Queensland’s new ADHD reforms came into effect on Monday, with out-of-pocket costs expected to drop for adult patients.
As of Monday, all GPs in Queensland can now diagnose, manage and prescribe medication for ADHD for all patients without additional mandatory training.
GPs in Queensland have already been able to diagnose, manage and prescribe for ADHD for children since 2017, with the new changes now expanding the initiative to adult treatment.
The RACGP predicts the move will save patients between $500 and $1400 each year in out-of-pocket costs.
“The legislation’s only just changed on Monday, and GPs and practices are in the process of working out how they might apply that to their work, so there’ll be some time for processes and for the implementation to take effect,” RACGP Queensland Chair Dr Cath Hester told The Medical Republic.
“In terms of the continuation of the care of adults with ADHD, I think that will happen very quickly, but it might take a little bit longer for GPs to work out their processes of how they might make new diagnosis for adults with ADHD.”
According to research, up to 10% of adults are living with ADHD which would mean that up to 400,000 adults in Queensland could have the condition.
With cost savings factored in, the RACGP has predicted that the state could collectively save up to $500 million whilst receiving greater access to ADHD care.
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has also chimed in on the reforms, reiterating that specialist oversight must remain in place for complex presentations.
“The college’s position is we support the expansion of GPs into the adult domain,” RANZCP Queensland Branch Chair Professor Brett Emmerson told TMR.
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“Currently, there’s long waits to see people with that particular condition, [and] this should help alleviate that.
“Our only concern is that there is no training being required, as is happening in South Australia and WA.
“We’re just really calling on the government to ensure that if they’re introducing this, which they are, they really need to fund an education package for GPs to acquire the required skills.”
Providing greater accessibility to ADHD care has been a focal point of the reform rollout with the GP accessibility expected to provide greater access for socio-economically disadvantaged, rural and regional areas.
“It’s deeply unfair,” RACGP Specific Interest ADHD, ASD, and Neurodiversity chair Associate Professor John Kramer said.
“Patients in Australia’s 20% most socioeconomically advantaged regions are prescribed medications for ADHD at more than twice the rate of those in the 20% least advantaged regions.
“Access to care has improved, but the disparity rural and remote patients experience has widened, not narrowed.”
