Primary Care Sheffield (PCS) is a not-for-profit company set up by GPs in Sheffield to help deliver world-class primary care in the City.

We exist to create services which make the health and care system work better for everyone. To do that we are focussed on bringing more services closer to the places people live, improving the quality of care, and breaking down the barriers between different types of services.

PCS ADHD acts as an interface between primary care and secondary care specialist providers. We assess, diagnosis and treat inline within national guidance for ADHD. We have a team of dedicated staff

Clinical Administrator – Processes forms, manages appointments and keeps the team to task.

Liaison Officer – Meets with people to explain the process, establishes goals with people and access the help people need to change environments or overcome issues, without the need for formal diagnosis.

Non prescribing Nurse – Reviews notes and makes recommendations

Independent assessor and prescriber – Meets and assesses people with ADHD symptoms

Specialist General Practitioner (GP) –  Meets and assesses people with ADHD symptoms which have other long-term conditions.

Pharmacist – Starts medications and reviews their effectiveness with people.

Consultant Psychiatrist – Providers Clinical oversight

Step 1: A patient 18yrs + without an ADHD diagnosis and their GP, establishes that there are symptoms or behaviours which are causing the patient problems in two or more areas of the patient’s life since childhood.

Step 2: The patient completes The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) v1.1, the GP reviews the report and sends it along with a Clinical letter outlining the patients’ deficits and challenges.

Step 3: PCS ADHD will review the request and recommend next steps which could include an appointment with and ADHD liaison officer

Step 4: Meeting with the Liaison Officer to share resources, understand what the patient wants to achieve and understand the challenges currently being faced. This is an opportunity to explore what is possible and plan what happens next.

Step 5: Treatment/interventions, many of the interventions offered do not require a diagnosis these can help patients to achieve their goals though developing non medication based ways to manage. If a pharmaceutical treatment is indicated an appointment will be booked with one of the assessors

Step 6: If it clinically indicated and the patient chooses to start medication, it will be slowly introduced with regular appointments and an annual review. Once stable, a request will be made to the referring GP practice to continue prescribing. Any issues can be brought back to the PCS ADHD interface team through a rapid re-access process.

Adults presenting with symptoms of ADHD (as indicated on the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) v1.1)

Where, to the best of the GPs knowledge, the patient is reporting manifestations of ADHD (hyperactivity/impulsivity and/or inattention) that:

• began during childhood and have persisted throughout life
• are not explained by other psychiatric diagnoses (although there may be other coexisting psychiatric conditions)
• have resulted in or are associated with moderate or severe psychological, social and/or educational or occupational impairment.

Exclusions

• Patients aged under 18 cannot be referred to the service.
• Patients who have already received an NHS (including NHS Right to Choose) diagnostic assessment for ADHD cannot be referred to the service (or transferred via an NHs Waiting List project).
• Requests for dual diagnostic assessment for ADHD and Autism cannot be referred to the service (although this requirement may be reviewed in the future).
• Self-referrals from patients cannot be accepted by the service.