Health

NHS at risk of ‘system failures’ as demand for ADHD and autism care soars, inquiry finds

The Guardian Society Health · 9 October 2026 at 00:01

NHS at risk of ‘system failures’ as demand for ADHD and autism care soars, inquiry finds

England-focused mental health review returns stark warning and calls for shift to ‘needs-led’ system Explainer | What has the Fonagy review found and what does it recommend? Analysis | No ‘snowflakes’: mental health review says today’s youth have it harder and harms are real The NHS in England is heading into a “world of system failures” as it struggles to cope with relentlessly rising demand for mental health, ADHD and autism care, leaving those affected desperate for support, a government-commissioned inquiry has found.

The stark warning was made in a review led by Prof Peter Fonagy into the sharp rise in demand over recent decades for help with mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions.

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NHS at risk of ‘system failures’ as demand for ADHD and autism care soars, inquiry finds

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