The review, spearheaded by Professor Peter Fonagy, analysed extensive evidence on mental health conditions, ADHD, and autism. It highlights a substantial increase in demand for assessments, with over 560,000 open ADHD referrals and more than 254,000 open autism referrals recorded by the end of 2025. The report concludes that current services are under immense pressure and advocates for a move away from a diagnosis-dependent system towards one prioritising individual needs and levels of impairment, while ensuring timely diagnosis and specialist care when necessary.
Contributions from Oxford University and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust (OHFT) were crucial, spanning psychiatry, public health, youth mental health, and health informatics. Researchers helped to illuminate young people's experiences and the escalating demand for services. Key contributors included Dr William Pettersson-Yeo, Professor Ilina Singh, Professor Cathy Creswell, and Professor Mina Fazel. OHFT's Adam Pill and Nnenna Omeje provided expertise in research informatics, analysing service demand, population trends, and the use of health data for planning.
Findings from the OxWell Student Survey, one of the UK's largest studies on children and young people's wellbeing, informed the review. This survey provided insights into how young people identify as neurodivergent, where they seek support, and the critical role schools play in their care networks. Professor Mina Fazel, Chair of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Oxford, expressed gratitude to the young people and schools who contributed, emphasising how their voices shaped the national review.
“"The review highlights the importance of high-quality data in understanding demand, identifying inequalities and planning services effectively. Better information about who needs support, when they need it and the outcomes they experience will be essential to delivering the more joined-up, needs-led system set out in the report."
“"The results of this review emphasise the pressing need for ADHD and autism care pathways that are coherent between services, evidence-based and needs-led. It should be a priority that such service provision is accessible to all independent of age, ethnicity or socioeconomic background."
The review, a 600-page document developed by a broad group of stakeholders and UK mental health academics and clinicians, also addressed the social and ethical dimensions of psychiatric diagnosis. Research from The Oxford Centre for Emerging Minds Research (OCEMR), including work on digital and parent-centred interventions for anxiety, barriers to mental health support, and adolescent self-diagnosis, was cited. Professor Polly Waite, Deputy Director of OCEMR, commented on the opportunity the review presents to transform support for children and young people's mental health.
The report's recommendations aim to guide future policy and service design, focusing on earlier intervention, reduced waiting times, improved access to evidence-based support, and more integrated mental health and neurodevelopmental care pathways. The full report, “Independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD and autism,” is available on the Gov.UK website.
