Understanding ADHD and Autism in healthcare and social care settings is essential. It helps staff provide kind, respectful, and effective care. It also ensures services follow legal requirements, improves patient outcomes, and helps prevent discrimination or unfair treatment.
What Is ADHD?
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. It’s a condition that affects how the brain works and often shows up as trouble paying attention, being easily distracted, acting without thinking, or feeling very restless. People with ADHD might also have other conditions like Autism or mood disorders. ADHD can affect all areas of a person’s life—school, work, and relationships.
What Is Autism?
Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a lifelong condition that affects how people communicate, interact with others, and experience the world. People with autism may have specific routines, strong interests, or behave in repetitive ways. Everyone with autism is different—there is no single “type” of autism.
What’s Happening Now in the UK?
Here are some recent updates (as of mid-2025):
- Long Waiting Lists: Around 549,000 people in England are waiting for an ADHD assessment.
- Who Is Affected: It’s estimated that 3 to 5% of adults and children in the UK have ADHD—roughly 2.5 million people.
- Delays in Support: An NHS Taskforce, led by Professor Anita Thapar, said too many people wait too long for help. They suggest early support—like coaching or classroom help—should be offered while people wait for formal assessments.
- Autistic People in Hospitals: A report from May found 1,455 autistic people (with and without learning disabilities) are currently held in mental health hospitals in England.
- Children Waiting for Autism Assessments: As of March 2025, nearly 138,000 children were waiting to be seen by child mental health services (CAMHS) for autism assessments.
What Are the Laws That Apply?
Several UK laws protect and support people with ADHD and Autism:
- Equality Act 2010: Recognises ADHD and Autism as disabilities, meaning people with these conditions have legal rights to support.
- Autism Act 2009: The first UK law focused only on autism. It ensures that autistic people get the services they need.
- Children and Families Act 2014: Gave children with disabilities (including ADHD and Autism) the right to Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans.
- Health and Care Act 2022: Requires all health and care workers to be trained in how to support people with learning disabilities and autism. This is known as The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training.
Want to Learn More?
To better understand and support people with ADHD and Autism in healthcare, here are some useful training courses:
- Understanding and Supporting ADHD and Autism in Healthcare Settings
- The Oliver McGowan Online Training – Tier 1 and Tier 2
- Therapeutic Observations and Engagement
- Safe Handling and Administration of Medication
Just a Note:
By completing the Understanding and Supporting ADHD and Autism in Healthcare Settings online course from Train Healthcare, you’ll earn 1 CPD point per course. Each course takes around 1 hour and comes with a certificate once finished.