
After your assessment, a letter will be sent to your family doctor and the referrer (if this was a different person) and you can request a copy of the letter.
Interpreter
If you would like an interpreter at your appointment, please let us know as this can be arranged prior to your appointment.
What will happen next?
If you receive a diagnosis of ADHD and choose to see us again you will have one-to-one involvement with your allocated worker who oversees your treatment, making sure that it works for you. Together you will develop a care plan to help you address your mental health needs.
The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends medication as the first line treatment for adults with ADHD. The adult ADHD Service will work with you to find a medication that is effective for you and help you to adjust to taking it before asking your GP to prescribe it regularly. You may also be given advice about alternative ways of managing the symptoms of ADHD.
If you are unable to keep an appointment it would be helpful for you to contact us to discuss this. We may be able to arrange a more suitable date, time or venue for you.
Other useful contacts
Local
North East Adult ADHD Support Group
Email: aadhd_ne@yahoo.co.uk
Telephone: Bill Scott 0785 621 2564
National
We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention you will be invited to complete our Friends and Family Test survey to support this.
L977A and L977B, V3, 04/01/2021 (Archive: 04/01/2024)
