A review into the rising demand for mental health, ADHD and autism services has been launched by the health secretary.
The independent review will look at rates of diagnosis, and the support offered to people.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the issue needs to be looked at through a “strictly clinical lens” after he claimed in March that there had been an “overdiagnosis” of mental health conditions, with “too many people being written off”.
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Mental health conditions are being more commonly reported among the working-age population, figures analysed by the Institute for Fiscal Studies found.
More than half of the increase in 16 to 64-year-olds claiming disability benefits since the pandemic is due to more claims relating to mental health or behavioural conditions.
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The review will be led by leading clinical psychologist Professor Peter Fonagy, the national clinical adviser on children and young people’s mental health, who will work with academics, doctors, epidemiological experts, charities and parents.
He will look at what is driving the rising demand for services, and inequalities in accessing support.
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The Department of Health said 13 times more people were waiting for an autism assessment in September 2025 compared with April 2019.
There is £688m in extra funding going towards hiring 8,500 more mental health workers so the NHS can expand on talking therapies and increase the number of mental health emergency departments.
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Mr 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.”
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Prof Fonagy said: “This review will only be worthwhile if it is built on solid ground. We will examine the evidence with care 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.”
The findings will be published next summer.
