Tasmanian Liberals pledge to train GPs to diagnose, treat ADHD if they win state election

Access to ADHD diagnoses and treatment options would be increased under a plan the Liberals say would cut waiting lists for paediatricians and psychologists and reduce medical costs.

Clark Liberal MP Simon Behrakis and his friend Scott Wynands. Both men live with ADHD and have welcomed the Liberals' new ADHD policy. Picture: Supplied

Tasmanian GPs will be trained to diagnose, treat, and manage people living with ADHD if the Liberal government is re-elected.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff says the policy will facilitate quicker access to medication and reduce costs for patients.

Under the proposed plan, the government would work with GPs and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners to make sure GPs are given the required training and supervision to support child and adult patients living with ADHD.

Tasmanian GPs would be trained to diagnose and treat ADHD under a Liberal election promise. Picture: iStock.

Mr Rockliff said the move would cut waiting lists for paediatricians and psychiatrists as demand for ADHD support soars across the country.

“This will be a game-changer for Tasmanian families, slashing wait times for assessments, cutting medical costs, and ensuring lifelong ADHD care that’s easier to access and co-ordinate right across the state,” he said.

“Every Tasmanian, young and old, deserves access to timely, high-quality ADHD support, no matter where they live or how they seek care.”

The Premier acknowledged that early intervention was important for children living with ADHD and that the new Liberal policy would deliver “real solutions”.

It comes after the government established a new ADHD clinic for children in the South of the state in April, which is set to expand statewide and provides neurodevelopmental assessment and management under a $3m funding commitment.

Hobart man Scott Wynands, who was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, said the Liberals’ plan would be “lifesaving” for people like himself.

“I was only diagnosed, probably about 3-4 years ago, roughly. It took two years to get medication. It was a year before I saw a psychiatrist and that was [considered] a good time frame,” he said.

“Now I can actually focus on a lot of things that I couldn’t focus on before.

“There’s not a million racing thoughts in my head [and I’m not] getting overwhelmed because too much is coming at me.”

Premier Jeremy Rockliff. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Mr Rockliff said the government’s ADHD policy would also be supported by legislative reform, including amendments to the Poisons Act and the Poisons Regulations, allowing interstate prescriptions to be dispensed in Tasmania.

New legislation would also be drafted with the intention of facilitating greater access to ADHD medicines “while protecting public health and safety”, the Premier said.

Clark Liberal MP Simon Behrakis, who also lives with ADHD and is a friend of Mr Wynands, said an earlier diagnosis and “a deeper understanding of the condition” would have made his life “that little bit easier”.

“I’m really proud to be part of the push that will see other Tasmanian families benefit, so that less children and adults have to wait for a diagnosis and treatment,” he said.