The independent ADHD Taskforce, set up by NHS England in 2024, has published its final report. Chaired by Professor Anita Thapar, the taskforce looked at how people with ADHD are supported across health, education, employment and the justice system, and its conclusions will be familiar to anyone who has tried to get an assessment as an adult.
The report finds that services are under heavy strain, with long waits for both diagnosis and treatment. Its central message is that ADHD should be treated as what it is: a common condition. That means new ways of diagnosing it so that people are seen sooner, and more training for GPs and other professionals so that support can begin even before a formal diagnosis.
Joined-up support
One of the report’s strongest themes is that ADHD doesn’t stop at the doors of the health service. It affects how people learn, how they work and, too often, how they come into contact with the justice system. Many of the recommendations therefore call for government departments to work together, rather than leaving the NHS to cope alone.
The taskforce also highlights poor data. Information about ADHD services is described as low in quality and poorly linked between systems, which makes it hard to plan services or measure whether they are working. It recommends digitising services and improving data, and suggests that new digital tools for ADHD should be assessed for their value.
NHS England has said it will review the recommendations with government colleagues, and that it is already acting on parts of the taskforce’s interim report, published in June 2025, through its medium-term planning.
What it means for seafarers
Long waits are one of the biggest barriers seafarers tell us about. In parts of England, adults can wait years for an ADHD assessment, and time at sea makes it even harder to keep appointments or stay on a waiting list.
That is why we fund diagnostic assessments for UK seafarers, and why we publish guidance on getting a diagnosis around life at sea. The taskforce’s call for faster, simpler routes to diagnosis would make a real difference to people whose working lives are spent largely away from home.
The report’s emphasis on support before diagnosis matters too, and not only for the NHS. Employers don’t need a diagnosis to make reasonable adjustments. Clear written instructions, predictable routines and managers who understand ADHD help seafarers whether or not they have been formally assessed, and they help the rest of the crew as well.
Sources: NHS England, Report of the independent ADHD Taskforce · NHS England response
