ADHD shared care pilot

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common, chronic condition which causes significant functional impairment in multiple domains including mental health, education, employment and quality of life. ADHD affects one in 20 Victorians and is commonly diagnosed in childhood, usually by paediatricians.

Waiting times for assessment are often long and many private paediatricians are not taking new referrals because of large caseloads. Waiting for assessment is a source of stress for young people, families and their community care and education providers.

The ADHD Shared Care Pilot aims to deliver GP education and capacity-building to provide shared care for children and young people with ADHD. This has the potential to halve the number of paediatrician review appointments required, thereby freeing up availability to assess new patients.

NWMPHN commissioned the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) to set up, manage and evaluate the pilot, in conjunction with the Royal Children’s Hospital.

The program initiates appropriate investigations and early intervention to address common underlying issues (including sleep, nutrition, lifestyle, mental health, and hearing). This has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency of the paediatric assessment process and enable children and young people with ADHD to:

• access timely care closer to home
• build stronger relationships with their GPs
• confidently transition to adult ADHD care when required.

NWMPHN received funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care to commission this project.

The model of care was co-designed with GPs, paediatricians, a community pharmacist, and people with lived experience caring for a child with ADHD.

The pilot implementation phase commenced in February 2025. As of July 2025, project outcomes include:

• 20 GPs recruited to participate in the pilot
• Two training webinars were held for participating GPs
• Monthly communities of practice were set up for participating GPs, with a paediatrician facilitating. This aims to provide support and a platform for GPs to share case studies or any issues.

As the pilot continues to be implemented, families will be recruited to participate.