What happens in an ADHD assessment at APIS Clinic?
A calm walk-through of each step, from screening call to written report, so nothing is a surprise.
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What happens in an ADHD assessment at APIS Clinic? An article from APIS Clinic. A calm walk-through of each step, from screening call to written report, so nothing is a surprise. When you contact APIS Clinic, you do not need to be certain about what you are experiencing.
You may already be quite sure that ADHD is part of your story, or you may simply feel that something about attention, organisation, motivation, emotions or daily functioning has become difficult to manage. Either starting point is valid. Once we receive your enquiry, a member of our team will get in touch, collect some basic details, answer initial questions and arrange a specialist screening call.
This first step is about understanding what has brought you to us, what you hope for, and whether the ADHD pathway is likely to be the right place to start. If another pathway seems more suitable, such as autism, AuDHD, mental health assessment, diagnostic review or trait-led support, we will explain this clearly. If the ADHD pathway is appropriate, you complete questionnaires and background information before your appointment, in one place via an app.
Where appropriate, objective attention measures may also be used. These do not replace clinical assessment but can provide useful information about attention, response style and cognitive performance. NICE guidance emphasises that ADHD assessment should involve a trained specialist, a comprehensive clinical and psychosocial assessment, and consideration of symptoms across different settings.
The assessment itself can usually be accessed via a secure link, including on your phone. You can attend alone or with someone supportive. At the start, the clinician will explain how the session will work and check whether you need anything to make it easier.
You can ask for breaks, take notes, or ask for anything to be repeated. The clinician then carefully explores your story: childhood, school, education, work, relationships, daily routines, emotional regulation, sleep, physical and mental health, and the impact of your difficulties, as well as your strengths. The aim is not to tick boxes but to understand your pattern, because ADHD can overlap with anxiety, depression, sleep problems, trauma, autism, hormonal changes, fatigue and pain.
Towards the end of the appointment, the clinician will usually discuss initial impressions: whether ADHD appears to fit, whether more information is needed, and what the next steps may be. A written report usually follows within 7 days, summarising the assessment, formulation, diagnostic opinion where appropriate, and personalised recommendations. That is the end of this article.
You can read it in full on this page.
When you contact APIS Clinic, you do not need to be certain about what you are experiencing. You may already be quite sure that ADHD is part of your story, or you may simply feel that something about attention, organisation, motivation, emotions or daily functioning has become difficult to manage. Either starting point is valid.
Once we receive your enquiry, a member of our team will get in touch, collect some basic details, answer initial questions and arrange a specialist screening call. This first step is about understanding what has brought you to us, what you hope for, and whether the ADHD pathway is likely to be the right place to start. If another pathway seems more suitable, such as autism, AuDHD, mental health assessment, diagnostic review or trait-led support, we will explain this clearly.
If the ADHD pathway is appropriate, you complete questionnaires and background information before your appointment, in one place via an app. Where appropriate, objective attention measures may also be used. These do not replace clinical assessment but can provide useful information about attention, response style and cognitive performance. NICE guidance emphasises that ADHD assessment should involve a trained specialist, a comprehensive clinical and psychosocial assessment, and consideration of symptoms across different settings.
The assessment itself can usually be accessed via a secure link, including on your phone. You can attend alone or with someone supportive. At the start, the clinician will explain how the session will work and check whether you need anything to make it easier. You can ask for breaks, take notes, or ask for anything to be repeated.
The clinician then carefully explores your story: childhood, school, education, work, relationships, daily routines, emotional regulation, sleep, physical and mental health, and the impact of your difficulties, as well as your strengths. The aim is not to tick boxes but to understand your pattern, because ADHD can overlap with anxiety, depression, sleep problems, trauma, autism, hormonal changes, fatigue and pain.
Towards the end of the appointment, the clinician will usually discuss initial impressions: whether ADHD appears to fit, whether more information is needed, and what the next steps may be. A written report usually follows within 7 days, summarising the assessment, formulation, diagnostic opinion where appropriate, and personalised recommendations.
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