The Northern Irish private operator Duality Healthcare has partnered with specialist platform ADHD Now to help the 150,000 people living with ADHD in Northern Ireland.
Northern Irish private operator Duality Healthcare has partnered with specialist platform ADHD Now to tackle ADHD care in Northern Ireland.
There are currently no commissioned adult ADHD services anywhere in Northern Ireland, leaving many adults without access to structured diagnostic pathways or ongoing specialist care.
Through this exclusive partnership, patients will have access to specialist ADHD assessments, expert-led diagnostic evaluations, evidence-based treatment plans, medication initiation and management if clinically appropriate, and ongoing monitoring and follow-up care.
Untreated ADHD costs Northern Ireland more than £290 million a year in lost productivity, reduced employment participation, increased mental health pressures and wider societal impacts. Government figures suggest that an estimated 150,000 people are living with ADHD in Northern Ireland and more than 9,500 adults remain on waiting lists for assessment, with some waiting more than eight years.
“The absence of commissioned adult ADHD services has created a significant gap in provision, and our exclusive partnership with ADHD Now enables us to offer a structured, specialist-led pathway for adults,” said John McEvoy, chief executive of Duality Healthcare.
Neurodevelopmental condition
ADHD is a recognised neurodevelopmental condition affecting attention, impulsivity and emotional regulation. When left untreated, it is frequently associated with anxiety, depression, reduced educational attainment and workplace challenges.
“ADHD does not disappear at 18, yet adults in Northern Ireland currently have no commissioned service to turn to,” said ADHD Now chief executive Matthew Gavin.
He lives with ADHD himself. For years, Gavin said that he felt like he was pushing forward but never quite understood why life seemed harder than it should be. It wasn’t until his late 20s, when he was finally diagnosed with ADHD, that the pieces started to fall into place.
“My own struggle to get a clear diagnosis inspired me to found ADHD Now, so others wouldn’t face the same challenges,” he said. “Partnering with Duality Healthcare is an extremely important next step in supporting the many people in Northern Ireland waiting for an assessment, as well as those who have a diagnosis but cannot access ongoing management supports.”
The services are available through a combination of online and in-person assessment and treatment, with ongoing care supported by five Northern Ireland clinics in Belfast, Derry, Newry, Omagh and Ballymena, and further clinics expected to open this year.
