Dr John Ribchester, of Whitstable Medical Practice, said demand for assessments had increased substantially, particularly as awareness of how autism and ADHD affect women and girls has grown.
“It is a very hot topic nationally at the moment,” he said.
“There’s a massive expansion of diagnoses and cost as well.”
Dr Julian Spinks, a GP in Medway, said: “There’s been a steady increase for some time and that reflects two things – greater awareness and people coming forward for themselves or their children.”
The ICB said demand was increasing across both NHS services and the Right to Choose scheme, which allows eligible patients to access NHS-funded assessments from alternative providers, including private companies.
There are currently 46 providers delivering autism and ADHD services in Kent and Medway, 19 of which hold contracts with the ICB, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
Dr Ribchester said the use of independent providers reflected a shortage of NHS capacity, adding: “It would be great if the NHS could recruit an awful lot more clinicians, but at the moment they’re not able to do that so help from the private sector is needed.”
The ICB said it was moving towards a system in which children and families could receive support based on their needs rather than having to wait for a formal diagnosis.
An ICB spokesperson said: “In Kent and Medway, we are moving towards a needs-led system, rather than focusing on diagnosis which is not always necessary to access support.”
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