This ADHD program was supposed to improve access. Instead, it’s heightened confusion

A state-run program aiming to reduce barriers to treatment and accelerate access to ADHD medications has run into immediate issues after a bungled Victorian government website directed patients to the wrong clinics.

Premier Ben Carroll last Monday celebrated an easing of the rules that govern who can diagnose ADHD, with 150 newly trained general practitioners across the state now able to diagnose, treat and prescribe stimulants for the neurodevelopmental disorder.

Previously, only specialists such as paediatricians and psychiatrists could treat ADHD, leading to high costs and waiting lists of up to a year for the estimated 163,000 Victorian children and 320,000 adults living with the condition.

But an official Department of Health website that went live on October 26 to direct families to clinics offering the new GP ADHD clinics included at least 15 services that are not accepting patients as part of the program – including one health service that is not even open.

A handful of other clinics taking part in the program were missing from the directory, despite their doctors undertaking training from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) as part of the government’s program.

Mental Health Victoria CEO Phillipa Thomas said the confusion meant that non-participating health services were last week inundated with calls from people trying to make appointments for ADHD services that weren’t on offer.

“Many callers were already frustrated at having been turned away from other incorrectly listed providers, and understandably people’s patience was pretty thin. You can imagine how the situation compounded over days; with increasingly distressed callers at one end, and increasingly distressed and overwhelmed health service staff at the other,” Thomas said.

“It’s a disappointing start and a reminder that it’s not in anyone’s interest for significant policy changes like these to be rushed.”

The incorrectly listed clinics include some that do not offer GP services at all, as well as specialist services such as mental health and emergency units that do not book consultations.

When The Age contacted the department about the directory errors, a government spokesperson confirmed that “a small number of clinics” had requested changes to their listings on the ADHD care in general practice webpage.

In the days that followed, 14 services – including clinics in Altona Meadows, Barwon Heads, Frankston, Moe, Port Fairy, and Wodonga – were removed from the list, while five others were added.

One service – The Living Room, which provided support in Melbourne’s Hosier Lane for people experiencing homelessness – was only removed from the official list on Friday, despite having closed last month.

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Victorian Branch Chair, associate professor Simon Stafrace, said it was vital to remove barriers for people to access ADHD care closer to home.

“We urge the Victorian government to make sure the information is up-to-date as quickly as possible, so this important reform can be delivered as intended, particularly in communities where people already face significant barriers to accessing ADHD and mental health care,” he said.

The government denied that it had bungled the rollout, saying the directory changes included instances where ADHD-trained doctors had consented to the publication of their details before later requesting removals.

“A small number of clinics requested changes to their public listings, which have been updated,” a government spokesperson told The Age.

The government has now asked the RACGP, which earlier this year oversaw the training of GPs involved in its program, to ensure doctors communicate with their clinics about their participation in the program and their public listing on its directory.

RACGP Victoria Chair Dr Anita Muñoz said GP ADHD assessments were a positive step towards improving access, and that patients welcomed the move.

“The Victorian Department of Health’s list of participating clinics is regularly updated to reflect local capacity. Clinics may request to be added as services expand, and removed when practices are no longer able to take on new patients,” she said.

“The level of demand we’re seeing demonstrates why these reforms matter, and why we really need to train more GPs to improve access to care. Giving more GPs the skills and authority to assess and diagnose ADHD will help patients access care sooner, closer to home.”

The Age last week revealed psychiatrists’ concerns that a growing number of patients are developing psychosis, including paranoia and hallucinations, after taking medication to treat ADHD.

Rates of ADHD diagnosis have skyrocketed in recent years due to increased awareness of the disorder, leading to a surge in the number of Australians using stimulant medications.

In response to rising demand and longer wait times, state governments have been easing restrictions on who can diagnose and treat the condition. In December, Queensland became the first state allowing GPs to diagnose and prescribe for ADHD. Since then, South Australia, NSW, Western Australia and Tasmania have followed suit.

Victoria’s changes mean that since October 26, trained GPs can diagnose and treat ADHD in adults and children aged six years and over, in a move that Health Minister Ingrid Stitt said would save families thousands of dollars and up to a year of waiting time for an appointment.