ADHD diagnosis and medication can take up to a year and cost more than $2000 to access in Victoria – until now.
Expressions of interest open today for Victorian GPs to undergo training in diagnosing, treating, and prescribing for ADHD in adults and children aged six and above.
From September, GPs will receive training from the RACGP to perform roles previously limited to specialists, including paediatricians and psychiatrists.
“By training GPs to diagnose and treat ADHD, we’re helping people get the support they need, closer to home,” said Victorian health minister Harriet Shing.
Today’s announcement followed the Victorian government’s February 2026 announcement that it would invest $750,000 to deliver accredited training for an initial 150 GPs by September this year.
At present, receiving an ADHD diagnosis and medication can involve waitlists of six to 12 months and high out-of-pocket costs – upwards of $2,000 for a comprehensive assessment.
The RACGP estimated up to 63,000 children and 320,000 adults may be living with ADHD in Victoria.
RACGP Victoria chair Dr Anita Muñoz said GPs, who were highly trained in whole-person, continuous care, were well-placed to safely diagnose and manage ADHD in collaboration with specialist colleagues.
“Specialist services are under strain. Empowering specialist GPs to work to their full scope is critical to improving access and easing system bottlenecks,” Dr Muñoz said.
“GPs will continue to work closely with specialist colleagues to ensure patients with complex needs receive appropriate multidisciplinary support,” she said.
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GPs will also be encouraged to consider non-medication approaches, such as lifestyle modifications and referrals to behavioural therapy, psychology, and educational support to address challenges with concentration, attention, and emotional regulation.
“This model will help patients get the support they need earlier, improving outcomes at school, in the workplace, and across their lives,” Dr Muñoz said.
Dr Muñoz told The Medical Republic that GPs undertaking ADHD assessments and prescribing would be operating within a “community of practice” and have online access to specialists they can consult when treating their patients.
“We recognise that not all patients will be suitable for GP management alone,” she said.
In cases of significant comorbidities or substance use disorders, Dr Muñoz said the Victorian healthcare system will develop escalation pathways that enable GPs and their patients to seek additional help where necessary.
“Part of the training will be identifying what patients are appropriate to be managed by GPs and what patients are going to benefit most from that collaborative care or shared care model,” she said.
“We do expect that there will be many more GPs wanting to do the training than we will have places for in the first instance,” she said.
Dr Muñoz told TMR that the Department of Health has outlined prioritisation frameworks to ensure GPs are distributed geographically across the state, with priority given to populations with insufficient access to ADHD services, particularly in regional and rural areas.
“The intent is to try and make for as even distribution of accredited GPs as we can,” she said.
Dr Muñoz told TMR that this prioritisation framework will be published alongside advice for GPs who wish to express interest at a later date.
Currently, Victorian GPs can prescribe ADHD medication – dexamphetamine, lisdexamfetamine or methylphenidate – only with a government permit and following a specialist diagnosis.
Victoria’s reform followed Australia’s nationwide, gradual rollout of GP-managed ADHD care, which began in Queensland in 2017 and had since been extended to NSW, the ACT, SA, TAS and WA.
From December 2025, Queensland GPs were the first in Australia to diagnose and prescribe medication for adults with ADHD without additional training.
The Northern Territory is the only jurisdiction yet to announce formal reform, despite ongoing advocacy.
