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The government has confirmed they will not subsidise private ADHD care as such a precedent could widen "health inequalities" – despite growing calls from islanders seeking help with lengthy public waiting lists.
Health Minister Tom Binet said doing so "would not be consistent with the planned use of the Health Insurance Fund", and raised concerns that subsidising private assessments would set a precedent across other areas of the Health Department, which the government is not prepared to do.
The decision, which was set out in a letter to the panel of politicians responsible for scrutinising Health, follows concerns from islanders over the significant cost of having to turn to private providers for assessments due to the length of the public waiting list.
The situation is currently under review by the Health Scrutiny Panel, who recently received a series of written submissions from islanders sharing their own personal accounts of years-long waits for assessment and treatment.
Many said they were left shocked that, after shelling out hundreds of pounds for private prescriptions, they were then disqualified from accessing free medication through the Health Department.
They described getting hold of ADHD medication as a “nightmare”, wait-list times as “unacceptable” and labelled being forced to pay for prescriptions as “disgusting”.
In one submission, the mother of a 25-year-old with ADHD said: "In desperation, she had a private consultation and she was diagnosed with ADHD. However, she cannot afford the private medication so has to carry on waiting on the list.
"Her mood swings are severe, we walk on eggshells at home, she finds it difficult to remember things, she holds down a good job but struggles on a day-to-day basis."
Another islander described her experience of waiting over two years before resorting to the private route.
"The constant struggle and frustration with my undiagnosed symptoms ultimately led me to pay for private testing, which was a significant financial strain.
“The fact that ADHD medication requires out-of-pocket payments is frankly disgusting.”
Meanwhile, the parent of a 19-year-old with ADHD who paid £250 per appointment was shocked by the financial cost.
“When I enquired as to when my son could be expected to be seen under the public service I was advised the wait list was two years. This is totally unacceptable.
“I am Jersey-born and a high-rate taxpayer on this island and for what benefit when I can’t access the treatment I require for my son?”
A 31-year-old said they paid £900 for an initial private consultation with follow-up appointments costing £250 each.
They said: “What wasn’t made clear to me was the ongoing cost of the medication and appointments.
“Although I was able to save for the initial consultation, I realised very quickly that I wasn’t going to be able to afford to continue treatment as it worked out to an average of £300+ monthly, which I do not have.”
Also frustrated by the cost of medication was a healthcare professional recently diagnosed with ADHD.
She said: “I’ve been put off accessing medication to try to alleviate my symptoms because I simply cannot afford the monthly costs of medication.”
She called on the government to “train more people to diagnose ADHD” and “eradicate costs associated with medications”.
Local advocacy groups have also spoke out about the impact of long waiting times on individuals with undiagnosed ADHD.
Rachel Tippet, founder of ADHD Jersey, previously warned that untreated ADHD can significantly strain an individual's mental health, professional life, personal relationships, and self-worth.
Pictured (left to right): ADHD Jersey's secretary Carly Williams, project manager Kizz Moon, and founder Rachel Tippet.
Carly Williams, secretary of ADHD Jersey, also spoke about the potential consequences of delayed diagnosis and treatment.
"The potential challenges include relationship breakdowns, loss of jobs, children's services involvement where parents struggle, substance abuse and suicide."
"Those who can get private assessments likely will, but what about those who can't afford it?"
While not offering subsidies, the government is exploring other measures to address the ADHD assessment backlog.
These include reviewing and managing the waiting list, introducing a new self-assessment questionnaire, planning ADHD training for mental health staff, implementing psychological support interventions for those on the waiting list, exploring partnerships with private providers, and discussing shared care prescribing arrangements with primary care colleagues.
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