Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) government has announced reforms for general practitioners (GPs) to make treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) more accessible and affordable.
Under the new regulations, GPs will be authorised to diagnose and treat individuals with ADHD. This is expected to alleviate the burden on specialists and reduce long wait periods for patients.
NSW health minister Ryan Park said: “We know that people endure long wait times as well as significant expenses just to see a specialist to receive a diagnosis.
“We’re not going to stand idly by while people struggle to access life-changing treatment.
“The option to see a GP to manage ADHD will provide a timely, safe and appropriate pathway to care, while relieving pressure on in-demand specialists.”
The initiative will allow GPs to issue ongoing prescriptions for children and adults on stable medication doses without needing a formal agreement.
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By GlobalDataSeveral GPs will also be able to diagnose and initiate medication where this is deemed necessary. They will be given support and required to complete accredited training to ensure quality care.
Up to 1,000 GPs will be supported to complete additional training to manage continuation prescriptions for patients who have achieved stable medication regimens.
NSW Health will fund these training packages, as well as mentorship and resources to implement the reforms.
The reforms will be introduced gradually, with an initial focus on children’s prescriptions.
NSW follows Queensland and Western Australia in implementing reforms to improve ADHD treatment access.
Training is due to begin shortly, with the provision for GPs to continue prescribing for children anticipated to start early next year.
Earlier this month, the NSW government announced the launch of an urgent care service in Quakers Hill.
