Patient case studies
Our investigations give us a unique view of ADHD and autism assessment, diagnosis and treatment. The following case studies show the consequences of poor information for patients, inconsistent quality of assessments and how delays and disruption in these services impact on people’s lives.
Diagnosis is not the end point of the pathway. Longer-term outcomes for people depend on their ability to access support across health, education, employment and beyond.
In some of our investigations, we identified service failings and made recommendations for improvement. In many cases we did not find failings but still saw the wider system pressures and tensions. This means commissioners, providers and clinicians may each be acting appropriately, but due to limited coordination across the system, these actions can cause delays, inconsistent access and fragmented care.