After completing state funded training, general practitioners in NSW will soon be qualified to diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The goal of the change is to lower waiting times and families out of pocket expenses.
Beginning in March 2026, qualified general practitioners will be able to diagnose ADHD under changes announced by the NSW Government and NSW Health.
Almost 600 general practitioners have expressed interest in the second phase. Priority placement will be given to physicians in rural, remote and regional areas.
Spots for training will be limited for physicians who finish the program, the state promises to cover the cost of the course and provide a compensation package. Additionally, it will maintain a waiting list for upcoming rounds.
High costs and lengthy wait times, according to officials can cause delays in children’s assistance.
They claim that adults seeking a diagnosis may experience additional stress, particularly if they live outside of major centers.
The way stable patients receive their medications has already been altered by stage one of the reforms.
More than 800 general practitioners have received training to write repeat prescriptions for patients who already have a diagnosis as of 2025.
As a result, fewer regular specialist appointments are now required to renew prescriptions. According to NSW Health, over 18,000 prescriptions have been filled and over 5,000 patients have utilized the arrangement thus far.
The next step has been approved by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.
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According to this, qualified general practitioners can treat patients holistically while still referring them to specialists when necessary.
It stated that an overburdened specialist system could be relieved of some of the strain if more general practitioners performed this task.
Queensland has changed its system meaning specialist GPs can initiate, modify and continue medication used in the management of ADHD in adults.
