Latest news with #ADHD.
9 News
26-05-2025
- Health
- 9 News
Up to 1000 GPs to be upskilled to treat ADHD in NSW in 'life-changing' move'
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here New changes to the treatment of ADHD in NSW hope to cut red tape by upskilling GPs and granting them extended powers. Most patients who are either diagnosed or seeking a diagnosis have to see a specialist, but wait times typically exceed months and years and can incur significant costs. Under reforms announced today, eligible GPs will be trained to diagnose, treat, prescribe and manage ADHD in children and adults. New changes to the treatment of ADHD in New South Wales hope to cut red tape by upskilling GPs and granting them extended powers. (Getty) "We know that people endure long wait times as well as significant expenses just to see a specialist to receive a diagnosis," Health Minister Ryan Park said. "We're not going to stand idly by while people struggle to access life-changing treatment." NSW Health will open up expressions of interest and select up to 1000 GPs, who will pick between two tiers of accreditation. Training will begin in the coming months before the reforms are rolled out in a staged approach, with an initial focus on prescriptions for children. GPs are expected to be able to provide ongoing prescriptions for children in early 2026. The changes are hoped to cut down the significant wait times and costs involved in seeing a specialist. "These reforms help tilt the scales in favour of fairness — reducing the cost of getting treatment by hundreds of dollars, removing red tape for thousands of families and young people, and giving people the support they need to live happier, healthier lives," Premier Chris Minns said. The reforms have been hailed as "life-changing" by doctors and pharmacists, who have seen patients struggling to access treatment across the state. "As I travel across New South Wales, I hear from my colleagues about families in rural areas who travel more than seven hours to see a paediatrician, and of families in Sydney spending more than $5000 on assessments and diagnosis for ADHD," Royal Australian College of General Practitioners' NSW Branch Chair Dr Rebekah Hoffman said. "Community pharmacies see ADHD patients every day who are struggling to access a psychiatrist. This means that many ADHD patients are going without important medication," Pharmacy Guild NSW President Mario Barone said. But psychologists want their assessment and treatment to also be made accessible in addition to these changes. "Psychologists and GPs are the ideal partners to work together with diagnostic and therapeutic supports for those investigating a diagnosis of ADHD," Australian Association of Psychologists Inc Chief Services Officer Amanda Curran said. New South Wales follows Queensland and Western Australia in implementing reforms to make it easier to access treatment for ADHD. health New South Wales national Australia doctors medical CONTACT US
BBC News
15-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
ADHD: Woman's private diagnosis led to 'life changing' medication
A County Armagh woman who was privately diagnosed with ADHD, said the first time she took medication for it was "life-changing".Jennifer Cousins said it was "unfair" that there are no commissioned services for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Northern Ireland. A condition that affects people's behaviour, the 42-year-old said she was always trying new things, never felt settled, and was impulsive."I was ticking all of these boxes of things that I had struggled with for so long, and I was finally able to see why these things were having an impact on my life," she said. The Department of Health (DoH) said "the demand for ADHD assessment far outweighs capacity, which is resulting in long waiting times of several years".Ms Cousins said "it's no surprise that there are adults out there that have struggled with this condition their whole lives and there is no funding or commissioned service to diagnose".The exact cause of ADHD is unknown, but it often runs in Cousins said after children in her family were diagnosed with the condition, she realised she had similar traits and found out she had combined ADHD."It was emotionally a tough time to be diagnosed because, like anyone, you don't want to be different," she said."But at the same time it totally made sense." 'The chaos of my brain' The mother-of-one said everyday tasks before medication were quite "stressful and overwhelming"."There's this saying that I think is quite funny and it's quite true about the ADHD brain being like an Internet browser."There's 17 tabs open, there's three frozen and you don't know where the music's coming from. So that's a bit like me," she Cousins said getting ready in the morning she is often flitting between tasks. "All of a sudden, there's maybe four or five tasks going on around me."Unfortunately, sometimes I might cut myself or smash a plate or burn the dinner, so obviously the chaos of my brain displays itself through day-to-day tasks."Ms Cousins said while phone reminders to do things have been "my lifesaver", she has found ADHD burnout difficult."It's something that happens whenever you're so mentally and emotionally and physically energetic every single day."Having to focus super hard to try and get things done was really quite challenging, quite debilitating actually," she said. Ms Cousins said