North Cumbria Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Children and Young People’s Service – Information for patients and parents/carers

Our specialist ADHD service is made up of a team of experienced professionals from a range of backgrounds and disciplines. Together we provide assessment and treatment of ADHD for children and young people and their families in North Cumbria.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition, which means that people with ADHD have a brain which works differently to people who do not have ADHD. It’s not a mental health or learning disability condition; it’s a form of neurodiversity, which is a posh way of saying ‘a brain difference’

Your GP or school can refer you for an ADHD assessment if they feel you need this.

If you come to appointments with your parents or carers and want to talk to us on your own we can arrange this.

We would like to talk to your parents or carers too so we can try to help you in the best way possible.

We will try to offer you appointments that are at a suitable time for you and in a venue of your choice where possible.

It is really important for you to attend all your appointments as far as possible if we are to give you the best possible help we can.

If you do not attend arranged appointments we will try to contact you by telephone, and will notify the person who referred you to the service.

There is no single test for ADHD. It requires a detailed assessment from specialists in a variety of different ways.

Your ADHD assessment may include:

• The use of standardised questionnaires from home/ education
• Observations in the home, school or clinic
• Carrying out interviews and looking at reports from you and the people who know you best. This includes parents and teachers.
• With your consent, gathering previous medical reports and developmental history.
  A QB test (quantified behaviour test)

A QB test measures your activity level, ability to concentrate and impulse control. The test helps your clinician assess you for ADHD.

The test takes about 15-20 minutes to do. It uses an infra-red camera, you will wear a headband, and push a button whilst doing numerous tasks on the screen.

At this appointment we will talk to you about the reasons why you have been referred and what your feelings are about this.

We will talk to you about the difficulties you have and how we may be able to help you.

The clinician you meet in your appointment may or may not be the clinician who will work with you as long as you are in our service. We will look for the right clinician with the right skills to work with you at all times and this will be your lead clinician. You may need to work with other clinicians during your time in the service but your lead clinician will talk to you about this.

When your assessment has been completed, one of our clinicians will discuss the outcome of the assessment with you and your parents/carers. This will include all the information that has been gathered about you during the assessment process.

After your assessment feedback appointment you and/or your parents/carers will receive a report. This will summarise all the information we have gathered and the conclusion of your assessment.

When an ADHD diagnosis is given, usually the first thing we provide in the way of treatment is education and information to you and your parents/carers. This may be in the form of parent/carer group sessions which focus upon building positive behavioural approaches.

Talking therapies like Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) can be helpful.

Medication is considered if you are over six and:

• A baseline assessment has been completed
• Your parents/carers are educated on ADHD
• Your ADHD symptoms are considered severe and are affecting your behaviour in more than one setting. e.g. at home, school, work, college, dancing, football.

 
Treatment with medication is not considered if you are school age with mild symptoms.

Your clinician will discuss with you all the options for treatment and intervention.

A plan of how the treatment or intervention will be carried out will be agreed with you, your parents/carers and any other person such as your teacher, social worker or school nurse.

This plan will show how often you will be seen, how many sessions you will have and what you will do in each session.

The goals you set will be discussed with you regularly to see how much progress you are making.

You and/or your parents will be given a copy of your Care Plan.

We will ask for your agreement to share information with other people who are involved with you such as your teacher, social worker, school nurse, other staff that we think could help you from within the service.

Staff can arrange an interpreter if you need one.

Contact Traveline
Telephone: 0871 200 22 33
Website: www.traveline.info/

ADHD and You
www.adhdandyou.co.uk/
Helpful information for anyone with ADHD and their families.
ADDISS
www.addiss.co.uk/
An information and support service for anyone with ADHD and their families.
ADHD Foundation
www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/
Telephone: 0151 541 9020
Offers support and advice to anyone with ADHD and their families.
ADDitude
www.additudemag.com/
A website providing information, webinars, and resources for young people with ADHD, their families, and professionals.
Witherslack Group
www.witherslackgroup.co.uk
A useful website providing advice and webinars for families and professionals.

If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:

• talk to the people directly involved in your care
• ask a member of staff for a feedback form, or complete a form on the Trust website
• telephone the Complaints Department Tel: 0191 245 6672
• email [email protected] Please note that information sent to the Trust via email is sent at your own risk

 
We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention. You can provide feedback in the following ways:

• the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourvoice
• complete a Your Voice survey, available on wards, reception areas or from staff
• other options for sharing your feedback and experience www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourfeedback

 
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS provide confidential advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns that you may have about any aspect of your or your loved ones care.

We act independently when handling patient and family concerns, liaising with staff, managers and, where appropriate, relevant organisations, to negotiate prompt solutions. If necessary, we can also refer patients and families to specific local or national-based support agencies.

North of Tyne
Tel: 0800 032 0202
Email: [email protected]
Post: FREEPOST PALS

South of Tyne
Tel: 0800 328 4397
Text: 07825 061 035
Email: [email protected]
Post: Patient Advice and Liaison Service, Garden Lodge, Hopewood Park, Ryhope, Sunderland, SR2 0NB

9am – 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday
An answerphone is available at all times for you to leave a message. A member of the PALS team will aim to return your call as soon as possible.

Fairfield Centre
Carleton Clinic
Cumwhinton Drive
Carlisle
CA1 3SX
Telephone: 01228 603 810
Email: [email protected]

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (eg Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre Tel: 0191 246 7288

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2024 Copyright, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Ref, PIC/914/0924 September 2024 V1
www.cntw.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0191 246 7288
Review date 2027