00:02It's been called the country's ADHD capital before.
00:06The number of patients on medication for ADHD in WA is six times higher than the national average.
00:13Two decades later, a similar story.
00:16National PBS data showing seven out of ten areas with the highest rates of filled ADHD medication scripts are here
00:23in WA.
00:24I think there's definitely more knowledge about ADHD here.
00:28While some say the data reflects higher awareness of the condition, others argue it's more complicated.
00:35Your mental health system has to be functioning and we can say that system in Western Australia has not been
00:42working for some time now.
00:44WA has one of the lowest numbers of psychiatrists per capita and the difficulty in getting an in-person appointment,
00:51particularly in rural areas, is driving some to seek an online diagnosis.
00:55Some Perth doctors and psychiatrists shared their experience with me anonymously.
01:02One said eight out of ten of his patients came in specifically seeking an ADHD diagnosis,
01:08while others were concerned about the quality of care and assessments offered online.
01:14People that have set up entire businesses that just do telehealth psychiatry, do an ADHD prescription,
01:21and I have had patients come to me and say that their online appointment lasted for 20 minutes only.
01:27That is not long enough to be safe.
01:29But some telehealth providers insist their service is thorough and much needed.
01:34There are almost no availability of any public system to support ADHD assessment, diagnosis or management.
01:43Experts want more diligent monitoring.
01:45Any doctor that diagnoses and prescribes to thousands of patients a year isn't spending adequate time with that patient.
01:53And the second step to that is just because you have ADHD diagnosis does not mean that you have to
01:59have only stimulant prescriptions.
02:01Annual reporting on stimulant prescribing in WA ceased after 2020.
02:07But the state government says the health department is monitoring it closely.
Comments