Hunter general practitioners (GP) will soon be able to both diagnose and treat ADHD, with new state government reforms.
Beginning in March, GPs will undergo training to upskill and promote more accessible mental health treatment care within the region.
Since September, GPs have been able to dispense repeat prescriptions of psychostimulants in diagnosed patients.
However, the new changes will allow them to diagnose the mental disorder as well.
The reforms aim to alleviate wait times for psychiatrists and costs on patients.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners ADHD spokesperson Dr Christopher Timms said the initiative is critical for regional communities like the Hunter.
"Regional and rural areas are being prioritized in the role out," he said.
"The value of a really good GP cannot be understated, and upskilling those GPs in those areas really will affect wait time "
Across the state, nearly 600 practitioners have put their hands up to undergo training to treat and diagnose ADHD.
Previously, patients wanting to get diagnosed and medicated have had to receive a referral to a psychiatrist from a GP before receiving medications.
The process can typically take months and cost patients more than $1,000.
Dr Timms said these changes will stop patients from being disheartened from the wait times and cost.
"This is a groundbreaking and life changing change for nearly 600 000 patients in NSW with ADHD," he said.
"The GP as a whole person specialist is really well placed to do the initial diagnosis and initiate treatment where appropriate for patients with ADHD."
