Six months ago, Carla Lockhart raised concerns publicly and was inundated with contact from families across Upper Bann and beyond. Parents and carers shared heartbreaking stories which exposed the extent of the failings within the system. Families spoke of children waiting up to five years for assessment, adults waiting seven to eight years with some Trusts offering no service at all, parents forced to pay privately for assessments only to find their diagnoses not recognised by the NHS, and the collapse of shared care leaving GPs unable or unwilling to support prescriptions. Added to this are ongoing medication shortages, creating potentially dangerous consequences, with many families now at breaking point as children struggle at school, parents are left overwhelmed, and mental health across households continues to suffer.

Speaking after her meeting with the Health Minister, Carla Lockhart said:

“The stories I hear every week from families are utterly devastating. Parents tell me of children without the support they need, falling further behind their peers and losing confidence in themselves. Others speak of young people whose behaviour is misunderstood, leaving them isolated or punished rather than supported. Adults waiting seven or eight years for assessment describe how their working life, their relationships, and their mental health are all deteriorating while they sit endlessly on a waiting list. Families who pay privately to try to get answers are then told their diagnosis will not be recognised, and so the cycle of frustration and despair continues.

This is not just about statistics or waiting lists it is about children being failed at the most crucial stage of their development, parents exhausted and at breaking point, and adults who know something is wrong but cannot get the support they need. It is a system in crisis, and it is failing some of the most vulnerable in our society. That is unacceptable and cannot be allowed to continue. 

I welcome the fact that the Health Minister has now commissioned a Needs Assessment Paper to examine the scale of the problem, the services and workforce required, and how future budget planning can meet demand. It is the first serious step forward in acknowledging the scale of this crisis and mapping out what must be done. However, families cannot wait indefinitely for reports and papers. They need to see tangible improvements.

The biggest obstacle remains funding. With a £600 million gap in the health budget, there will be no progress unless ADHD and autism services are made a priority. Families need action, not excuses. We must fund the services that matter most, cut waste from the system, tackle waiting lists, end inequality, and give children and adults with ADHD and autism the care they deserve. Anything less is a failure.”