You’re not overreacting. Some media stories highlight rushed, low-quality services. At Lighthouse Minds, every assessment is clinician-led by a HCPC-registered Clinical Psychologist with years of NHS experience, professionally supervised, and evidence-based. Your assessment is thorough, accurate, and ethically conducted.

It’s normal to wonder who can help you best. Both can diagnose ADHD, but psychologists offer a detailed, holistic understanding of your strengths, challenges, and put an emphasis on life context.

• Clinical Psychologists (like at Lighthouse Minds) specialise in assessment, diagnosis, and personalised recommendations, including therapy strategies and workplace or education support. Your report is comprehensive and practical, and can guide your GP if medication is considered.

• Psychiatrists are medical doctors, and they are medication focused. You may involve a psychiatrist or ADHD medication prescriber later if needed, but a psychologist-led assessment often gives a richer understanding of ADHD in your life, in context, and provides a rich report with nuanced recommendations.

It’s sensible to ask. People want to know who holds clinical responsibility.
A HCPC Clinical Psychologist personally conducts and sign off every assessment and report. All work is supervised, and done in collaboration with a network of psychologists who share ADHD-specific learning and reflective practice.

That’s a real worry, you want your report to be useful. Most GPs accept well-written private assessment reports. We recommend checking with your GP first before booking: ask whether they will accept a private ADHD report and if there’s any specific information they need included. This can save time, money, and anxiety. For example: “Hi I’m thinking of a private ADHD assessment with LighthouseMinds.co.uk and wanted to check if the GP practice accepts private ADHD diagnostic reports if the report shows me to have ADHD, and whether you’d use one to support medication discussions. If so, is there anything specific the report should include to make the GP more comfortable? Thanks.”

You’re smart to ask this. Yes contacting your GP whilst you find out more and get the ball rolling, is practical especially before a first appointment. Ask whether they accept private ADHD reports, what information they need, and if they will use it for shared care or medication either with themselves, or with a private prescriber after the assessment. Even if your GP can’t accept private reports for medication, your assessment is still valuable for self-understanding, workplace adjustments, or education support.

Worry about being understood is normal. We are open to adults of all backgrounds. The service is also welcoming of LGBTQ+ clients and is queer affirming and culturally sensitive, if this applies to you, while treating everyone respectfully.

Online assessments can feel less “real.” Online assessments are evidence-based, valid, and often more accessible than in-person. The structure, supervision, and clinical rigour remain the same. Online also opens doors to better fit, because you are not as limited by geographical location of the clinic.

Money and timing are real stressors.
Fees are transparent, with flexible payment options, and private assessment is much faster than long NHS waiting times. Availability is confirmed when you enquire, and there is often availability immediately, same week or next week.

You’re not alone in wondering how this works. An ADHD assessment is a structured, supportive conversation:

1. We review your current difficulties and history

2. We use validated questionnaires and clinical interviews

3. We explore how experiences impact daily life (work, relationships, focus). This breadth and depth is often missing from some tick-box services out there.
   At the end you get a clear, personalised report and toolkit, with no added costs, unlike some clinics who have hidden costs.

It’s common to ask this. Sometimes having someone who knows you well complete rating tools helps with accuracy, but it’s not required. We highly recommend this because it helps our blind spots and adds richness and rigour to the experiences and report. It is a quality recommendation also by the ADHD guidelines, which many low quality clinics out there miss. We work with whatever makes the assessment comfortable and useful for you.

Absolutely. Many adults come for clarity after years of wondering. This assessment helps you understand your experience, whether or not ADHD is diagnosed.

That’s really common. You can pause, ask questions, take a break, and we’ll move at a pace that feels safe for you. The process is designed to be clear, respectful, and trauma-aware.

It’s more than a label. Your report will include:

• Clear diagnostic conclusion

• If you have ADHD it will include the specific ‘type’ of ADHD (there are 3 types) and the ‘severity’.

• Summary of what was assessed

• Clinical reasoning.

• Recommendations for support, next steps, and how to share with your GP.

Yes. If you choose, your report can be shared with relevant professionals to support accommodations or understanding with your consent.

Yes unlike many clinics out there, you’re not left with just a report. You’ll get tailored recommendations, and if you want more help (coaching, therapy, strategies), we can talk about options that fit your needs and this is available and can likely be with the person who did your assessment (see services page).

You’re right to check about this. No. Assessment is focused on diagnosis and formulation. Therapy or coaching can be arranged after if you want support putting recommendations into practice.

Good question. No, clinical psychologists don’t prescribe. But your report includes clear recommendations, and if medication is appropriate, your GP (or psychiatrist) can use it to guide shared care with a prescriber or referral.

You’re smart to clarify this. Shared care is a collaboration with your GP and prescriber. You bring the assessment and recommendations; they help with medication planning, monitoring, and follow-up. Its always better to check in advance if your GP is open to shared care with a prescribing service, most are, but some are not.

That’s normal, anxiety often comes first. Yes of course. Why not get in touch with your questions, send us a message, without pressure to commit, to help you decide whether assessment is the right step for you.