In a significant policy change, General Practitioners (GPs) in New South Wales (NSW) will soon have the authority to diagnose Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and prescribe medication. This initiative aims to reduce the time and costs currently associated with obtaining an ADHD diagnosis and treatment.
The NSW Government announced that up to 1,000 GPs will receive additional training to manage ongoing ADHD prescriptions for patients whose medication doses are stable. A smaller group of GPs will undergo further training and accreditation, funded by the state, enabling them to diagnose and treat both children and adults with ADHD.
Currently, individuals seeking an ADHD assessment must visit a psychiatrist, which can lead to costs exceeding several hundred dollars per session. Additionally, GPs are unable to prescribe ADHD medications without prior approval from NSW Health. This new approach aims to alleviate the financial burden and lengthy wait times, particularly affecting those in regional areas where specialists are scarce.
NSW Premier Chris Minns stated that the reforms are designed to promote fairness in access to ADHD care. “By training more GPs to diagnose and treat ADHD safely, we hope to end the long waits for a diagnosis that can change lives,” he said.
The NSW Minister for Health, Ryan Park, emphasized that this initiative will improve access to crucial treatment for those with ADHD while easing the demand on specialists. He noted, “Seeing a GP for ADHD management will offer a timely and appropriate pathway to care.”
Statistics indicate that approximately 5% of Australians have ADHD. From 2023 to 2024, more than 4.6 million prescriptions for ADHD medications were dispensed to nearly 600,000 patients across Australia. Dr. Rebekah Hoffman, chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) for NSW and ACT, highlighted the financial impact on families, citing instances where some have spent over $5,000 on assessments and diagnoses.
“This announcement will have life-changing impacts for families seeking timely and affordable ADHD care,” Dr. Hoffman stated. She also pointed out that similar measures have been implemented in other states, such as Queensland, where GPs have been authorized to prescribe ADHD medications since 2017. Similar proposals are under consideration in Western Australia as well.
The NSW Government will soon invite expressions of interest from GPs for the additional training funded by NSW Health. The initial focus will be on children, which may mean adults will have to wait longer for these services. This prioritization stems from the understanding that delays in diagnosis can negatively impact a child’s development, affecting their academic performance, employment prospects, and mental health.
Ongoing prescriptions for children are expected to begin in early 2026, marking a significant shift in how ADHD care is provided in NSW.
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