This page is information, not medical advice. It does not diagnose, prescribe, or replace a clinician. If you're worried about your medication, speak to your GP, a pharmacist, or NHS 111.
It probably came as a shock. You were stable. You'd been on the same dose for years. Then a letter, or a sentence at the end of an appointment, and it's gone.
This isn't about you. It's a contract and funding problem, and it's happening across England right now. GPs are allowed to stop, and many are.[BMA]
ADHD prescribing sits outside the GP contract. GPs aren't paid for it. In July 2026 the BMA advised GPs to stop taking on new shared care agreements, and local medical committees around the country recommended the same.[NHS Norfolk & Suffolk ICB] Some GPs have stopped entirely.
The medication itself is fine. Supply issues were resolved in 2026.[Parliament] What's changed is who's willing to prescribe it.
Your GP will say they've referred you, and it should be quick.
It isn't. A referral doesn't book you an appointment. It puts you on a waiting list — and not the one you think.[Psychiatry UK]
If you were already diagnosed and stable, you're waiting for titration, which is the process of restarting and stabilising your dose under a specialist. That's a different queue from getting a diagnosis, with a different wait.
As of June 2026, Psychiatry UK — one of the main providers — quotes44 to 52 weeks for adult titration, on top of up to 10 weeks just to process the referral.[Psychiatry UK] So realistically, a year. Maybe more.
That's the standard estimate. Some areas are waiting longer, because local NHS boards have reduced how many appointments providers can offer. Your wait depends on where you live.
Ask for a bridging prescription. Some GPs will give you a short supply while the referral goes through. It's at their discretion, and it's not guaranteed — but it's worth asking, in writing.[Grove Medical Practice]
Ask them to mark the referral urgent. If you're already stable and coming off medication, that's a different situation from a first assessment. Some services prioritise it. Ask.
Get your dose in writing. Ask for a letter or a printout showing what you were prescribed and at what dose. When you finally reach the specialist, they'll need it to restart you accurately — and you don't want to be relying on memory.
Don't stop suddenly. Some medications need to be reduced gradually. If you're running low, tell a pharmacist — they can advise, and sometimes help.
Most research on ADHD is based on white boys and men. If you're a woman, a person of colour, or someone who masks, your experience may not be captured by the standard evidence. That's a gap in the research, not in you. This page cites what's known and says when it doesn't cover everyone.