Council
20 June, 2025
Britnell backs call for GPs to treat ADHD
MEMBER for South West Coast Roma Britnell has supported calls to authorise GPs to diagnose and treat ADHD.
Members of the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) earlier this week called for GPs to be granted authority to diagnose and treat ADHD patients.
According to Ms Britnell, in some regional areas waitlists to see paediatricians and psychiatrists are stretching families to breaking point.
Ms Britnell said she had recently met with a local GP who had completed an intensive 30-week training course specifically focused on ADHD diagnosis and treatment, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to confidently support families.
However, the GP remains legally restricted from providing the care they are trained to deliver.
“This is a case of capability without authority,” Ms Britnell said.
“We have GPs, highly trained, deeply committed professionals, ready and willing to help families yet they’re locked out of providing the support they know is urgently needed.”
Long wait times to see paediatricians and psychiatrists, often extending beyond 12 months, are leaving children and adults in distress and families in limbo.
Many children with ADHD also suffer from anxiety and behavioural impacts that interfere with their schooling, socialisation, and emotional wellbeing.
“This is about unlocking capacity already in the system,” Ms Britnell said.
“In 2017, I participated in a parliamentary health inquiry that warned we would face enormous pressure on our regional health system. The inquiry made a number of recommendations which have been ignored by the state government.
“What we’re seeing now confirms those predictions and this is one practical, immediate step that the government could make now to ease that pressure.”
Ms Britnell has formally advocated to the Minister for Health to review current prescribing regulations and support appropriately trained GPs to manage ADHD cases.
“I welcome the strong voice of the GP community in reinforcing what I’ve already raised with the minister,” Ms Britnell said.
“GPs have always managed complex care (in a wide variety of areas such as midwifery, dermatology and diabetes) and know when to escalate to specialists.
“They should be trusted to continue doing so in the ADHD space.
“This change would not only improve access to care for children and families, it would help stabilise the entire regional health system, easing the load on already overwhelmed specialists.”
