The UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN) is a national network focused on improving the recognition, understanding and support of ADHD in adults. UKAAN provides education, training, clinical resources and opportunities for professionals working in adult ADHD services. This network involves many stakeholders, including, its Executive Committee and Research Sub-Committee, adult ADHD clinicians and service leads, academic and clinical research partners, people with lived experience of ADHD, and the wider UKAAN professional network.

In 2026, Dr Blandine French joined UKAAN as Research Lead. This role focuses on strengthening UKAAN’s research activity and building a more connected adult ADHD research community across the UK.

The aim is to support research that is useful in practice, shaped by the needs of services and people with lived experience, and able to inform better assessment, treatment, support and policy for adults with ADHD.

We are developing UKAAN’s research activity so that adult ADHD research is more coordinated, visible and connected to real-world clinical and service priorities.

This includes working with UKAAN members, clinicians, researchers, people with lived experience and partner organisations to identify important research gaps and opportunities for collaboration.

The work includes:

We are working with UKAAN members and wider stakeholders to identify the most important research priorities for adult ADHD in the UK. This work has helped us understand where research is most needed, where there are gaps in evidence, and how the network can support future studies, collaborations and funding applications.

Through a new research network, UKAAN and CANDAL (University of Nottingham) bring together clinicians, researchers, trainers, service leads and others with expertise in adult ADHD. This collaborative work aims to further develop into a more active research network that will create opportunities for people to connect around shared research interests, develop new projects, collaborate and share current updates.

A major focus of our research project is on research that can help improve adult ADHD services. This includes work on assessment, diagnosis, treatment, support after diagnosis, service models, transitions, inequalities, functional impact and the wider needs of adults with ADHD. This programme aims to provide evidence that is practical, relevant and useful for clinicians, commissioners, services and people with ADHD.

UKAAN already has an important role in education, training and professional development. The new research strand will help ensure that research findings are shared in accessible and useful ways. This may include reports, academic papers, conference presentations, training materials, policy briefings and resources for professionals and people with lived experience.