Table 4 Summary of the main consensus points

i. ADHD is a hidden disability and should no longer be categorised as a specific learning difference/ difficulty (SpLD) in higher education.

ii. There is a need to overcome the stigma associated with having ADHD.

iii. There is a lack of access to assessment and treatment for university students with ADHD. Many of these students are assessed by a specialist teacher assessor or educational psychologist and get a recommendation for reasonable adjustments and a referral to their GP to access specialist medical treatment.

iv. There are long waiting lists to be seen by NHS specialist adult ADHD clinics.

v. There is a need to develop rapid access care pathways for the medical treatment of ADHD in university students.

vi. Some students with ADHD do not perform well at university, whereas other students performed very well, and what seemed to make the difference was the level of personalised support that they received.

vii. There is a need to develop training that includes psychoeducation, how to screen for (and diagnostically assess) ADHD and use recommended strategies for supporting students with ADHD in higher education.

viii. Best practice for supporting university students with ADHD would entail joint/ collaborative working between university disability services and NHS or private service providers.