Healthcare access · NSW
Can a GP diagnose ADHD in NSW now?
By Patrick LeachPublisher: HerDoc
Yes—specially trained and authorised NSW GPs, called GP endorsed prescribers, can assess and diagnose ADHD in eligible people aged six and over, including adults. Not every GP offers this service. Before booking, check whether the practice provides new diagnostic assessments, whether the service suits your situation and what it will cost.
NSW Health explains the expanded GP roles.
Sources checked: .
What has changed?
On 21 October 2026, NSW Health announced that almost 300 GPs had completed training to assess and diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The expanded diagnostic role applies from late October, creating another route to a first assessment for adults and children within the programme’s scope. Read the NSW Health announcement.
There are two different GP roles under the reforms:
- Continuation prescribers can manage ongoing prescriptions for eligible people with an existing ADHD diagnosis who are stable on treatment. Available since September 2025, this authority alone does not cover a new diagnosis under this pathway.
- Endorsed prescribers have additional training and authority to assess and diagnose ADHD in eligible people.
The official information on GP roles explains the distinction.
A GP who knows your health history can help you work out which route fits. Specialist assessment or review remains important for complex concerns or needs beyond the GP’s scope.
How do I find a GP offering assessments?
Start with your usual practice. Ask whether it has an endorsed prescriber who assesses people seeking a first diagnosis.
The NSW Health ADHD page links to the official practice finder. NSW Health says it plans to add endorsed prescriber locations from November. A listing alone does not confirm that new assessments are available, and some participating GPs are not listed.
Before booking, ask:
- Is this a diagnostic assessment service or continuation care only?
- Are you accepting new patients, and what age or other limits apply?
- What records should I bring, and how many appointments might I need?
- What are the assessment and follow-up fees, and who provides ongoing care?
Does the change make assessments free?
Not automatically. The expanded diagnostic role does not make all assessments free. From early 2027, NSW Health plans to fund up to 2,500 free assessments at selected practices, with a referral through the person’s regular GP. Priority includes people under financial stress, those struggling to access specialist care and children in their early school years. This is not a universally free service available now. NSW Health and its consumer FAQ set out the funding and timing.
What does an assessment involve?
An ADHD assessment explores your developmental and health history, symptoms and their effects across settings such as home, school or work. Reports from people who know you and questionnaires can help, but a questionnaire alone cannot establish the diagnosis. The clinician also considers other explanations and conditions occurring alongside ADHD. There is no blood test that confirms ADHD. Ask which previous health reports would help, including school reports if you have them. The Australian ADHD guideline describes the assessment process.