Why ADHD Matters

At its best, ADHD is associated with lateral thinking, creativity, innovation, high energy and drive.

At its worst, ADHD can have a significant negative effect on relationships, schoolwork and performance at work. A schoolchild who cannot fully access the curriculum is at risk of not achieving their potential, which can be miserable and stressful for them and their families. It can also lead to other negative health and social consequences.
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In patients with treatment-resistant mood disorders, the rate of underlying neurodiversity is extremely high. Correct diagnosis within this cohort leads to more effective treatment.
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The ADHD foundation estimates that around five percent of the UK population have ADHD.
ADHD is the most successfully treatable condition in Psychiatry and Neurodiversity and yet it is the least often formally diagnosed and treated.
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The majority of accurately diagnosed patients respond well to medication. The medication has been available for many years, with the first use recorded nearly 100 years ago. We now have a range of options that help us tailor treatments to the individual patient.

What we are doing about it

We aim to provide a high-quality independent service to the population of greater Cambridge and the University of Cambridge via our multiprofessional clinic offering "best practice" care – “all age and all neurodiversity” service.

We are acutely aware of the mismatch between the numbers of undiagnosed and untreated patients and the healthcare staff available to treat them. As well as providing a service, we aim to train the next generation of GPs in understanding and managing neurodiversity. We want to move towards normalising the management of uncomplicated ADHD in primary care (i.e. by GPs in the community).

Who is involved? Who can manage ADHD?

Although neurodiversity has been the historical domain of psychiatry, only a fraction of psychiatrists have training in the management of conditions such as ADHD and autism.  In recent years the workforce in this area have expanded to encompass specialist nurses, psychologists and primary care doctors (GPs) working alongside psychiatrists to provide more holistic care.
In view of the high prevalence of ADHD, the range and safety of medications available and the greater understanding of this condition, we believe that the great majority of ADHD will be managed in primary care in the future.

Our mission regarding the workforce

The Cambridge ADHD and Autism Centre has been founded by two clinicians with long experience of medical education and mentoring and we intend not just to attract great staff but also support them in their education, training and practice.  
We are supporting GP colleagues to become experts in this field. 
By supporting GPs who also work in the NHS we hope to accelerate and normalise the management of uncomplicated ADHD in NHS General Practice.

Our mission regarding individual patients

Our service is here to help patients with ADHD get stable care. Once we're able to do that, we can help transition patients to shared care with NHS doctors.
For those who prefer it, we also offer long-term private care.
We understand that ADHD medication can be quite expensive. While it is valuable, we think it's not fair to expect patients who have taken the step to seek treatment privately to stay in that system forever.
At the Cambridge ADHD Centre, we aim to share the positive experiences of treating ADHD with others. We want to support GP practices in ongoing care for patients by encouraging regular communication between professionals.

What motivates us

ADHD and the impact it can have when untreated is most easily understood by those who have lived with it. Some of us have ADHD in the family. This motivates us to improve the care of the patient in front of us and to improve the services for all patients.

Want to join us?

If you are a clinician with an interest in ADHD who would like to explore further collaborative working, please make contact via admin@camadhd.co.uk