Pharmacy Daily | WA Labor pledges ADHD role for GPs

SPECIALIST GPs will be able to diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and initiate and manage its treatment with stimulant medication under proposed WA Labor reforms.

Developed in collaboration with the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP), WA Labor has committed to implementing the initiative if returned to government at the state election on 08 Mar.

The proposal has been hailed as a breakthrough for patients.

Under the changes, patients will be able to receive a diagnosis and treatment from specialist GPs with a specific skills in ADHD and peer support from specialist paediatricians or psychiatrists.

Currently, patients must receive a diagnosis from a psychiatrist or paediatrician.

RACGP WA Chair and Vice President Dr Ramya Raman has welcomed the proposal, saying it is a step forward.

"This proposal is the culmination of extensive discussions and work by GPs and the WA Government, but more importantly, calls from our patients for support to access potentially lifechanging treatment," she said.

"Patients need ongoing support for complex conditions like ADHD."

Dr Raman said the initiative will be a big step forward for Western Australians if implemented well.

"ADHD is estimated to cost Australians $20 billion every year, including both direct health costs and more abstract factors, like its impacts on productivity," said Dr Raman.

"But we can't lose sight of the human side.

"It's stressful to manage a complex condition and it is important for patients to have all the support around them.

"Patients deserve ongoing access to care through their specialist GP, who knows them and their history, and this proposal can enable that for people living with ADHD," Dr Raman said.

An expanded role for GP assessment and support for people with ADHD received in-principle support in the Federal Government response to the National ADHD Inquiry held in 2023 (PD 16 Dec 2024).