medication helped improve her focus and manage her energy has a shared care agreement which allows "seamless shared care and decision making" between her, her private specialist consultant, and her GP "in relation to medicines use"."I was able to manage all the things that I need to do every day like picking up the child from school, cooking a dinner, tidying up round me, looking after the garden, walking the dog."It made such a difference that I finally felt more like myself."Ms Cousins said she loves the fact she has ADHD because she said many people are creative as a writes songs and poetry, and has recently written a book about her childhood, educating about the signs, symptoms, and behaviours of ADHD. ADHD was first recognised in adults in 2008, eight years after childhood ADHD was formally recognised through National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in most of the UK NHS (England, Wales, and NI).The DoH said whilst a level of provision is available, it is aware that "this has also led to inconsistencies between trusts".Sarah Salters, CEO of ADD-NI, said the charity receives a high number of weekly referrals for ADHD support January they have had 165 referrals, with almost half of those for said the lack of services within the health service for adults is "diabolical", leaving adults "very frustrated" with "nowhere to turn".Ms Salters said many people are "forced" to go private for a diagnosis and also have difficulty getting medication as not all GPs honour the shared care protocol."About 4% of our adult population have ADHD, that's about 70,000 people across Northern Ireland and there's possibly a very high number of people who are undiagnosed," she said."Where you get the right support, the proper strategies in place, people with ADHD start to see that they can do things that they weren't capable of doing before." The DoH has commissioned a "needs assessment" with a view to bringing forward recommendations to inform a commissioned ADHD service, which is expected to be completed by the end of June said any decision "will be based on an assessment of the level of demand for services, and in the context of future budget availability".Ms Salters is not confident services will be commissioned as she does not think ADHD is seen as a "priority".
BBC News
01-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Disabled Slough mum 'already struggling' ahead of benefit cuts
A disabled woman says she is "barely making ends meet", ahead of changes to benefits and tax Loreta Khamess, who is out of work because of her disability, says the plans have left her feeling "worried, stressed and anxious".From 1 April, non-working households in Slough will have to pay council tax for the first time – having previously been Khames also fears government plans to change who qualifies for for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and to reduce Disability Living Allowance for children could affect her. Slough Borough Council leaders voted earlier this year to cut council tax discounts for families on low discounts are awarded on a sliding scale based on household income, and until this week families where no one is in work were exempt from leaders have approved a hardship fund of £350,000 to help people facing "exceptional hardship" and said it will work with the voluntary sector to ensure support reaches people with disabilities. Ms Khamess used to work as a carer but had to stop due to a worsening epilepsy said she woud "love to go back to work" but frequent seizures leave her exhausted and mean employers are reluctant to take her explained that she has just over £1,100 a month to try and support her said: "I'm behind with gas and electric, I'm behind with the water, I can't afford to pay that much."If my kids want me to buy something even an ice lolly from Poundland, I have to say 'I can't, I don't have money' and the kids don't understand."She said: "I'm on PIP and I could lose everything, I won't be able to pay the bills because the gas and electric is expensive."I've heard they might cut the Disability Living Allowance for children, which I receive for my daughter who has autism and is being assessed for ADHD."She ruins and cuts her clothes when she gets agitated so I'm going to struggle a lot." Under the new plans, the government will make it harder to qualify for PIP but people currently on it said the assessments are "already stressful".Steve Harris from Datchet receives PIP because he has multiple sclerosis and trigeminal neuralgia, a condition that can cause sharp, chronic pain in the described the assessment process as "degrading"and said he'd been marked down in his most recent one for being able to maintain eye contact with the assessor and for being able to name all his Harris said: "With MS you can have really good days and really bad days and the assessment doesn't take that into consideration."He said he uses his PIP to pay for a walking aid and for travel to MS therapy which is an extra costs that non-disabled people don't have to pay as a graphic designer, he said he and his wife may still manage to get by but he knows others won't."If I wasn't working and just relying on PIP that would become an issue," he said."It's one of those things where you're one pay cheque away from becoming homeless."If the government changes are approved, they will take effect in November next year. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, and X.
