The phone call every parent dreads comes after months of watching their child struggle — the one that says the ADHD assessment will take another four years. For thousands of UK families, that call is reality. Paloma Health, a startup founded by two NHS veterans, is now hiring a Senior Combined ADHD Assessor & Prescriber for Children to chip away at that devastating backlog.
A Remote Role Built for the NHS Crisis
This is not a typical clinic position. The Senior Combined ADHD Assessor & Prescriber for Children operates fully remotely, working 0.8 to 1.0 FTE — roughly four to five days each week. The role reports directly to the Neurodevelopmental Team Manager and combines two critical functions: conducting diagnostic assessments and prescribing ADHD medication.
For clinicians, this dual responsibility means fewer handoffs and faster care. For families, it means one trusted professional guiding the entire journey from first assessment to treatment plan.
Why 4-10 Year Waits Are Ruining Childhoods
Paloma's founders, Mark and Darshak, launched the company in 2024 after witnessing the human cost of delayed assessments. Their shock was personal and professional — both carry 25 years of combined NHS experience.
The consequences of waiting are not abstract. Children who wait years for ADHD or autism assessments are more likely to develop mental health conditions. They fall behind in education. Their self-esteem erodes while they sit in classrooms feeling different and unsupported.
The NHS Funding Gap No One Talks About
Here is the uncomfortable truth the role exposes: even after a child finally receives a diagnosis, the support system often stops. Pre-assessment preparation and post-assessment guidance — everything beyond the medication itself — is typically not funded by the NHS.
This leaves parents navigating a fragmented system alone. A combined assessor-prescriber model, delivered remotely, attempts to close that gap by offering continuity that the traditional system cannot provide.
Why the Backlog Grew So Dramatically
The explosion in waiting times did not happen overnight. Increased recognition of neurodevelopmental conditions means more children are being referred than ever before. Greater awareness among teachers, parents, and GPs has driven demand upward.
But NHS investment and innovation have not kept pace. The result is a structural mismatch between rising awareness and stagnant capacity — a problem no single clinician can solve alone, but one that innovative service models are now attacking.
What This Means for Children and Families
For a child waiting years for answers, a remote assessment could mean the difference between early intervention and years of unnecessary struggle. Early diagnosis allows families to access behavioural strategies, educational support, and — where appropriate — medication that can transform daily functioning.
The remote model also removes geographic inequality. A family in rural Cornwall can access the same specialist care as one in central London, without travelling hundreds of miles.
Paloma's Approach: Innovation Born From NHS Frustration
Mark and Darshak did not leave the NHS to criticise it. They left to build solutions the system could not deliver internally. Their combined quarter-century of experience gives them credibility that pure tech startups lack.
By hiring a Senior Combined ADHD Assessor & Prescriber for Children, Paloma is betting that clinical excellence combined with operational innovation can reduce wait times without sacrificing care quality.
What the Role Actually Demands
This is a senior position requiring significant clinical experience. The successful candidate must be competent in both assessment and prescribing — a combination that demands deep expertise in paediatric neurodevelopment and psychopharmacology.
Candidates should expect a rigorous process evaluating clinical judgment, communication skills with children and families, and comfort with remote consultation technology.
Confirmed Facts vs What Remains Unclear
Confirmed: Paloma Health is recruiting for this role. The position is remote, 0.8-1 FTE, reporting to the Neurodevelopmental Team Manager. The company was founded in 2024 by Mark and Darshak, who have 25 years of combined NHS experience.
Unclear: The specific salary range, required qualifications, and start date have not been publicly disclosed. The full scope of Paloma's service model beyond this role remains under development.
Paloma's Differentiator in a Crowded Market
Several private providers now offer ADHD assessments, but Paloma's positioning is distinct. The combined assessor-prescriber model reduces fragmentation. The remote-first approach scales beyond geographic limits. And the founder pedigree — two NHS insiders who understand system failures firsthand — lends operational credibility.
The company's focus on pre and post-assessment support also addresses a gap competitors often ignore: the non-medication journey that families desperately need.
Risks and Balanced View
Private-sector solutions raise legitimate questions. Cost remains a barrier — families who cannot afford private care still face the same NHS waits. Critics may argue that innovation should focus on fixing the public system rather than creating parallel private pathways.
There is also the question of capacity. One clinician, however skilled, cannot clear a national backlog alone. Paloma's model will need to scale significantly to make a measurable dent in the 4-10 year waits.
The Wider Shift Toward Remote Neurodevelopmental Care
This hiring signals a broader trend: neurodevelopmental care is moving online. Video-based assessments, once considered unsuitable for paediatric diagnosis, are gaining acceptance as evidence accumulates. Remote prescribing, carefully managed, is becoming standard practice.
The pandemic accelerated telehealth adoption across medicine. Now, specialised fields like ADHD assessment are following — and roles like this one are at the forefront of that shift.
What Clinicians and Families Should Do Now
For qualified clinicians, this role represents an opportunity to practice at the top of their licence while shaping a new care model. Those interested should prepare evidence of combined assessment and prescribing competence.
For families waiting on NHS lists, it is worth monitoring Paloma's service expansion. Private assessment may be an option for those who can afford it, but families should always discuss medication decisions with their GP or a qualified prescriber.
What Happens Next for Paloma
The company is likely to expand its clinical team as demand grows. Future roles may include autism assessors, therapeutic support specialists, and additional prescribers. The success of this initial hiring wave will determine how quickly Paloma can scale.
If the model proves effective, it could pressure the NHS to adopt similar approaches — or partner with innovative providers to reduce waiting lists.
Our Take
This job posting is more than a recruitment notice. It is a diagnostic signal about the state of children's mental health care in the UK. When private companies must step in to deliver assessments that should be a public health guarantee, something fundamental has broken.
But the response matters more than the critique. Paloma's model — combining clinical expertise, remote delivery, and continuous support — deserves attention. If it works, it could become a blueprint. If it fails, it will at least have documented what the NHS could not do alone.
The real test is whether this scales beyond a single role into a system that reaches the thousands of children still waiting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Senior Combined ADHD Assessor & Prescriber for Children do?
This clinician conducts diagnostic ADHD assessments for children and prescribes appropriate medication. The combined role eliminates the need for separate assessment and prescribing appointments, creating a faster, more continuous care pathway.
Is this a remote job?
Yes. The role is fully remote, requiring 0.8-1.0 FTE (approximately 4-5 days per week). The clinician reports to Paloma Health's Neurodevelopmental Team Manager.
Why are NHS ADHD assessment waits so long?
Increased awareness of neurodevelopmental conditions has driven up referrals, while NHS investment and innovation have not kept pace. Paloma's founders report waits of 4-10 years for children needing autism or ADHD assessments.
Who is Paloma Health?
Paloma Health is a healthcare startup founded in 2024 by Mark and Darshak, who bring 25 years of combined NHS experience. The company aims to reduce assessment delays and provide support that the NHS typically does not fund.
