Focus ADHD |
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ADHD is a disorder affecting brain development that impacts on the behaviour of around 5 % ( 1 in 20 ) of school-aged children . ADHD is a treatable disorder but if left undetected and untreated , it can have a significant impact on personal development , academic outcomes , and family interaction . |
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There is no simple test to determine whether a child has ADHD . The process for diagnosing or ruling it out varies across the country . It will often include multiple steps and is based on clinical judgement informed by subjective reports from parents , teachers , and observation of the patient . Before COVID-19 , children were waiting an average of 18 months to obtain an accurate diagnosis . This compares unfavourably with the rest of Europe where the average waiting time to receive a diagnosis is about 11 months , and we can only assume the pandemic will have increased this average diagnosis time .
The Focus ADHD programme uses an objective assessment tool ( QbTest ) as a supplement , rather than a replacement of conventional clinical examination and subjective assessments and reports . The objective assessment evaluates all three core components of ADHD ( attention , motor activity and impulsivity ) and compares these to normal values from a sample of children without the condition .
An evaluation of the use of an objective assessment was commissioned by East Midlands AHSN in 2017 and this demonstrated a reduction of one appointment per child to make a diagnosis , thereby releasing valuable staff resource .
The Yorkshire & Humber AHSN has continued to support the roll-out of the QbTest , which is now in all but one NHS trust in our region and is offered in 12 sites in total , with a further six sites due to go live later in 2022 . The remaining trust is due to launch the service later in the year ,
Watch this AHSN Network video to find out more about how the Focus ADHD programme is helping to reduce the number of appointments needed to diagnose ADHD
meaning 100 % of trusts in our region have committed to taking up the test – one of the first regions outside Manchester to achieve this .
Since Focus ADHD became a national programme for the AHSN Network in April 2020 , 2,788 tests have been completed across our region which has made a significant contribution to creating capacity in the system , saving approximately the same number of appointments . Applying the findings from an evaluation by colleagues at East Midlands AHSN , this equates to a non-cash releasing saving of £ 956,284 having been achieved in Yorkshire and the Humber thanks to QbTest , which equates to £ 343 per patient .
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