Specialist GPs will soon be able to diagnose and treat ADHD in both children and adults in Victoria, cutting wait times and costs for care and assessment, under reforms set to be introduced by the Victorian Government this year.
The move was welcomed by the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP), which has been calling for reforms to improve access to ADHD care in Victoria and for health ministers to implement a nationally consistent approach to GP diagnosis and management of ADHD.
The announcement follows similar moves in New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland; the governments of Tasmania and the ACT have also committed to reform ADHD care.
RACGP Victoria Chair Dr Anita Muñoz said the announcement recognises GPs’ scope in ADHD.
“This announcement is keenly welcomed by Victorian GPs on behalf of the many untreated or undiagnosed Victorians who have to date struggled with access to affordable care in their local communities,” she said.
“This policy recognises the importance of specialist GPs in the Victorian healthcare system.
“Where GPs are not enabled to practise to the fullness of their capabilities, we see disparity of access, soaring costs to patients when seeing non-GP specialists, and regional and rural Victorians missing out on care.
“Assessment and diagnosis for ADHD can cost thousands of dollars and mean months of waiting. Patients may have to travel for hours to see a non-GP specialist. Patients in rural and lower socioeconomic status areas miss out on care.
“Patients deserve to be treated in their own communities, and by the clinician who knows them best and can provide continuity of care for a whole lifetime.”
The RACGP estimates up to 163,000 Victorian children and 320,000 adults may be living with ADHD.
Under the changes announced by the Victorian Government, specialist GPs will be able to continue prescriptions for patients with an ADHD diagnosis, and the Government will invest $750,000 for accredited training to enable an initial 150 GPs to diagnose ADHD by September.
Victorian GPs already have access to high-quality training through the RACGP that has been developed with experts and supports GPs to continue prescribing for ADHD, as well as ADHD prescribing guidelines.
Dr Muñoz said Victoria’s specialist GPs are ready to support patients living with ADHD with high-quality care, including non-medication treatment options.
“Early intervention for children with ADHD is vital. It sets them up to thrive at school and at home,” she said.
“For adult patients, a diagnosis and access to treatment can be lifechanging.
“We can work with patients to develop holistic treatment plans, with both lifestyle and focused interventions. Being able to prescribe for ADHD is key, but patients with ADHD also benefit from care to help them maintain sleep hygiene, manage screen time, receive counselling when needed, and provide and receive support with peers.
“GPs are perfectly positioned to provide our patients with this care. This change recognises this and as any patient who has struggled to access initial or ongoing care will tell you, it’s certainly due.”
~ENDS
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