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An official review covering England warns of a risk of overdiagnosis or misdiagnosis of ADHD and autism, particularly in some younger age groups. However, it does not establish that the problem is widespread. According to BBC reports published on 9 October 2026, the authors found insufficient evidence to reach that conclusion. They also highlighted that some people still lack the diagnosis they need, while long waits for assessment and inadequate support are causing harm.
The review is chaired by Professor Peter Fonagy. According to the BBC, it was commissioned by the then health secretary, Wes Streeting. Its findings concern England and should not be treated as an assessment of all healthcare systems across the UK.
The figures need careful interpretation
The BBC reports that more than 4% of children aged 6–17 have an autism diagnosis. The review compares this proportion with estimated autism prevalence of 1–2%, but its authors also acknowledge weaknesses in the comparison data. Some estimates draw on studies conducted around nine years ago. The difference alone is therefore not evidence that diagnoses are widely incorrect.
The picture presented by the review is more complex: a risk of overdiagnosis can coexist with underdiagnosis of ADHD and autism in other age groups. The authors also distinguish this issue from the rise in mental health problems among young people, which they regard as real.
Support should not depend solely on a diagnosis
For people awaiting a diagnostic assessment and their families, an important recommendation is wider access to help without first having to obtain a diagnosis. This includes adjustments in schools and workplaces. The review highlights both the consequences of long waits and insufficient support after diagnosis.
The authors propose reassessing the needs of people on waiting lists so that those most in need of help receive priority. This is not a call to abandon diagnostic assessments. According to the review’s chair, diagnosis remains important and should be protected; the aim is to broaden the routes through which people can access support.
Other recommendations include improving the quality and consistency of ADHD and autism assessments, strengthening oversight of providers outside the NHS — the UK’s publicly funded healthcare system — and banning direct-to-consumer advertising of diagnostic assessments.
Government plans are not new rules already in force
According to the BBC, the government welcomed the report and said it would tighten regulation of ADHD and autism assessments. A new model of support is due to be set out in a planned mental health strategy, expected before the end of 2026. That is an announcement, not a confirmed timetable for implementing changes.
The review’s conclusions therefore neither mean that new regulations have come into force nor call all existing diagnoses into question. They point to a need for more consistent assessments and better access to help, while urging caution over claims about the scale of overdiagnosis.
