A peer and neuroscientist will call on ministers to examine how attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is diagnosed and treated in the UK.

{mosimage}Independent peer Baroness Susan Greenfield will raise the issue in the House of Lords on Wednesday.

Her intervention follows a BBC Panorama programme which highlighted US research suggesting drugs are no better than therapy for ADHD in the long-term. There was also evidence that their use may stunt child growth.

The Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD by the University of Buffalo has been monitoring the treatment of 600 children across the US since the 1990s.

Most of the estimated 500,000 children in Britain with ADHD receive no treatment at all. But of those that do, most – about 55,000 last year – are prescribed stimulants like Ritalin and Concerta.

Baroness Greenfield will call for a wide-ranging inquiry into the huge increase in ADHD diagnoses.

She said: “As well as assessing ADHD drugs themselves, we also need to find out urgently why there has been such a remarkable increase in the numbers of children being diagnosed with ADHD in the last 20 years or so.

“Could the changes to our ways of living be contributing to this increase?

Campaigners for parents of disabled children have this week launched a two-pronged drive to secure their right to claim respite care.

Over £30m is to be spent to help prevent young mental health patients in England being treated on the same wards as adults.

A hospital ward is to close before the end of the year, sparking concern from patients’ families.

A man who owns four homes stands accused of making his fortune from drug dealing and now faces having his assets seized – including a king’s ransom in cash and jewellery.

A new purpose-built centre is to be set up at Leighton Hospital to care for victims of rape and serious sex attacks.

Health bosses have set up a crisis care centre and sent patients to a private hospital in a bid to cope with a crippling nursing strike.

Clarence House has blocked a charity auction tomorrow of dozens of Christmas cards that the Prince of Wales sent to a long-standing supporter of his work.
 

Public consultations are set to take place on proposed £1.2million savings to care funding in a fresh blow to those living in residential homes across East Lancashire.

Eight care homes for older people are being shut by a council under plans for a massive shake-up over the next five years.