NEW waiting time figures for autism and ADHD assessments across Scotland have been released, with Lothian and Glasgow topping the list.
Research conducted by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) shows that the numbers of adults and children in NHS Lothian and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde waiting for an assessment were some of the highest.
As of March 2025, more than 10,000 adults in Lothian and just under 10,000 adults in Greater Glasgow & Clyde (GGC) were on waiting lists, of the nine health boards who responded.
Additionally, 11,000 children in GGC, 9,000 in Lanarkshire, and just under 8,000 in Lothian were on waiting lists as of March 2025 – with Glasgow and Edinburgh boasting the highest population centres in Scotland.
The publication of this data by SPICe comes after an inquiry that was launched last week into accessing support for ADHD and autism, following these “reports of long waits”.
Launched by the Health and Social Care and Sport Committee, convener Clare Haughey MSP said that responses from health boards showed “eight NHS boards currently report waiting times exceeding three years”.
With nine health boards responding regarding the number of adults on waiting lists, there were 23,339 waiting in total.
Lothian and GCC also had the highest numbers of adults waiting for an assessment per 10,000 population, with the Western Isles a close third.
In total, 42,350 children were reported to be waiting for an assessment across 13 health boards, as of March 2025.
When looking at the data per 10,000 children, NHS Dumfries and Galloway had the largest number of children waiting for an assessment.
NHS Grampian was unable to provide figures for the number of children on their waiting list.
The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee wrote to the 14 NHS Scotland health boards in March 2025 to request the data.
Their inquiry is looking into accessing support for ADHD and autism and aims to gather views and experiences of treatment pathways and support from individuals, their families, professionals and organisations.
Clare Haughey MSP said: “We want to learn what is causing these delays, explore potential solutions, and find out ways to improve treatment pathways and support for individuals with ADHD or ASD.”
More than 550 people have responded to the call since it was launched last Monday, which can be accessed on the Parliament website.
Speaking today, Lynn Wassell, chief executive at The Donaldson Trust said: “Greater awareness of neurodivergence has led to more people seeking diagnoses.
“The Scottish Government must continue to prioritise quarterly data collection on autism and ADHD, including data on waiting times for assessment.
“This is a vital step towards better identification of service gaps, improvement of existing services, and helping to deliver system-level accountability.
“The Scottish Government must also press on with establishing Neurodevelopmental pathways across Scotland to ensure timely access to assessment for those who seek it.
“Crucially, support must not depend on diagnosis and should be available to those awaiting or those not seeking assessment.
“While diagnosis can unlock support and be affirming for many, others may self-identify or prefer to access help without formal assessment.
“All neurodivergent people deserve inclusive, accessible support on their own terms.”
Alison White, Strategic Lead for Mental Health, NHS Lothian said: “We apologise to patients who are waiting too long to access neurodevelopmental assessments.
“NHS Lothian provides services for the second largest residential population in Scotland and as a result figures are likely to be higher.
“However, we are working hard to increase capacity and access for children and young people, and continue to work closely with our colleagues in each of the four health and social care partnerships in Lothian to do the same for adults.”
A full blog of SPICe’s findings can be found on their website.
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde has been contacted for comment.
