Across the clinical landscape, a quiet shift is taking place. More mental health professionals are moving away from the idea of a single, linear career path and towards something more flexible, varied and sustainable.
The portfolio career is no longer a concept borrowed from the creative industries. It is becoming a practical option for clinicians who want to shape their working lives around both their strengths and the needs of the people they support.
One area increasingly being considered as part of that portfolio is ADHD assessment.
A Growing Area of Clinical Demand
ADHD assessment is one of the fastest growing areas of clinical demand in the UK.
Waiting lists within NHS ADHD services now stretch to several years in many regions, and awareness of ADHD continues to increase – particularly among adults, women, and individuals whose needs were not recognised in childhood.
More people are seeking answers about attention, concentration and neurodevelopmental differences, often for the first time in their lives. As a result, the demand for experienced clinicians able to conduct thorough, evidence-based assessments continues to rise.
For clinicians already working in related areas – including psychology, psychiatry, occupational therapy, mental health nursing and wider neurodevelopmental services – this trend is worth paying attention to.
What This Means for Portfolio Clinicians
For professionals considering a portfolio career, ADHD assessment can represent a meaningful expansion of clinical practice.
Rather than replacing existing roles, it often sits alongside other forms of work and allows clinicians to broaden their professional scope.
Developing ADHD assessment capability can provide opportunities to:
• diversify clinical work
• build specialist assessment skills
• contribute to a growing area of neurodevelopmental services
• create greater flexibility in how and where you practise
Importantly, the appeal is not purely financial. Many clinicians are drawn to ADHD assessment because of the clarity it can offer patients. A thoughtful and well-conducted assessment can provide an explanation that helps individuals understand experiences that may have shaped their lives for years.
Training as the Starting Point
For clinicians who have not previously worked in ADHD assessment, structured training is typically the starting point.
Quality ADHD assessment training programmes are designed for professionals who already have relevant clinical experience and wish to develop the specific skills required for diagnostic assessment. Training usually covers diagnostic frameworks, structured assessment methods, reporting and clinical decision-making.
The aim is not simply to complete a course, but to develop the confidence and clinical judgement required to conduct assessments safely and effectively.
An Option, Not an Obligation
Portfolio careers are highly personal. They evolve over time and reflect each clinician’s interests, circumstances and professional goals.
For some clinicians, ADHD assessment will become a central part of their work. For others, it may simply be one element of a broader clinical portfolio.
Exploring ADHD assessment is therefore less about changing careers and more about expanding opportunity. For clinicians interested in neurodevelopmental work, it represents a pathway that combines growing demand with meaningful clinical impact.
Hunter Gatherer Mental Health supports clinicians at all stages of their careers. If you are interested in exploring ADHD assessment training or would like to discuss portfolio career options, we would be pleased to hear from you.