According to solicitors at the Govan Law Centre (GLC), who represent the unnamed petitioner from Perth and Kinross, the health board does not provide “medical assessments for adults with ADHD symptoms, referred to them by GPs, unless such patients have a ‘co-occurring mental health condition’.”
(Image: PA)
As such, zero adult ADHD-only assessments have been carried out in the region over the last three years, a figure confirmed by a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
GLC alleges this violates the Equality Act 2010.
In their FOI response, the health board states: “The number of individuals specifically awaiting an ADHD assessment is 610 across Perth and Kinross and I can confirm that there have been no assessments for only ADHD over the past 3 calendar years.”
The petitioner claims that this policy discriminates against him and other people with suspected cases of ADHD, and breaches protections against unfair treatment due to disability under the Equality Act 2010.
A statement from the Govan Law Centre reads: “The Health Board’s [provision, criterion or practise] discriminated against the petitioner, and other adults with perceived ADHD symptoms, in comparison to non-disabled persons requiring medical health assessments and treatment from the respondent.”
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The Herald previously reported on rising waitlists for adult ADHD assessment, finding that the number of adults in Glasgow waiting to be assessed increased by more than 500 per cent between 2021 and 2025.
Scottish children similarly face an assessment backlog, with those in NHS Ayrshire and Arran waiting an average of 1,150 days to be screened.
The case will need to be granted approval to proceed by a senior judge, known as a Lord Ordinary, prior to a substantive hearing.
NHS Tayside said: “As this is a legal matter, we are unable to comment.”