An RACGP working group chair says he is 'blown away' after more than 400 Western Australian GPs apply for 65 training spots.
More than 400 doctors in Western Australia have applied for 65 state-funded training positions to diagnose and treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Chair of the RACGP WA ADHD Working Group, Dr Sean Stevens, says the 'magnitude of subscription' demonstrated both a willingness from GPs, and a 'clear need' to expand their scope of practice into ADHD diagnosis and treatment.
'We're blown away by the response,' he told newsGP.
'It's an involved undertaking, and it shows how willing GPs are to do the six months of training.
'It shows GPs are willing to help their patients to get this done. There's such a need.'
The $1.3 million program, announced in June, provides online training models developed by the RACGP and mentorship from psychiatrists and paediatricians.
Once trained, GPs will be able to assess ADHD in patients aged 10 and older and prescribe stimulant medications.
The training is being rolled out in staggered groups of 15, 25 and 25 participants, with the first cohort of 15 GPs to begin training before the end of this month.
Initial priority has been given to participants working in areas of higher need, said Dr Stevens.
'We're prioritising rural, remote, lower socio-economic [areas] and people serving cultural and linguistically diverse cohorts, particularly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations,' he said.
Dr Stevens said current waiting times in WA to see psychiatrists or paediatricians for ADHD diagnosis and treatment are significant, and costs high for those forced to search in the private sector.
'There is no public adult psychiatric service for ADHD, so people have to go privately,' he said.
'The child development services waiting list is, depending on what areas you're in and who you believe, is between two-and-a-half and four years to be seen.
'And then privately, a lot of private paediatricians and psychiatrists have actually closed their books. The ones that are available, you're looking at usually several thousand dollars, from initial first appointment to stabilisation on medications. And usually there's a wait of six to 12 months privately, even despite the cost.'
However, Dr Stevens doesn't believe WA's situation is unique to Australia, nor internationally.
'We have seen a real increase in the rates of presentation for an assessment for ADHD, both in the paediatric and the adult populations,' he said.
'And it's not just all states in Australia, it's actually across the western world. It seems to be a real uptick in presentations for possible ADHD.'
It is estimated that one in 20 people in Australia has ADHD.
In 2017, Queensland became the first Australian state or territory to allow GPs to initiate and prescribe stimulant medications for patients aged 4-18 years.
Since then, Western Australia, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory have all begun ADHD reforms that seek to, or which already, involve GPs in treating ADHD.
In June 2025, SA announced reforms that will enable GPs in that state who undertake additional training to diagnose and treat the condition in children and adults by 2026.
In NSW, under phase 1 of the State Government's reforms, GPs who have been granted 'continuation prescriber' status can issue psychostimulant prescriptions for patients aged six years and older with previously diagnosed ADHD, where criteria are met.
As of 2 September, 62 GPs in NSW are classed as continuation prescribers, having completed the required training, and around 1330 NSW GPs had expressed interest in participating in the staged reforms since the EOI process opened in July.
Ahead of its re-election in June this year, Tasmania's Liberal Government also pledged to enable Tasmanian GPs to diagnose, treat and manage ADHD in both children and adults.
RACGP Tasmania Chair Dr Toby Gardner told newsGP the college is currently working with the Tasmanian Health Service and key stakeholders to establish a working group to deliver on the Liberal Government's pre-election pledge to expand GPs' scope of practice to ADHD diagnosis and treatment.
He said the working group was due to begin meeting in the 'next couple of weeks'.
In a recent newsGP opinion piece, Chair of RACGP Specific Interests ADHD, ASD and Neurodiversity, Associate Professor John Kramer, wrote about the evolving reforms being rolled out to provide greater access to ADHD treatment.
In Australia, Victoria and the Northern Territory remain the only jurisdictions without any ADHD reforms announced.
'It seems inevitable they must fall into line, sooner, rather than later,' wrote Associate Professor Kramer.
Ultimately, national consistency in expanding GPs' scope of practice into ADHD diagnosis and treatment is needed, said Dr Stevens.
'[It] would be eminently sensible to have a nationally consistent model, so that if GPs or if their patients move interstate, they can expect to have the same rules apply,' he said.
The RACGP has advocated for the same in its own position statement, as has every state, territory and federal health minister.
In a June newsGP poll, one in three GPs said they were interested in prescribing ADHD medication.
Dr Stevens said, given the 'clear demand', RACGP WA would be 'very receptive' to any move from the State Government to fund more training for more GPs to expand their scope of practice into ADHD.
'We would be all ears,' he said.
'There is obviously the need for it, and the appetite for people to do it, and the WA Government have been very supportive, so we'll see when we get to the end of training this current 65 and do an evaluation.
'Then if there's the opportunity for more [funding], I'm sure we'd welcome it.'
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