100 GPs Now Diagnose ADHD in South Australia

Tayla Giles couldn't believe it when she learned her regular GP could now diagnose ADHD. After eight months on a psychiatrist's waiting list facing $2,000 in fees, she booked an appointment almost immediately.

The Adelaide resident had her initial assessment in March and received her ADHD diagnosis about a month later. The entire process took just two weeks to get that first appointment, cost her $600 across three visits, and included a thorough hour-long interview.

"It has changed for the better, it's been incredible," Giles said. "I feel like I know myself so much more now. I'm not just going to be this way forever."

Since late February 2024, 100 GPs across South Australia became qualified to diagnose, treat and prescribe medication for ADHD in adults and children eight and older. The program received over 300 applications for those 100 spots, showing just how many doctors wanted to help.

Dr. Sian Goodson, chair of the South Australian branch of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, said demand has been overwhelming. Some GPs are diagnosing patients they've known for years, while others opened their books to new patients and immediately built long waiting lists.

The program prioritized regional areas, with 40 percent of the initial 100 GPs based outside major cities. That matters because ADHD diagnosis rates in rural South Australia are far lower than urban areas, not because fewer people have ADHD, but because fewer people can access help.

On the Eyre Peninsula, there are currently no GPs who can diagnose ADHD in adults. Jasmine Calderwood from Port Lincoln believes she may have ADHD but has struggled with the planning required for telehealth appointments while managing her daughter's health needs.

"If it was just here, you can just have an appointment and you can just go," Calderwood said.

The Ripple Effect

Another 100 GPs will receive ADHD training by the end of 2026, with priority given to areas where services are scarce. That means thousands more South Australians will have access to affordable, local ADHD support instead of waiting months and spending thousands on specialists.

For Giles, the diagnosis brought more than just treatment. "I have more empathy and understanding and patience for myself," she said.

South Australia is showing the rest of the country what's possible when we train more doctors to meet real community needs.