Adult ADHD Diagnostic Assessments and Treatment Training
Duration: Two-day course, followed by four optional monthly one-hour online case discussion sessions.
Day 1: [Online] Wednesday 13th January (9.30am to 4.30pm)
Day 2: [Online] Wednesday 20th January (9.30am to 4.30pm)
Optional follow-up online case discussions. 4 to 5pm on Friday 29th Jan, Friday 12th Feb, Friday 26th Feb and Friday 12th March
Cost: Internal (SLaM employees): £898. External (non-SLaM employees): £1,078
For bookings and enquiries please contact: estiacentre@slam.nhs.uk
Aim
To develop health care professionals’ knowledge, skills and confidence in recognising, assessing and managing ADHD in adults who present to primary and secondary mental health care settings.
Adult ADHD Diagnostic - Course overview
This two-day training programme provides a practical and clinically focused introduction to the recognition, assessment and management of ADHD in adults. It is led by clinicians from the National Adult ADHD and Autism Service at the Maudsley with involvement from experts with lived experience of ADHD. It is primarily aimed at clinicians working within the NHS, particularly those working in mental health settings.
Target audience
This training is designed for healthcare professionals working in primary and secondary mental health settings who encounter adults with suspected or diagnosed ADHD in their clinical practice and wish to develop their clinical skills in assessment and management of ADHD. Participants may include:
- Psychiatrists
- Specialty doctors and trainees
- Clinical psychologists
- Mental health nurses
- Occupational therapists
- Pharmacists working in mental health services
- Allied health professionals involved in ADHD care
- General Practitioners with a specialist interest in ADHD or mental health
Learning outcomes
Day 1
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Understand the epidemiology, neurobiology and risk factors associated with adult ADHD.
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Recognise ADHD symptoms in adults presenting to secondary care and distinguish them from those of other conditions.
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Become familiar with DSM-5 and ICD-11 diagnostic criteria.
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Understand clinical guidelines and national referral pathways.
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Use ADHD screening tools and DIVA appropriately to support clinical assessment and decision-making.
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Identify common co-existing conditions and consider relevant differential diagnoses
Day 2
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Develop evidence-based treatment plans for adults with ADHD, incorporating both pharmacological, psycho-social and post-diagnostic support interventions that can improve functional outcomes and quality of life for adults with ADHD
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Understand the principles of pharmacological treatment for adult ADHD, including medication options, monitoring requirements and shared-care considerations
Course content
Content (Day 1)
- Prevalence and Presentation in Primary and Secondary Care
- Diagnostic Criteria
- Screening and Assessment
- Co-existing Conditions and Differential Diagnosis
Content (Day 2)
- Overview of treatment approaches
- Treatment options
- Psychosocial approaches
- Managing complexity
Optional post-training case discussions
Optional post-training case discussions
Following the two-day course, participants will be offered four optional online case discussion sessions, each lasting 60 minutes. Facilitated by clinicians from the National Adult ADHD and Autism Service at the Maudsley, these sessions provide an opportunity to apply and consolidate learning through discussion of participants’ clinical cases. Discussions will explore diagnostic questions and complexities in adult ADHD assessment and treatment, drawing on specialist input and peer learning.
Clinical responsibility remains with the presenting clinician and their service. These discussions do not constitute a referral to, or clinical assessment by, the National Adult ADHD and Autism Service.
Specialist expertise
Specialist expertise
This training is led by clinicians working within a specialist NHS adult ADHD service with more than 30 years’ experience of assessing and treating adults with ADHD. The National Adult ADHD and Autism Service at the Maudsley has particular expertise in complex presentations, including ADHD occurring alongside other neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions.
The course therefore goes beyond teaching diagnostic criteria and treatment guidelines, focusing on how ADHD presents in real-world mental health settings and how clinicians can approach diagnostic and treatment complexity.
How you will learn
How you will learn
Teaching combines evidence-based and guideline-informed content with practical application. Participants will work through case vignettes and clinical scenarios, take part in small-group case discussions, and consider how assessment and treatment approaches can be applied within their own clinical settings. Lived experience is integrated throughout the programme using contributions from people with lived experience of ADHD.
Teaching is grounded in current evidence and clinical guidance and brought to life through case vignettes drawn from clinical practice, interactive case discussion, and contributions from people with lived experience of ADHD and of our assessment and treatment pathways. This combination of specialist clinical expertise, evidence-based teaching and lived experience provides participants with practical learning that can be applied to the complexities of everyday clinical practice.
Clinical competence
This course supports the development of clinical knowledge and skills. Completion alone does not establish competence or qualify participants to practise independently as ADHD assessors. Competence requires relevant training, clinical experience, supervision and ongoing professional development within each clinician’s professional scope of practice.