LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), a UK government-funded, non-departmental public body that aims to establish guidelines for clinical best practice, officially evaluated and recommended Qbtech’s objective ADHD testing technology, QbTest, within the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Diagnostic Assessment Programme. This milestone positions QbTest as the first and only digital technology to be recommended by NICE for ADHD diagnostic supports, representing a significant breakthrough in how ADHD is assessed across the National Health Service (NHS) and beyond.
QbTest is an FDA-cleared, market-leading computer-based test with motion tracking that objectively measures core ADHD symptoms — inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. The results are analyzed and presented in an easy-to-read visual report comparing them to a normative control group of the same age and sex at birth who do not have ADHD. By integrating QbTest with standard clinical assessment, clinicians can make faster, more accurate diagnostic decisions – ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing NHS waiting times.
“From a clinical perspective, QbTest has allowed clinical services to reach a diagnosis of ADHD or other explanations for their symptoms more quickly and with greater confidence. These services are in massive demand from the NHS, so this technology is needed more than ever before,” says Professor Richard Morriss, NIHR ARC East Midlands Mental Health and Well-being Theme Lead and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Nottingham (NIHR, 2024).
QbTest’s inclusion in NICE’s Diagnostic Guideline (DG60) highlights its effectiveness in streamlining the ADHD diagnostic process across various clinical settings. As part of an NHS England-funded National Programme (FOCUS ADHD), QbTest has been integrated into 15 Health Innovation Networks (HINs) across England, releasing 95,097 hours of healthcare capacity and saving 1,582 clinical appointments across the NHS. (NIHR, 2024) (Network, 2024)
A landmark RCT study (Hollis, 2018) showed that using QbTest alongside a standard clinical assessment resulted in significantly quicker diagnostic decisions without compromising accuracy. Key findings included:
- Shorter appointments were needed to reach diagnostic decisions.
- Clinicians were twice as likely to be able to rule out ADHD much earlier in the assessment.
- Up to 44% more patients received a diagnostic decision faster within the first six months of the evaluation compared to standard assessments alone.
These findings are also supported by five additional studies where Qbtech technology has been shown to reduce the number of consultations needed to reach a diagnosis (NICE, Digital Technologies for Diagnostic Assessment for ADHD, 2024).
Qbtech’s objective ADHD testing technology is used by more than 12,000 clinicians across 44 states in the U.S. and routinely at a national level by organizations such as the NHS in England. The technology has been documented in more than 40 independent studies, showing benefits across the patient care pathway, including improved access to care, elevated clinician confidence, better identification of treatment effects than self-rating, and standardization of care across multiple disciplines.
About Qbtech
Founded in 2002, Qbtech is a privately-owned Swedish company that has developed leading solutions and products for improving the identification, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients living with ADHD. Qbtech has operations in 15 countries and has offices in Stockholm, Houston, and London. Qbtech is an award-winning company recognized for its innovation, most recently winning the 2022 HSJ Partnership Award for the ‘Best Mental Health Partnership with the NHS.’ For more information about Qbtech, visit www.qbtech.com.
