Who manages the care of students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in higher education?

To identify who provides medical support to students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) while in higher education.

A questionnaire pack was sent to 50 undergraduate student health centres attached to higher education colleges/universities.

Eighty-two per cent of practices returned questionnaires. Forty-nine per cent had undergraduate students with ADHD, of those 76% were on methylphenidate. Fifty-two per cent saw only their general practitioner (GP) for follow up and the rest were jointly managed by GP with: psychiatrists, paediatricians, psychologists or physicians. Eighty-seven per cent of GPs had not attended recent courses or training on ADHD.

Those caring for undergraduate students with ADHD are still largely unfamiliar with the condition. Guidelines need to be drawn up to establish handover from paediatric to adult care.