“It wasn’t clearly communicated at all from the Health Department,” ADHD WA management board chair Dr Michele Toner said.

“In fact, doctors who are very active in the treatment of ADHD found out from their interstate colleagues,” she said.

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia said, to date, the communication from the WA Health Department had been unclear.

“At the moment there is a bit of confusion out there so we would like some real clarification to make this really clear for everyone,” WA branch president Andrew Ngeow said.

“We’ve had several queries from our members around what the changes actually mean so we would have liked the changes to be a lot clearer.”

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The code change allows adults and children living in WA to use interstate telehealth appointments to both diagnosis and prescribe schedule 8 medications like dexamphetamine, lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) and methylphenidate (Ritalin).

Interstate practitioners must have registered with WA’s Health Department. So far more than 40 have.

WA Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson has addressed the communication issue was focusing on the benefits the updated prescribing code will have for patients.

“We’ll certainly work with the department to improve their communications on that,” she said.

“We’ll certainly do everything we can to ensure that the community and the public know that this is available.

“The public health team has been working with the stakeholder network, ADHD WA for example and a lot of the forums people are on, the Facebook forums and the websites that are run to support families.”

O’Sullivan said complications related to his untreated ADHD played a major role in ending his 21-year career in the Navy. He was medically retired in 2023.

The 39-year-old said living with the condition was hard, and being without medication was debilitating.

“It’s a bit like I’m trying to hold absolutely everything that I need to think of and do in active thoughts, and it’s a real jumble, but if I don’t hold on to them then, I’ll forget them, and they don’t exist, and I’ve got that brain fog,” he said.

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O’Sullivan saw value in a public awareness campaign to promote the updated availability of interstate telehealth in diagnosing and treating ADHD.

“This information needs to be put out there in the public space,” he said.

“Neither my psychiatrist or my pharmacist knew it had changed.

“Why do the doctors not know? Why do the patients have no idea?”

9News Perth

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