GPs call for greater ADHD prescribing rights as system reaches ‘crisis point’
Perth GP Dr Andrew Leech says some patients are waiting up to two years to see a paediatrician.
GPs are calling on state politicians to let them diagnose and start treatment for ADHD in children as wait times for paediatricians blow out to 18 months.
Perth GP Dr Andrew Leech, who has a special interest in children’s mental health, said vulnerable patients were missing out on early intervention while waiting to access overburdened child development services.
“I have many stories of parents calling around 30 different paediatricians and not getting into a single one and being on a waitlist of more than 200 children,” Dr Leech told AusDoc.
“And as a result of all this pressure, services are reducing because we have had paediatricians close their books as a result of burnout, and that further adds to the pressure.
