An independent review has been launched by the Government to examine how the health system currently delivers mental health, ADHD, and autism services in order to help ensure children and adults can get the right support.
Lord Darzi’s independent investigation into the NHS found that demand for mental health, ADHD, and autism services has risen, and many people who are autistic or have ADHD are struggling to access the right services and support.
In 1993, 15.5% of 16-64 year olds had a common mental health condition, compared to 22.6% in 2023 to 2024.
Meanwhile, 13 times more people were waiting for an autism assessment in September 2025 compared to April 2019.
This review is the next step in the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan commitment to transforming mental health care, ensuring people get the appropriate care, which will help bring down waiting lists.
The review is being launched alongside extra funding of £688m, cash that is going towards hiring 8,500 additional mental health workers, expanding NHS Talking Therapies, and increasing the number of mental health emergency departments.
We must look at this through a strictly clinical lens to get an evidence-based understanding of what we know, what we don’t know, and what these patterns tell us about our mental health system, autism, and ADHD services
This work, alongside this review, will help more people get the right support and stop waiting lists further rising.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “I know from personal experience how devastating it can be for people who face poor mental health, have ADHD or autism and can’t get a diagnosis or the right support.
“I also know, from speaking to clinicians, how the diagnosis of these conditions is sharply rising.
“We must look at this through a strictly clinical lens to get an evidence-based understanding of what we know, what we don’t know, and what these patterns tell us about our mental health system, autism, and ADHD services.
“That’s the only way we can ensure everyone gets timely access to accurate diagnosis and effective support.
“The independent review will look at rising demand for mental health, ADHD, and autism services and what is driving it.
“The increased burden on the NHS means that for too long, people with acute needs have faced long waits, had to navigate overstretched services, experienced inequalities in care, and felt abandoned when support was needed most.”
A recent survey by Rethink Mental Illness set out how important it is to ensure people are getting the right support. For example, it found that some parents were resorting to private treatment to get their children the treatment they need, with one case study saying that the cost was leading to such severe hardship that they couldn’t afford to eat regularly.
The review will explore why people are increasingly turning to the NHS and other services for support, the role of diagnosis in accessing help, and how appropriate current interventions are.
The increased burden on the NHS means that for too long, people with acute needs have faced long waits, had to navigate overstretched services, experienced inequalities in care, and felt abandoned when support was needed most
And it will recommend practical, evidence-based approaches to prevention and early intervention and will be led by Professor Peter Fonagy, a clinical psychologist and national clinical advisor on children and young people’s mental health.
The findings, which will be published in summer 2026, will inform the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan commitment to tackle the mental health crisis in adults and children.
The review will also appoint an advisory working group of leading academics, clinicians, epidemiological experts, charities, and people with lived experience to directly shape the recommendations and scrutinise the evidence.
Professor Peter Fonagy, chair of the independent review, said: “This review will only be worthwhile if it is built on solid ground.
“We will examine the evidence with care, from research, from people with lived experience, and from clinicians working at the frontline of mental health, autism, and ADHD services, to understand, in a grounded way, what is driving rising demand.
“My aim is to test assumptions rigorously and listen closely to those most affected, so that our recommendations are both honest and genuinely useful.
“We owe it to children and families, young people, and adults to provide government with advice that is proportionate, evidence-based, and capable of improving people’s lives.”
The review forms part of a wider package of action the government is taking to transform mental health care and improve support for people who are autistic or have ADHD, including:
Providing up to £120m to bring the number of mental health emergency departments to around 85, supporting people in crisis
Accelerating the rollout of mental health support teams in schools and colleges to reach full national coverage by 2029, with £13m invested to pilot enhanced training for staff
Supporting more-inclusive environments for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through the partnerships for inclusion of neurodiversity in schools (PINS) programme
NHS England piloting six neighbourhood adult mental health centres open 24/7, bringing together community, crisis and inpatient care
Mark Rowland, chief executive at the Mental Health Foundation, said: “We’re encouraged to see the Government launch this vital review into levels of poor mental health in England.
“This is a key moment to understand how the social, economic, and technological changes of the last decade have affected people’s mental health and how we best respond.
My aim is to test assumptions rigorously and listen closely to those most affected, so that our recommendations are both honest and genuinely useful
“Too often people, especially young people, have had to reach crisis before they get support, which is why it is welcome that this review brings a focus on the prevention of poor mental health as well as timely, person-centred interventions.”
Dr Sarah Hughes, chief executive of Mind, added: “This is a huge opportunity to really understand what is driving increasing levels of mental illness, especially among our young people.
“More people need help than services can see, people’s mental health deteriorates while they wait, and when people do get access to support it is not always appropriate to their needs.
“We also need to be tackling the social and economic factors that are helping to drive increased demand.
“That’s why it’s vital that policy makers, providers, and the voluntary sector are pulling in the same direction.
“We’re ready to contribute to the review, to bring people who are experts through lived experience to the table and to make sure the outcome is a system where everyone gets the right support at the right time.”
Too often people, especially young people, have had to reach crisis before they get support, which is why it is welcome that this review brings a focus on the prevention of poor mental health as well as timely, person-centred interventions
The probe was also welcomed by Dr Lade Smith CBE, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, who said: “We have a real opportunity to ensure that millions of people receive the care they need both now and for generations to come, creating a lasting legacy of a healthy and productive population.
“The Royal College of Psychiatrists is ready to support this work and promote the voices of our patients who feel the effects of the challenges affecting services every day.”
And Baroness Anne Longfield, executive chair of the Centre for Young Lives, said: “I welcome the announcement of this important review and the commitment to carry it out rigorously and speedily.
“Nobody could disagree that there has been a very-significant worsening of children and young people’s mental health over the last decade, that systems of support are unable to meet demand, and that serious reform is needed.
“We are seeing the long-lasting consequences in our schools and in the growing number of young people outside education and employment.
“This crisis cannot continue, and this review can be the catalyst for delivering vastly-improved support for children, young people and their families, when they need it and where they need it.”