First Tassie GPs undertake ADHD training

Almost 50 GPs have started their training to diagnose and initiate medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Tasmania – a ‘lifesaving’ milestone.
 
The first workshop in the state was delivered at the Tasmanian Rural Health Conference on Friday.
 
Following the completion of this training, the first GPs are expected to be practising under this expanded scope within the next month.
 
RACGP Tasmania Chair Dr Toby Gardner took part in the training which he said was a practical and interactive workshop.
 
‘Everyone’s really enthused and looking forward to learning more … it’s been really engaging and interactive with the audience and lots of questions,’ he told newsGP.
 
‘Lots of doctors have been working in this space for a long time, just now there’s some legislative changes, so we’ll be able to initiate things we weren’t able to do before.
 
‘This puts the onus back on us to ensure we’re making the right diagnosis, because these are people we know and have treated for a long time, so we can follow them up properly.’
 
Under the state’s scope of practice changes, GPs who have completed their training will be able to assess, diagnose, and initiate the prescription of medication for children and adults with ADHD.
 
Friday’s workshop provided practical training tailored to the role of GPs in ADHD care, with participants considering assessment and diagnosis, pharmacological and non‑pharmacological treatment approaches, and long‑term management strategies.
 
The six-hour training will be coupled with completion of RACGP or ACRRM ADHD modules.

Tasmanian Health Minister Bridget Archer said the Government has been working closely with GPs, paediatricians, psychiatrists, and pharmacists to deliver the training.

‘We know demand for ADHD support has risen across Tasmania and throughout Australia and this important step will make it easier to be diagnosed and treated, which can be lifechanging for individuals and families,’ she said.

‘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 right across the state.’
 
Following sustained RACGP advocacy, Tasmania is just one jurisdiction in a long list now allowing GPs to treat ADHD.
 
It comes as some Tasmanian children face yearlong waits for care, even if they have already had a psychological assessment.
 
‘Those kids are the ones languishing in schools and having educational achievements falling off, and so this is going to be a real game changer for them,’ Dr Gardner said.
 
‘In the adult space, we just have a real lack of psychiatrists in Tasmania across the state, particularly in the north and the northwest, and so that’s why we’ve had to rely on telehealth models to get to diagnoses and start treatment.
 
‘But what we have been realising over time is that these telehealth models are just far inferior to an actual in-room assessment with a psychiatrist, or now hopefully with a GP.’
 
The ADHD training module will soon be made available online to allow more Tasmanian GPs to complete their learning remotely.
 
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ADHD attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Tasmania