Author: Clinical Partners Published: 09 October, 2026
Tags: ADHD, Autism
A statement from Barny Guthrie, CEO:
"Clinical Partners welcomes the publication today of the Independent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism in England, chaired by Professor Peter Fonagy.
As a system partner to the NHS since 2017, we are proud of the role we play in helping improve access to high-quality, evidence-based care for patients across a wide range of clinical need.
We support the review’s call for a system that is less focused on diagnosis and more on need. We are currently working with ICB partners to implement needs-based approaches and have seen first-hand the benefits for patients.
As a provider of high-quality assessments rated Good by the CQC, we believe the private sector has a vital role to play in improving access to care.
We also support the proposals for a new tariff to support a fairer, more consistent and more transparent system for all providers to the NHS. We have been calling for service specifications aligned to pricing, which we believe will stimulate innovation and build trust.
We particularly welcome the focus on ensuring equity of outcomes from mental health services for people from different backgrounds. This is a priority for Clinical Partners; our analysis shows that across our services for Right to Choose NHS patients we see similar volumes of patients from all indices of deprivation.
We are committed to working collaboratively with public policymakers to help shape how the recommendations are implemented and to continuing to partner with NHS commissioners to innovate and deliver value-based healthcare care that is faster, better and more efficient."
Meeting the needs of people in distress
There are many reasons why Prof Fonagy recommends moving from a focus on diagnosis to meeting people's needs earlier, and without a diagnostic label.
We agree; we know from analysing levels of anxiety and depression in people who are referred to us by their GPs for assessments that many are experiencing significant levels of distress before any assessment or potential diagnosis.
The data (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in adults) showed that:
Over 30% of the adults we see for ADHD and autism assessments meet the threshold for clinical depression.
84% of adults we see for autism or ADHD assessment meet the threshold for clinical levels of anxiety.
In the context of current policy discussions, this means:
A diagnostic label should not be the sole gateway to getting help.
Reducing access to assessment would not necessarily reduce need or demand.
ADHD, autism, anxiety and depression shouldn’t be considered as separate problems. Symptoms overlap, and we need to consider someone’s mental health severity- whether they are diagnosed or not.
Testing a needs-led model of care
Across health services, education and the workplace, too many people still find that support is locked behind diagnosis, often after months or years of waiting. A formal diagnosis is often very valuable, but it should not be the only route to help.
Working alongside NHS commissioners, clinicians, people with lived experience and other partners, we have been collaborating to design and test a needs-led model of care.
The approach seeks to understand how difficulties affect day-to-day functioning, participation, wellbeing, education, employment and quality of life, and to tailor support accordingly. By combining clinical expertise, evidence and innovative approaches to understanding need across populations, this work aims to generate richer insight into strengths, challenges and support requirements, helping to inform future service design, workforce planning and commissioning decisions.
There is still much to learn, but we are encouraged to see growing national recognition that support should be shaped around need, not formal diagnosis alone. That means understanding how difficulties affect people's lives, identifying what support may help, and providing timely access to that support without unnecessary barriers.
We are excited to continue this work alongside our NHS partners and to contribute to the wider conversation about how services can become more personalised, equitable and sustainable for both patients and the NHS.