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How to correctly submit data on autism and ADHD assessments

All providers of NHS-funded ADHD and autism services must submit data to the appropriate national dataset, as required under the NHS Standard Contract. Commissioners are responsible for ensuring compliance with this requirement and should take appropriate action to address any non-compliance.

Neurodevelopmental assessments (including autism and/or ADHD assessments) delivered within a community paediatrics service as a community health services commissioned service must be recorded in community datasets, waiting time data for assessments must be reported to the Community Health Services (CHS) SitRep under the community paediatrics service line.

For further detail on reporting of community waiting times please see the CHS Sitrep technical Specification FAQs (FutureNHS login required).

If an autism and/or ADHD assessment is delivered as part of a neurodevelopmental assessment within an NHS-funded, mental health-commissioned service, it must be reported under the Mental Health Services Data Set. Waiting times for those referred for an autism and or ADHD assessment must be included within the Community Mental Health waiting times metric.

For further details on reporting of waiting times for community mental health services, please refer to the community mental health services waiting times FAQ. (FutureNHS login required) and Implementation of referral spells using MHSDS data. 

For assessments completed under a jointly commissioned service, the waiting time must be recorded in the dataset corresponding to the source of referral. For example, if the referral originated from a children and young people mental health service, it must be reported via the Mental Health Service Data Set. If the referral originated from a community health service, it should be reported in the CHS SitRep.

If you have any questions about how to correctly report assessment and waiting times data, contact:

Last edited: 8 May 2025 3:45 pm