Vulnerable families in Sheffield have been left without treatment due to a lack of ADHD medication in the UK.
This is due to supply and demand, with the NHS unable to get the ingredients to manufacture the medication quickly enough.
Georgie Boot, Project Manager for Sheffield ADHD Project, Family Action, said: ADHD is a registered disability, so imagine having a different disability like cerebral palsy and you’re given a wheelchair as support for medication. Then imagine all that medication taken away and them expecting you to walk.
“This medication can be life changing for children.”
Family Action is a UK-wide charitable organisation, with 167 projects spread across the country.
The Sheffield ADHD project supports families who have an ADHD diagnosis, and educates parents of children with ADHD.
Mrs Boot said: “It’s having a devastating impact on schools, the education of these children, but particularly on the families.
“Families in Sheffield are desperate, really desperate.”
Waiting lists for a diagnosis now stand at 18 months per child in Sheffield.
Many families have resorted to travelling across the city to multiple chemists trying to get medication for their child.
Mrs Boot said: “Imagine how debilitating it is for them to just start getting the right medication and it helps them focus, concentrate in school, regulate their emotions, helps their impulsive behaviours, and then all of a sudden that medication is no longer available.”
NHS England recently issued a National Patient Safety Alert outlining supply disruptions for ADHD medication.
The drugs listed in the shortage include Methylphenidate, Lisdexamfetamine, Guanfacine, and Atomoxetine.
Patients are not able to safely start on these medications until the end of February, as it is anticipated there will not be sufficient amounts until then.
Family Action are putting on multiple drop ins and post-diagnosis support for everyone in Sheffield with neurodiverse behaviours.
For the last 14 years, Family Action was named Sheffield ADHD, but Mrs Boot has just developed the service.
From April 1st they will be called Sheffield Neurodiverse Family Service.
If you or anyone you know is suffering from this shortage of medication, click this link for support: ADHD and mental health – Mind