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SCAN is a multidisciplinary team (consisting of Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology, Child Psychotherapy, Family Therapy, Counselling Psychology, Nursing) providing a full provision to children and adolescents with moderate to severe neurodevelopmental difficulties and comorbid mental health problems. Referrals are accepted when mental health problems are identified in accordance with the children and young peoples service (CYPS) referral criteria and when the child or adolescent attends one of the special schools in Barnet. 

Under particular circumstances referrals are also accepted from special educational units within mainstream education. SCAN clients have chronic and life-long difficulties and will often be re-referred through childhood, or they require long term monitoring of medication, as their difficulties are generally linked to their disabilities. Most patients receive a general initial assessment, although some may require complex specialist diagnostic assessments involving several clinicians and other services (such as a Paediatrician, for example). A range of short or long term treatments are offered. 

However, all assessment and treatment work are increased in complexity due to the comorbid neurodevelopmental difficulties and mental health problems, requiring more resources to assess, diagnose, treat and liaise with the many professionals involved with the client and their family. A great deal of anxiety and risk surround our client group and the team has to be able to respond quickly and flexibly to safely support families in need. SCAN offer consultation and joint assessments to other CYPS team in Barnet and foster good links with the special schools, Children with Disabilities Service, the voluntary sector and the community paediatricians. Alongside this assessment and treatment we offer support to parents who are frequently suffering from the stress and low mood that can come with parenting a child with a mental health problem and a major disability.

Tel:020 8702 4500
Address: Holly Oak, Edgware Community Hospital, Burnt Oak Broadway, Edgware HA8 0A

Private ADHD Assesments for Barnet

What to expect from a private service?

• Parent should check clinicians completing the assessment are qualified mental health professionals completing specialist neurodevelopmental assessment and giving a diagnosis.

They could be:

• A child and adolescent psychiatrist or consultant paediatrician registered with the General Medical Council (GMC).
• A multidisciplinary team that includes: HCPC (Health and Care Professions) Registered Practitioner Psychologist, Specialist Nurses registered with NMC, Occupational therapist, or speech and language therapist registered with the HCPC. All whom specialise in assessment of ADHD.
• All assessments will be reviewed and may require an additional assessment.
• Where possible or indicated a physical health check is recommended as part of the assessment.
• The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) provides guidance on neurodevelopmental assessments and diagnosis. You should ask the private service if the assessment, diagnosis, and assessment report will meet the NICE standards. 

This means the assessment will involve:

• Child being at the centre of the assessment and having their voice heard.
• Reviewing information from more than one setting (usually home and school)
• A direct clinical observation of the child 
• Longitudinal/Developmental history considering ADHD (including the neurodevelopmental medical & family history).
• Consideration of differential diagnosis and formulation
• The use of questionnaires or specialist standardised assessments.
• The child/young person must have been seen at least once
• The report should reflect the ADHD symptoms as described in the DSM criteria
• Risks need to be clearly identified in the report
• Where possible or indicated a physical health, check is recommended as part of the assessment.

Barnet CYPS cannot advise parent on which private service to use- please discuss with your GP, your options. 

Transferring from a private service to an NHS neurodevelopmental service:

• We will review the private assessment report meets the standards in the NICE guidance. All assessments will be reviewed and may require an additional assessment.
• A request can be made for your child treatment from the NHS, after having a private neurodevelopmental assessment and diagnosis.
• You will need to ask your child’s school or GP to make a referral attaching the report to Haringey/Barnet/Enfield CYPS.
• Depending on the request, we will discuss it within our MDT and share options for next steps.
• Medications that have been prescribed will be reviewed within UK guidance
• If the private clinician is prescribing, they will hold clinical responsibility until the child is seen by NHS.
• We will request a hand-over letter from the private provider with your consent 

If the report does not comply with the NICE guidance, we will:

• Tell you what information is missing and ask you to get this information from the private service.
• Give you the option of a full neurodevelopmental assessment based on recommended guidance with Haringey/Barnet/Enfield  CYPS.

For information on private ASD Asessments, please see this document.