PRESS INFORMATION:

ADHD RICHMOND CALLS FOR AN ADHD ACT 

ADHD Richmond is at the forefront of a new national campaign to set up an All-Party Parliamentary Group on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

 This comes at the beginning of the Europe-wide October ADHD Awareness Month.

ADHD Richmond is the first Support Group to back a new UK campaign called ADHD ACTION, launched by Michelle Beckett from Harrogate, who spoke at the recent Labour Party Conference about the condition with which she was diagnosed in March 2017.

Four Shadow Secretaries of State have already agreed that an All-Party Parliamentary Group is a good idea:  Angela Rayner (Education); Richard Burgon (Justice); Jonathan Ashworth (Health); and Barbara Keely (Mental Health and Social Care).

ADHD Richmond will make history by helping to drive a lobby to get the Government to recognise and support children and adults, who have the neurodevelopmental condition, with an ADHD Act in England.

The Act would lead to an ADHD strategy which would set out a programme of action the Departments of Health and Education, and other government departments, should take to improve the lives of those with ADHD.

ADHD Richmond wants legislation put in place which would:

• make it easier to get a diagnosis by Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) for ADHD

• give compulsory training for teachers and practitioners

• enable local councils and health services to write strategic plans to ensure that those with ADHD get the help they need

• help the justice system to reduce the disproportionately high prevalence of those with ADHD within the prison population.

Alastair Yates, who leads the Support Group, says "There's been an Autism Act since 2009 and the time has come for the Government to mirror that for ADHD which affects about two children in every classroom"

The Group recently met local MPs Sir Vince Cable and Zac Goldsmith both of whom have offered to help in any way they can to get ADHD recognised.

The theme of this year's awareness campaign is "Women and girls with ADHD" which highlights that females aren't diagnosed as much as males because they tend not to present with hyperactivity which is easily spotted.

 ADHD Richmond has organised a series of free events for the Awareness Month to educate and support concerned parents and their GPs & teachers. Visit their website for details www.adhdrichmond.org

 -ENDS-

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION & INTERVIEWS PLEASE CONTACT:

Alastair Yates 07946 313905 e: communications@adhdrichmond.org

Michelle Beckett 07889 046209 e: michelleannbeckett@gmail.com