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Dr Alex George says ADHD and OCD diagnoses changed his life
Summary
Dr Alex George says being diagnosed with ADHD and OCD has changed his life and he paid privately for assessments while citing long NHS waiting lists and limited access to services.
Content
Dr Alex George says being diagnosed with ADHD and OCD has "completely changed" his life, and he is urging improvements to waiting times for assessments. He has described paying privately for ADHD and autism tests after encountering long NHS waits and says symptoms were present from childhood. Officials have noted rising demand for ADHD, autism and mental health services, and the UK health secretary has launched an independent review.
Key facts:
- Dr Alex George was diagnosed with ADHD in 2022 and received an OCD diagnosis in October 2025; he also paid privately for an autism assessment, which he said cost about £3,000.
- He said a lack of childhood diagnosis caused sustained difficulties at school and in life, and he has written about these experiences in his book.
- National figures reported that 236,225 people in England were waiting for an autism assessment as of June 2025 and some adults face long waits of up to several years for NHS ADHD services; Senedd research reported 16,812 children and young people in Wales waiting for neurodevelopmental assessment in 2023.
- Health secretary Wes Streeting has launched an independent review into rising demand for ADHD, autism and mental health services, and the Welsh government announced a further £13.7 million to improve neurodivergence services.
Summary:
The article highlights personal experience and wider access issues, noting that some people pay privately to avoid NHS waiting lists. An independent review has been launched and additional funding has been announced in Wales; how these actions will affect waiting times and service access is undetermined at this time.
