Claims extracted
20
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
20%
4 of 20 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans left
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
66/100
The Guardian's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Health
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
ADHD UK has threatened legal action against an NHS organisation over its decision to impose a minimum two-year wait for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism assessments.
asserted
UK → threaten → assessments
In a legal letter to West Yorkshire NHS integrated care board (ICB), seen by the Guardian, the charity alleges that the decision to force patients to wait at least two years for such assessments was unlawful and says it will seek a judicial review if the board fails to reverse the policy.
West Yorkshire ICB introduced the two-year minimum wait this year, affecting thousands of people with possible ADHD or autism in Leeds, Bradford, Kirklees, Calderdale and Wakefield.
West Yorkshire is not the only ICB to ration access to assessment for neurodiversity.
asserted
Yorkshire → see → neurodiversity
The Guardian revealed last week that it was one of four – alongside Devon, Somerset, and North East and North Cumbria – to have imposed minimum waits amid spiralling costs due to the volume of assessments being sought.
asserted
it → reveal → assessments
A further 11 have introduced other mechanisms to ration the number of assessments.
asserted
11 → introduce → assessments
ADHD UK claims West Yorkshire failed to follow correct procedures, alleging the ICB breached equalities legislation, denied patients their legal right to choose non-NHS care, failed to involve patients, carers or the public in the decision, and that the decision ran counter to NHS contract regulations.
uncertain
decision → claim → regulations
Henry Shelford, the chief executive of ADHD UK, said: “We have sent formal notice warning West Yorkshire that we are prepared to go to court unless it scraps that rule.
asserted
it → say → rule
We believe locking patients out of NHS choice is illegal because it breaches patients’ legal right to choose where they receive NHS care.
asserted
they → believe → care
“We believe the processes they’ve strung together to push this through have been used incorrectly and, in some cases, improperly.”
asserted
they → believe → cases
The charity’s legal “letter before claim” to West Yorkshire ICB states: “There is no published decision record, equality impact assessment, public involvement, demand and capacity analysis, clinical safety assessment or statement of reasons specific to the two-year minimum.”
uncertain
letter → state → minimum
It says that unless West Yorkshire withdraws or suspends the two-year minimum, to retake any decision lawfully and to provide the information and documents that will allow the issues to be narrowed or resolved without proceedings, ADHD UK will seek a judicial review.
asserted
UK → say → review
The disclosure comes ahead of a government-commissioned review of mental health, ADHD and autism prevalence led by Prof Peter Fonagy.
asserted
disclosure → come → Fonagy
The review is expected to recommend a “needs-based” system whereby patients with ADHD symptoms should not automatically be formally diagnosed but should be “triaged” and offered support without requiring a formal diagnosis.
asserted
patients → expect → diagnosis
It is also expected to propose greater regulation of private psychiatry clinics.
asserted
It → expect → clinics
Corinne Hunter, the chief executive of Stripes, a charity supporting children and adults with ADHD in West Yorkshire, said the ICB’s decision was devastating for patients and that the board had not let the charity know it planned to impose a minimum wait.
asserted
it → support → wait
She said: “We weren’t consulted or told in advance about the decision – we initially heard about it through word of mouth from our own service users.
asserted
we → say → users
There are ‘right to choose’ providers that are able to offer assessments much sooner, so for people in West Yorkshire to now face a minimum two-year wait is devastating.
asserted
face → be → wait
“People often put off seeking an ADHD assessment for years, until they reach the point where they are really struggling to cope.
asserted
they → put → point
Getting referred can finally feel like there is some light at the end of the tunnel, only to then be told that light could be another two years away.”
uncertain
light → refer → tunnel
A spokesperson for NHS West Yorkshire ICB said: “We have received correspondence from ADHD UK.
asserted
We → say → UK
As this matter may be subject to legal proceedings, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.”
uncertain
it → comment → stage
The Aporia
