Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 168-2025
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.
You asked:
I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please could you provide the following information in relation to your ICB’s commissioning of ADHD and Autism services:
Commissioning Contacts
1. The name(s) of the person or people responsible for commissioning ADHD assessment and diagnosis services.
2. The name(s) of the person or people responsible for commissioning Autism assessment and diagnosis services.
3. The telephone number(s) for the above contacts (ADHD and Autism commissioning).
4. The email address(es) for the above contacts (ADHD and Autism commissioning).
If personal details cannot be provided due to GDPR, please supply a team or departmental contact instead.
Our response:
Please contact Integrated Care Board.
You asked:
Waiting Lists
5. The current size of the ADHD assessment waiting list for adults.
Our response:
2209
You asked:
6. The current size of the ADHD titration waiting list for CAMHS.
Our response:
We are currently in the process of merging the ADHD medication pathway between the Paediatrics Community Team and the Neurodevelopmental Team. As part of this work, we are aligning our clinical systems and loading historical referrals to ensure consistency and accuracy. Due to this ongoing integration and the need to validate records across systems, we are not currently able to report a reliable figure for the number of children waiting for ADHD medication titration. This validation work is scheduled to take place over the summer, and we expect to have a clearer picture once the systems are fully aligned.
You asked:
7. The current size of the Autism assessment waiting list (please specify if this is for adults, children, or both).
Our response:
The number of patients waiting for an autism assessment on 04/08/2025 who are referred to our adult autism service is 721.
The number of patients waiting for an autism assessment on 06/08/2025 who are referred to children autism service.
| Number of patients | |
| 1046 | Autism |
| 1716 | Combined assessment need |
Note: Over the past three years, the Children’s Autism and ADHD Assessment Service (CAAAS) in Gloucestershire has been undergoing a phased transformation into a single, integrated neurodevelopmental pathway. We have worked closely with commissioners to develop a unified model with a single point of access for both neurodevelopmental assessments and ADHD treatment. As part of this transformation, the service has expanded its remit to include children previously seen in paediatrics, resulting in the need to redesign our clinical systems and pathways to reflect the broader population and referral sources.
CAAAS is commissioned to deliver comprehensive, needs-led assessments, which include both Autism and ADHD where clinically indicated. In line with best practice, the service also offers supplementary assessments—such as Occupational Therapy (OT) and Speech and Language Therapy (SLT)—to ensure a holistic understanding of each child’s presentation and support needs.
Due to the integrated commissioning model, referrals are not always clearly defined by a single diagnostic question at the point of entry. Children often present with a mixture of neurodevelopmental features, and clinical needs may evolve as further information emerges. As a result, a child referred for suspected Autism may also require an ADHD assessment (or vice versa) during the course of their journey with the service.
To reflect this, CAAAS maintains three clinical waiting lists aligned to presenting need:
Autism assessment
ADHD assessment
Combined assessment need – for children where both Autism and ADHD assessments are likely to be required. The “combined assessment need” pathway acknowledges the frequent overlap in neurodevelopmental presentations and ensures that children are assessed appropriately without being restricted to one route too early in the process. This supports more flexible, holistic care. While we are able to report the number of children on each waiting list, we ask that these figures are interpreted in the context of our integrated, needs-led model.
You asked:
Referral Volumes
8. The average number of ADHD referrals for adults received per month over the past 12 months.
Our response:
The average number of referrals to our adults ADHD service per month between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025 is 110.
You asked:
9. The average number of ADHD referrals for CAMHS received per month over the past 12 months.
Our response:
The average number of referrals to child ADHD service per month between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025
| Average number of referrals | |
| 75 | ADHD |
| 53 | Combined assessment need |
Note: The figure of 53 referrals per month for “Combined assessment need” represents children referred for combined assessments and has been included under both ADHD and Autism sections for completeness.
However, these 53 cases should not be double-counted, as they are not additional to the ADHD total, but reflect referrals where both assessments may be required. This ensures transparency across both reporting areas.
You asked:
10. The average number of Autism referrals received per month over the past 12 months.
Our response:
The average number of referrals to our adults autism service per month between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025 is 46.
The average number of referrals to our child autism service per month between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025.
| Average number of referrals | |
| 86 | Autism |
| 53 | Combined assessment need |
The figure of 53 referrals per month for “Combined assessment need” represents children referred for combined assessments and has been included under both ADHD and Autism sections for completeness.
However, these 53 cases should not be double-counted, as they are not additional to the Autism total, but reflect referrals where both assessments may be required. This ensures transparency across both reporting areas.
You asked:
Private Sector Support
11. Do you currently utilise any private provider support to manage ADHD referrals?
If yes, please provide:
Name of the provider
Contract start and end date
Annual contract value (£GBP)
Our response:
No
You asked:
12. Do you currently utilise any private sector support to manage Autism referrals?
If yes, please provide:
Name of the provider
Contract start and end date
Annual contract value (£GBP)
Our response:
No
Next steps:
Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:
Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk
If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.