For decades, ADHD has been misunderstood as a narrow behavioural issue affecting children. Yet NHS data, international research, and lived experience all show something very different: ADHD is a brain–body condition with far-reaching impacts on health, education, employment, family life, public safety and the wider economy.
As Wes Streeting launches a national review into ADHD, autism and mental health services, it is essential that the conversation is grounded in evidence, not outdated assumptions.
Below is a full exploration of why better ADHD diagnosis and management is a national priority, with internal and external links to support clinical understanding, public education and policy reform.
Many claim that ADHD is being overdiagnosed. NHS data show the opposite.
See our overview of current pathways:
Understanding ADHD Assessment in the UK
External sources confirming underdiagnosis:
Rising diagnosis does not mean overdiagnosis. It means the system is finally recognising people it previously ignored.
ADHD affects the nervous system, endocrine system, autonomic function, sleep architecture, emotional regulation and metabolic health. It overlaps with:
Learn more about specific areas:
ADHD, Insomnia and Sleep Dysregulation
Female Brain Health and ADHD
Relevant external research:
ADHD cannot be treated as a standalone mental-health label. It is a multi-system health condition that requires integrated care.
Students with ADHD face:
Adults with untreated ADHD have:
For a deeper dive into how better management helps:
Why Shared Care Prescribing Improves Long-Term Outcomes
External reference: ADHD, impulsivity and criminogenic risk
Untreated ADHD is associated with:
External reference: UCL life expectancy study in adult ADHD
Annual UK cost lines influenced by ADHD-related dysregulation (approximate figures):
| Area | Annual Cost |
|---|---|
| Sleep disorders | £34–40 billion |
| Work-related stress | £51 billion |
| Mental illness (NHS / societal) | £60 billion / ~£300 billion |
| Musculoskeletal pain | £5 billion |
| Type 2 diabetes | £10–14 billion |
| Obesity | £6.5–9.7 billion |
| Migraine and headache | £1 billion NHS, up to £9.7 billion total |
| Alcohol harm | £27 billion |
| Drug misuse | £20 billion |
| Family breakdown | £51 billion |
| School exclusion | £2.1 billion |
When ADHD is diagnosed and properly managed:
Learn more about our integrated approach:
About Sanctum’s Integrated Brain Health Model
The review must recognise that:
Internal resource:
Why Shared Care Must Be Protected
External guideline:
NICE NG87 – ADHD: Diagnosis and Management
To reduce avoidable harm and cost, ADHD needs to be addressed as a cross-cutting public health condition. Key actions for the review include: