Online or in person? Choosing the right ADHD assessment for you
Both formats follow the same clinical structure and produce the same diagnostic report. The difference is convenience, and whether you would prefer to meet us in the room.
Wondering what this means for you? We can help. Talk to a doctor about ADHD.
We run two formats of ADHD assessment at LoveMyLife. The assessment is £495, the same whether you choose online or in person at our Westfield clinic. Both are 60 minutes and include the same structured clinical interview, the same diagnostic report, and your first month of medication if we prescribe. The difference is the experience, not the diagnosis.
This article is an honest guide to which format suits which kind of person.
What happens in both formats
Before the appointment, you complete our pre-assessment questionnaire, which follows the structure of the DIVA-5 diagnostic interview. It asks about current symptoms and the same symptoms as they appeared in your childhood. It has about 130 questions, mostly tick-boxes, and takes most people thirty to forty minutes.
We read your questionnaire and, with your consent, your NHS records before the appointment. The consultation is used to discuss your answers, ask clarifying questions, explore anything the questionnaire flagged, and reach a decision about diagnosis. If it is ADHD, we discuss medication options and, if you are ready to start, issue a private prescription. The fee is the same whatever the outcome. If it isn't ADHD, we tell you and explain what may be going on instead.
You receive a full written diagnostic report within five working days. If you are diagnosed and prescribed, your first month of medication is either dispensed to you at the Westfield clinic (in-person route) or posted to you (online route).
When online is the right choice
Most of our patients choose online. It is a 60 minute video consultation from wherever you are, followed by a private prescription if treatment is right for you, and your medication posted to you.
Pick online if:
You have a clear picture of your symptoms and are comfortable talking them through on a video call.
You have already done some self-reflection, perhaps after a family member's diagnosis, and you are not expecting the conversation to surface brand-new insights.
You prefer not to take half a day out of work.
You live outside central London and do not want to travel.
You have previous assessments or school reports that you can upload to the case file in advance.
When in-person is the better choice
The in-person consultation is also sixty minutes and the same price; some people simply prefer to be in the room. It is worth it in specific circumstances.
Pick in-person if:
You find it hard to stay focused on a video call, which is worth noting because that is often part of the picture being assessed.
Your symptoms are complex, for example because of a lot of co-existing anxiety or depression, a probable autism overlap, or previous assessments that disagreed with each other.
You would find it easier to discuss sensitive personal history, trauma, or family context face to face rather than on a screen.
You would like to collect your first month of medication from us at the end of the visit, if treatment is right for you.
You want to meet us and see the clinic in person before committing to ongoing care.
What you get either way
Whatever format you pick, you get the same three things. First, a full DIVA-5 structured interview covering all DSM-5 criteria in both adult and childhood. Second, a written diagnostic report that meets shared-care-request standards and can be used to request NHS prescribing under a shared care agreement. Third, if relevant, a treatment plan, with medication started without a second appointment where that is clinically right.
The doctor who assesses you will be one of the people looking after you if you go on to ongoing care with us.
What you can change your mind about
If you book online and during the consultation either of us decides an in-person review would be more useful, we arrange one, and the notes carry over.
If you book in person but a scheduling problem means online is easier, we switch it for you. The price is the same either way.
No hidden fees, no friction, no surprise charges.
The short answer
If you are not sure, start online. Most people do. If during the consultation we think an in-person appointment would add value, we will say so.
Wondering what this means for you? We can help. Talk to a doctor about ADHD.
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Ready to start?
If this article has made you think it is time to find out, the next step is an ADHD assessment with us.
Begin your assessment at this link. The consultation is 60 minutes, by video or in person at Westfield London.