Health
CQC to regulate private ADHD and autism clinics after review flags over-diagnosis risk
October 9, 2026 at 05:57 PM
Coverage
3 reports · over 5 hours
England's care watchdog will begin inspecting private clinics offering ADHD and autism diagnoses after a government review warned of over-diagnosis and unregulated providers.
- The Care Quality Commission announced Friday it will inspect private clinics offering ADHD and autism diagnostic assessments, which are currently unregulated.
- Prof Peter Fonagy's review warned of an increasing risk of over-diagnosis of ADHD and autism and of private firms' "financial incentives" to wrongly diagnose patients.
- A Herefordshire and Worcestershire NHS trust restricted under-18s' access to neurodevelopmental services after staff resigned to join private providers.
- Health secretary Yvette Cooper said the regulation ensures assessments are high quality and that the NHS is not overcharged by private providers.