General practitioners in New South Wales (NSW) will soon gain the authority to diagnose and treat patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This historic reform is a huge step towards providing timely and convenient access to mental health care for people living with ADHD. Its goal is to remove the financial barriers that have long constrained access to more effective treatment. On Monday, the defiant NSW government will announce these reforms. They hope to begin training 1,000 more doctors by the middle of 2026.
Rose Jackson, a long-time advocate for ADHD awareness, brought attention to the plight of patients seeking appropriate treatment. She made clear that countless others are unable to get the medicine they need due to cost. This barrier profoundly affects their ability to receive timely assessments and treatments that they need.
The rollout of this new GP capability certainly matches initiatives already set up elsewhere in Australian states. Western Australia was the first state to allow general practitioners to diagnose and treat both children and adults with ADHD. Queensland has operated a similar program since 2017. This program only lets physicians examine children.
Government Commitment and Training Plans
The NSW government is paying for 1,000 extra doctors to be trained. This important move will prepare these physicians to effectively treat ADHD among their patients. Fortunately, a committed taskforce of paediatricians, psychiatrists and general practitioners is on the job. Lastly, they will identify the amount of advanced training needed for appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
Dr. Rebekah Hoffman, NSW and ACT chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). This is an idea she has loudly supported from the start. She spoke about the need for cost-effective diagnosis and treatment approaches for patients living with ADHD. Her testimony was powerful – she noted that some patients have spent $5,000 on evaluations and therapies. This points out the financial burden the cost of child care puts on too many families.
“One of the things that we’ve consistently heard is that people living with ADHD really struggle with long wait times and some pretty high costs to access the medication that they need to treat their condition,” – Rose Jackson
This reform aims to streamline access to care for both children and adults, making it easier for individuals across New South Wales to seek assistance without facing prohibitive costs.
Early Intervention and Access to Care
Jackson too made the case for early intervention in treating ADHD. She captured the dangers of failing to make a diagnosis early in the life course. This gap in understanding can be detrimental to a child’s learning and social growth. She emphasized perinatal mood disorders as a time when early intervention can help women avoid long-term dependence on medication.
“If children miss out on a diagnosis this early in life, it can have pretty major impacts on their academic work, on their socialisation,” – Rose Jackson
Dr. Hoffman reiterated the value of early diagnosis and treatment, stating that enabling GPs to manage the majority of ADHD cases could significantly improve access for patients with more complex needs.
“So what we’re hoping is that if GPs can look after the majority of patients with ADHD … then that will actually also improve access for our really complicated patients,” – Dr. Rebekah Hoffman
Enhancing Community Support
This initiative is a significant first step in that direction. Its intention is to improve public understanding and acceptance of those diagnosed with ADHD across New South Wales. The government wants to create an environment of cooperation between health professionals who are ready to tackle this epidemic in a productive way.
Together with more general practitioners being trained to diagnose and treat ADHD, the stigma around mental health will continue to fall. This sea change will help more people, their families and loved ones to access the care they deserve. This campaign has the potential to reshape the way ADHD is viewed and treated across NSW, advocating for the understanding and accessibility everyone deserves.
“It’s something that they really want to start working on, and [they] really want to start being part of a community of practice that works in this space,” – Dr. Rebekah Hoffman
