‘He tried so hard to get help’: the tragic results of NHS right-to-choose for ADHD patients

Use of private providers, poor training and inadequate regulation mean obtaining care has become a ‘wild west’

• NHS ADHD spending over budget by £164m as unregulated clinics boom

When Leigh White remembers her brother Ryan, she thinks of a boy of extraordinary ability who “won five scholarships at 11” including a coveted place at Bancroft’s, a private school in London. He was, she said, “super bright, witty, personable, generous and kind”.

Ryan killed himself on 12 May 2024. A report written after his death acknowledged significant shortcomings in the support he received while seeking help for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.