ADHD: Private clinics exposed by BBC undercover investigation

Frankly the BBC have been really irresponsible here- this is potentially going to hurt a lot of people with ADHD who have a private diagnosis, either due to self-doubt or due to others dismissing their struggles as 'not a REAL diagnosis'.

There's a good ongoing thread on Twitter about this, written by a neuroscientist who has some serious concerns about the situation: twitter.com/.../1658113052691124226

Frankly the BBC have been really irresponsible here- this is potentially going to hurt a lot of people with ADHD who have a private diagnosis, either due to self-doubt or due to others dismissing their struggles as 'not a REAL diagnosis'.

There's a good ongoing thread on Twitter about this, written by a neuroscientist who has some serious concerns about the situation: twitter.com/.../1658113052691124226

Yes, I agree there needed more context.

They are right to point out this malpractice and the crisis in getting an NHS assessment which is allowing dodgy providers to survive. This is scandalous, but I think they should have given some context about how ADHD can impact on people and emphasized that there are good private practices and the right support out there too, perhaps with advice to the public in what to look for when choosing one.

Great thread that. I’m actually surprised at the bbc here. I wonder what would Chris Packham say about it all? 

This sort of 'sting operation' is essentially fraudulent, the reporter is acting in bad faith. People who go out of their way to get assessed for any neurodivergence are almost always badly affected by their traits, that is why they are seeking confirmation or clarification. For any clinician, this would be taken as an understood precondition. However, prescribing drugs without a full investigation of the general health of the patient is indefensible.

I would like to know the details of how the 'NHS' assessment was set up. Of the reporter, the article says that, "...he didn't tell the private clinics the real reason he'd booked the appointment." This suggests that the NHS clinician was informed about the nature of the sting, which the photograph of the reporter and the NHS clinician would tend to support, in which case the clinicians were not working on a even 'playing field'. It all looks rather sleazy.