Read the June newsletter

Dear Network members

It has been a busy year since the last newsletter! We have forged new collaborations and made progress on several of our primary aims. This newsletter has been designed to update you on all the network activities and highlight our upcoming initiatives.

What we have done so far

May 2025 event

At our last event in May 2025, we spent the morning listening to presentations on research and national initiatives.  In the afternoon, we ran workshops with key stakeholders in the commissioning, design and delivery of care pathways for children, young people and adults with neurodiverse conditions. We established where people sit in the network and highlighted where future collaborations are needed. 

The presentations from the event can be found on the NNN website:

May 2025 event

ADHD girls and women conference

In March, the first ADHD women and girls conference took place at the University of Nottingham. The conference was aimed at researchers and clinicians, to increase awareness of gender differences in ADHD. With international speakers, the talks covered a broad range of clinical, research and lived-experience expertise. The conference also included a priority-setting workshop, which resulted in ranked lists of research and clinical priorities to advance understanding and support for girls and women with ADHD.

Further details can be found in the report below:

Hidden in plain sight conference report

Health Innovation East Midlands

The Core network group met with Health Innovation East Midlands (HEIM) in April for a workshop on network maturity matrix. HEIM helped to look at where the Nottingham Neurodiversity Network currently sits and how we can mature the network.

Terms of reference

The terms of reference for the network have been updated to recognize lifespan and focus on both diagnostic and support aspects.

The full document can be found here:

NNN terms of reference

What we are doing now

Local pathways

The infographic representing the local pathways has evolved with changes to the services.  The latest version is shown below:

This schematic representation links to the more detailed, comprehensive pathways for each service via the QR code. This will aid further understanding of how the pathways work locally.  The more detailed document can also be found using this link:

Pathways for ADHD/Autism Assessment

All documents put together by NNN can be found on our resources page

The Nottingham & Nottinghamshire ICB are in the process of developing a neurodevelopmental website for children, young people & their families/carers – This will be available to all in the next month.  A co-production group has been formed to support the development of the Children & Young Peoples Neurodevelopmental website “Minds of all Kinds”.  The group includes young people and parents/carers with lived experience of neurodevelopmental conditions. The site will include clear neurodevelopmental referral pathway information and guidance along with signposting to various support resources.  The development of the website will support families with pre- and post-diagnostic support and a much-needed resource as part of the pathway support mechanism. 

Implementing change in the care pathways

Additionally, Debbie Bickley, Transformation & Commissioning Manager from the Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), has made great strides with taking the ‘ideal pathway’ forward, working with providers in identifying and implementing “quick win” system changes and improvements to support in the reduction in wait times for families.  

• Newsletters and Workshops: Monthly newsletters for parents and workshops with families to gather feedback on improving services and support while waiting for assessments have been introduced. The workshops have provided valuable insights and positive feedback from families.
• Resource Mapping: The team has been mapping current resources across schools and for families to identify potential duplication, overlaps, and gaps in provision. This mapping exercise aims to ensure that resources are effectively utilized and accessible to those in need.
• Direct Referrals and Joint Working: Direct referrals to community paediatrics via the E referral system have been implemented, reducing unnecessary GP appointments and streamlining the process. Additionally, joint working relationships and collaboration across the system are being fostered to improve service delivery and support for families.

What next?

We continue to work with our steering group to identify how best to initiate change, overcome barriers, and implement the core features of the ideal pathway which came from the May 2023 workshop.

We are applying for funding to keep organising in-person events and hope to be able to host two further events within the next 12 months. Watch this space!

Research update from our network members

The network is closely aligned to the aims of the Centre for ADHD and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Across the Lifespan (CANDAL), a research centre at the Institute of Mental Health. For updates on our research studies, visit the CANDAL website

The ‘Improving Tic services in England’ (INTEND) study led by Maddie Groom has appeared in a news report entitled “Will Tourette’s care soon get a makeover?”

Award

For her work with NNN, Blandine French has been awarded the Rising star in public engagement award in the Policy impact and public engagement awards 2025 at the University of Nottingham.  These awards, now in their sixth year, celebrate the exceptional efforts of University of Nottingham staff and academics who are making real-world impact, whether by shaping public policy, engaging communities, or opening up research to the public in accessible, inspiring ways.

Network members have recently published the following articles:

• Parker, A., French, B., Groom, M. J., & Hall, C. L. (2024). Understanding the Barriers and Facilitators Experienced by Healthcare Professionals in Providing Care for Tics: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review of Clinical Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices. BMC Medical Education.
• Kooij, J. J. S., De Jong, M., Agnew-Blais, J. C., Amoretti, S., Bang Madsen, K., Barclay, I., ... & Wynchank, D. S. Research Advances and Future Directions in Female ADHD: The Lifelong Interplay of Hormonal Fluctuations with Mood, Cognition, and Disease. Frontiers in Global Women's Health, 6, 1613628.
• French, B., & Cassidy, S. (2024). “Going Through Life on Hard Mode”—The Experience of Late Diagnosis of Autism and/or ADHD: A Qualitative Study. Autism in Adulthood.
• French, B. Kirby A. UK ADHD treatment rates – a regional variation model
• Kochhar, P., Arora, I., Bellato, A., Ropar, D., Hollis, C., & Groom, M. M. J. (2024). A comparison of visual attention to pictures in the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule in children and adolescents with ADHD and/or autism. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15, 1378593.
• French, B., & Groom, M. Policy Brief: Access to care for neurodiversity-ADHD and Tourette Syndrome.

How to stay in touch

How we will communicate with you

We will send regular newsletters. If you have any suggestions for what to include in the newsletters please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

How you can communicate with us

• If you would like to highlight areas that you feel the network should focus on, including suggestions for topics at our next event, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
• f you’d like to get more involved in our ongoing and future research, please let us know by completing this form
• If you have any suggestions for how to secure further funding for the network, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

All suggestions gratefully received as we are dependent on funding to keep the network going.