Dr Helen Crimlisk, executive medical director for Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“We are sorry that we have not been providing a good enough service to people seeking help for ADHD.

“Like most NHS organisations we have seen the level of need increase significantly for this service - this is a national challenge facing the wider NHS. We are working closely with our integrated care board to ensure that the services we provide are able to meet the required need and demand and are better integrated with primary care and wider services.

“We have prioritised treating people with a valid assessment instead of carrying out new assessments. Our waiting list is currently five years.

“Our assessment and treatment of people with ADHD is not limited to our Neurodevelopmental Service and people are seen in our community services as well as in primary care, which is not reflected in the data request we responded to.”