The NHS is under renewed pressure after a regional service in England moved to restrict access to its children’s ADHD pathway while a separate NHS trust said its neurodevelopmental waiting lists are being changed amid long delays for assessment. Together, the developments point to a system still struggling to cope with sustained demand for autism and ADHD care.
Children, Young People and Families at Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership said its children’s ADHD service will recommence in full from Monday 12 October 2026 after a temporary four-week restriction introduced to help manage demand and review capacity. The service also noted that waiting times are typically measured from referral to the first appointment, and said that Right to Choose applies to autism and ADHD assessments for children and young people under 18.
Long waits remain a recurring problem
In a separate update published on 7 October 2026, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust said that many people have been waiting a long time for an assessment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or Autism Spectrum Disorder. The trust directed patients to wait for a text message from the service, underscoring the continuing backlog facing neurodevelopmental care.
The latest service changes come against a wider backdrop of pressure on mental health and neurodiversity support across England. Recent BMJ reporting has also highlighted growing demand for related support, with analysis showing that the proportion of 16 to 17 year olds receiving Personal Independence Payment for ADHD and autism has risen sharply in England since 2019, while the fastest growth has been seen in wealthier areas.
What the latest announcements mean for families
For families seeking assessment or treatment, the immediate message is that access remains uneven and timelines remain uncertain. The temporary restriction in Humber and North Yorkshire was introduced to help the service manage demand, while the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear notice shows that lengthy waits are still shaping the patient experience in other parts of the NHS.
The latest developments are unlikely to ease concern among clinicians and families who have warned for months that autism and ADHD services are under strain. With demand still high and local services resorting to pathway changes, the challenge for the NHS is not only restoring capacity, but doing so in a way that reduces uncertainty for patients who are waiting for answers.
Read more from the NHS trust update here: Children’s ADHD service update and the separate trust notice here: Neurodevelopmental waiting list changes.
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