Data suggests that there has been an annual rise of 18% in ADHD prescriptions since 2020 (1), highlighting the staggering demand on primary care to deliver ADHD services, including diagnosis, prescribing and ongoing treatment. As of 2026, “more than 560,000 people are currently on ADHD waiting lists in England” (2), creating a backlog of patients that the NHS alone simply cannot keep up with.
With long waiting times to receive an NHS diagnosis, individuals are now using private clinics, psychiatrists and pharmacists to seek care. By using a private pathway for diagnosis, patients have found that timely diagnosis and bespoke treatment plans can be effective. With demand for both NHS and private services, it is no surprise that more clinicians are specialising in ADHD and private clinics are being established.
Your role in offering ADHD diagnostic and prescribing services is to ensure that demand is managed safely and appropriately. This guide is intended to support clinicians and clinic owners who are looking to understand their insurance requirements.
Understanding your risks
Medical professionals encounter unique risks through their work, particularly when providing specialised services such as ADHD treatment and diagnosis. While your individual risks will vary depending on whether you are a locum practitioner, a sole-trading practitioner or the owner of your own clinic, we typically see similar risks among ADHD providers.
Some of your exposures may include:
- Misdiagnosis and diagnostic errors
- Bodily injury arising from treatment or care
- Failure to obtain informed consent
- Patient data breaches
- Regulatory and CQC investigations
Any of these risks could lead to a clinical negligence claim being made by a patient, and it is vital to know how to protect your career and finances should this happen. This is especially important as some insurance policies are a requirement for ADHD practitioners and clinics alike.
Understanding your insurance requirements
Many UK industry regulators, including the GMC and the GPHC, require practitioners to hold “appropriate” indemnity arrangements (1). Without these arrangements, individuals may be going against fitness-to-practise standards and could put themselves at risk of losing their registration.
Medical Indemnity Insurance is a policy designed to cover patient claims and patient claims arising from clinical negligence including regulatory matters. As far as financial protection is concerned, the policy may compensate you for:
- Legal defence costs
- Court fees
- Compensation awarded to patients or claimants
This applies where a successful claim is made that falls within the terms and limits of your policy.
ADHD practitioners can benefit from specialist Medical Indemnity Insurance to cover the higher-risk aspects of neurodevelopmental care, where standard insurance policies may fall short.
A robust Medical Indemnity Insurance policy can be tailored to your individual role, risks and activities, while the premium is adjusted by the insurer according to the likelihood of you receiving a claim.
Clinic and practice owner requirements
The GMC requires practices to hold proof of a practice or clinic’s fundamental liabilities, as well as being able to provide evidence of Medical Indemnity Insurance.
By law, this will include Public Liability Insurance. The current national standard of cover is between £1 million and £5 million. This is designed to cover members of the public and your patients if they were to injure themselves while on the premises.
Practices and clinics that employ staff are legally obliged to have Employers’ Liability Insurance. The minimum level of cover is £5 million. This insurance is designed to cover compensation claims if an employee were to injure themselves while at work.
Operating without this insurance may not only put your regulatory registration at risk, but you may also incur fines for operating without active cover (3).
As insurance brokers specialising in providing appropriate insurance policies for healthcare organisations, speak to a member of our team about competitive packages that include your fundamental liabilities under one policy.
Data and cyber responsibilities
While Cyber Liability Insurance is not considered a requirement, as a business owner you will be deemed as a data processor or data controller, therefore it is now essential for organisations to be aware of their cyber risks.
A cyber risk is not limited to cybercriminals who target healthcare organisations for valuable patient data. A cyber risk can also involve an employee unknowingly sending information to the wrong patient, or system downtime interrupting business operations, which may particularly affect remote consultations.
Attacks on organisations can happen regardless of their size, number of patients or turnover. This is why MIAB’s insurance advisers are now recommending this policy on a regular basis.
Your no-obligation consultation
As leading providers of insurance for ADHD practitioners and clinics, we are able to discuss your requirements in further detail.
Book a no-obligation consultation with one of our expert insurance advisers. They can tailor their advice to your unique circumstances and gather the necessary details to help you find relevant insurance policies.
Book your appointment here
References
- https://www.priorygroup.com/adhd/adhd-statistics
- https://www.carnallfarrar.com/uk-adhd-crisis/
- https://www.gov.uk/employers-liability-insurance
Related Pages
- https://miab.co.uk/the-importance-of-adhd-diagnosis-and-prescribing-in-a-private-setting/
- https://miab.co.uk/who-needs-allied-health-professional-indemnity/
- https://miab.co.uk/medical-indemnity-insurance-explained/
