This week’s interim findings from the independent review are an important step in moving beyond an often divisive debate about overdiagnosis. They confirm what many people, including young people, families and professionals already know – there has been a genuine rise in mental health distress, particularly among children and young people. At the same time, the review leaves open important questions about the drivers behind rising diagnoses of autism and ADHD and how best to respond, while making clear the importance of approaching these conditions with care, accuracy and respect. Progress on awareness of these conditions and tackling stigma means more people are now coming forward for help but this review has also exposed fundamental gaps in how support is provided. If we were discussing physical illness increased awareness and diagnosis would be celebrated, not questioned.
The review highlights the importance of ensuring people can access timely and appropriate support but for many a diagnosis has become the only route they feel opens the door to it. For many people, it is not simply validating but a necessary way to access help, secure adjustments and protect themselves from poor treatment, including in schools and the workplace under equality law. This helps explain some of the rising demand. However, when support is tied so tightly to diagnosis, it risks reinforcing inequalities with those who are more able to navigate the system, advocate for themselves or pay for private assessments, being more likely to receive timely help, while others are left waiting or overlooked entirely.
Encouragingly, the review also recognises the role of wider social and economic factors, including poverty, education pressures and unequal access to services, in shaping both distress and outcomes. This matters, because without addressing these root causes, there is a risk of over-reliance on medical labels to respond to what are often social challenges. A fairer system would ensure people can access support based on need, not just diagnosis, and that inequalities in access and outcomes are actively addressed.
Finally, the review is clear that this challenge will not diminish on its own. Referrals are likely to continue rising, and the system must be equipped to respond. The NHS cannot do this alone. Mental health is shaped in our schools, communities, workplaces and increasingly in digital spaces, and the response must reflect that reality. As we look ahead to the final report, we need urgent commitment from government to a cross-government action plan that delivers meaningful change, both for everyone experiencing poor mental health, including autistic people and those with ADHD, ensuring they can access the right support to thrive.
