Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that is characterised by traits of difficulty regulating attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity which can affect day-to-day life.
Difficulties in regulating attention can mean either a lack of attention or periods of intense hyper-focusing. Hyperactivity means the inability to sit still or remain seated for long periods of time, and impulsivity means to act before thinking.
There are three types of ADHD:
- Combined type
- Inattentive type
- Hyperactive-impulsive type
All people with ADHD present differently, and traits should be present in two or more environments for a diagnosis of ADHD to be considered.
About us
The University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) ADHD team are a small team consisting of two clinical nurse specialists and two clinical support workers.
Our service is supported by Solihull's Community Paediatricians for assessments, complex case management and prescribing.
How to make a referral
UHB Solihull Community Paediatrics provides the ADHD assessment and management service for all children and young people registered with a Solihull GP.
Our service accepts referral from a child's school or GP if the child or young person is not in an academic setting. We do not currently accept parent or self-referrals.
If you have a concern relating to potential ADHD behaviours, please speak to your child's school or SENCo team to ask for support and reasonable adjustments, and a referral if required.
Please make sure that it is clear in your GPs referral that your child is not currently in an academic setting to prevent any delays in the referral being triaged.
Referral criteria
Solihull
Our referral criteria is as follows:
- Child must have a Solihull GP. You can check on the link below
- Must be six years or over
- Must be under 17 years and five months of age, after this referrals should be directed to the Adult ADHD Service. Please ask your GP for support with making this referral
- Concerns regarding ADHD traits present for six or more months, in two or more environments, with the traits present after the age of six years and prior to the age of 12 years
Birmingham
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust currently provides the ADHD assessment and management services for all children and young people registered with a Birmingham GP.
You can check if you are registered with a Birmingham GP below.
ADHD assessment process
A referral is made
After identifying concerns and discussing with the school / SENCo / GP, and considering and implementing reasonable adjustments, a referral is made.
The referral is triaged
Referrals are triaged by our Lead ADHD specialist nurse. The nurse may reject the referral if there is not enough information supplied to complete the triage, so please ensure the referral is completed in full and any supporting information is included. Explanations will be provided for any rejected referrals.
Accepted referrals
All accepted referrals are added to the initial assessment waiting list. Parents and referrals will receive a letter confirming this, and will be sent any relevant signposting to support resources whilst waiting.
Initial assessment
The child will be invited to an initial assessment with a Community Paediatrician or ADHD Clinical Nurse Specialist. This is a clinic appointment that lasts around 45 minutes, and will include:
- Discussion around family and development process
- Discussion and assessment of existing reasonable adjustments
- Physical examination, likely including height, weight, blood pressure and listening to heart sounds
Confirmed diagnosis
Once a diagnosis is confirmed further ADHD support resources will be shared for the child and parents to review at home. There may also be signposting to other relevant services.
ADHD management should be tried without medication in the first instance and strategies discussed implemented at home.
The team will discuss medication options with you at further appointments.
No confirmed diagnosis
If a diagnosis is not able to be confirmed the clinician will support with signposting information before discharging your child.
In a small number of cases we may offer something called a 'watchful wait' where we review symptoms and traits over a period of time, and seek additional school reports before confirming diagnosis or no diagnosis.
What happens after an ADHD diagnosis?
- Follow up appointment in six to nine months, and ongoing follow up appointments as required
- Signposting shared by post with diagnostic letter
- School to implement reasonable adjustments
- Strategies discussed at diagnosis to be tried at home – these may be sleep hygiene techniques, behavioural management techniques, mindfulness, and study techniques
- Access to telephone advice by contacting the teams’ answerphone/ email and requesting a call back (please note this may not be the same working day but the team will contact you as soon as they are able)
Contact us
We have dedicated lines for cancelling of appointments, ordering repeat prescriptions (prescriptions will be at the designated destination by 10 working days), and a general enquiry line (messages left on this line will be responded to within 24 hours).
All of these telephone lines have a 24-hour answer machine available seven days a week.
To speak to a member of staff, please call from Monday to Friday, between 09:00 and 11:00. These lines are very busy, so callers may still get the answer machine during these times. We encourage families to please leave a message with a child/ young person’s name, date of birth and home address and the number you wish us to call you back on so we can access the right record for information and get back to you in a timely way.
Outside of our answering hours if messages are left we try to respond within 24 hours – Monday to Friday 08:00 to 16:00.
Prescription line
Appointment cancellations
General enquiries
- 0121 746 4473
- 0121 746 4455 (select option 3)
Our team can also be contacted via email, and we aim to reply to all emails within 72 hours.
For parents ordering repeat prescriptions only, or with prescription queries, please contact:
For parents with queries, questions or who wish to share information or return questionnaires to the ADHD nursing team, please contact:
Please note, the ADHD service is not an emergency service and is not equipped to deal with mental health crisis. If you have an immediate concern that your child is in crisis or is a danger to themselves or others, you should seek urgent support.
Emergency behavioural, emotional or mental health needs should be directed to your nearest children's emergency department.
An urgent need means there is no direct, immediate risk to safety or well-being. For out of hours urgent needs, please contact your GP service and follow the instructions on the recorded message. Alternatively, please contact NHS111 (dial 111).
Last reviewed: 09 July 2026