That the Parliament acknowledges ADHD Awareness Month, which runs throughout October, and is a month dedicated to raising awareness, breaking down misconceptions, and celebrating the strengths of neurodivergent individuals, in particular those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); understands that the charity, ADHD UK, estimates that there are 210,000 people living with ADHD in Scotland; further understands that, in Scotland, an estimated 37,000 children and young people in schools have ADHD, which equates to around 5% of the school-aged population; acknowledges reports that ADHD referrals have increased fourfold since 2019 and that there are increasing concerns for the numbers of people waiting multiple years for a diagnosis of ADHD; notes the additional issue of a reported global shortage of ADHD medication for those who are diagnosed; acknowledges what it regards as the need for greater awareness amongst employers and GPs to not only recognise the signs of ADHD, but also be able to offer holistic support to those dealing with ADHD symptoms at work and at home, and further acknowledges what it sees as the great work that ADHD UK has been doing to advocate for those living with diagnosed and undiagnosed ADHD, providing valuable support as well as conducting research on how people with ADHD can be better supported in every aspect of life.
Supported by:
Karen Adam, Clare Adamson, Jeremy Balfour, Colin Beattie, Miles Briggs, Ariane Burgess, Alexander Burnett, Stephanie Callaghan, Bob Doris, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Joe FitzPatrick, Kenneth Gibson, Emma Harper, Clare Haughey, Bill Kidd, Monica Lennon, Fulton MacGregor, Gillian Mackay, Ben Macpherson, Ruth Maguire, John Mason, Stuart McMillan, Marie McNair, Audrey Nicoll, Kevin Stewart, Paul Sweeney, David Torrance, Sue Webber, Elena Whitham