'Families we work with deserve the truth': Lincolnshire clinic marks eight years as demand for autism and ADHD assessments continues to rise
A specialist clinic serving families across Lincolnshire is marking eight years of growth as demand for autism and ADHD assessments continues to increase.
Purple House Clinic Lincoln was founded by clinical psychologist Alice Vine in 2018 and has grown from a small private practice into one of the county's largest specialist assessment services.
Based in Lincoln but serving clients from across Lincolnshire, the clinic now handles around 40 new enquiries and 333 clinical appointments every month, supporting approximately 250 families each year.
Neurodevelopmental assessments for autism and ADHD in both children and adults now account for more than half of the clinic's work, rising from 12 per cent when it first opened to 55 per cent today.
The increase reflects growing demand for diagnostic services across Lincolnshire, where NHS waiting times for autism and ADHD assessments can often stretch beyond a year.
Since opening, the clinic has seen demand for its neurodiversity services increase by more than 50 per cent.
To meet that demand, founder Alice Vine has expanded the team from just two clinicians to a multi-disciplinary workforce of 19, including psychologists, specialist practitioners and support staff.
Ms Vine said: "Demand has grown enormously since we started, and I understand why families are desperate for answers.
"But our response to that pressure has been to grow our team and our capacity and not to cut corners on the process. A child ADHD assessment with us involves around eight hours of clinical time. That's non-negotiable because the families we work with deserve the truth, not a quick answer."
The clinic says all assessments follow National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines and use recognised diagnostic tools, with every case reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team before a diagnosis is reached.
Sarah Beddows, neurodevelopmental pathway lead at the clinic, said maintaining quality had been central to its growth.
She said: "Growth is only meaningful if the quality grows with it. We've worked hard to build a team and a process that families and referrers can genuinely trust."
The clinic is accredited by the British Psychological Society and registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.
Further information is available from Purple House Clinic Lincoln. Visit purplehouseclinic.co.uk/psychologists-lincoln/ or contact 01522 868616.