This morning ADHD WA Management Board Chair Dr. Michele Toner, and ADHD WA Professional Advisory Body Chair Dr. Roger Paterson met with Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health, the Hon. Simon Millman MLA.
After two months of advocating by ADHD Western Australia and our community of members and supporters, including our letter writing campaign to the WA Health minister and local MPs, and an article in the West Australian, this meeting was secured to discuss the desperate shortage of qualified specialists to diagnose and treat ADHD in WA.
Many adults, children and families who seek ADHD diagnosis and treatment are prevented from doing so by long waitlists and closed books, as well as high financial barriers to access when appointments do become available. When ADHD goes untreated, it can result in mental health problems, underperformance in work/studies, and difficulty in relationships.
Dr. Toner remarks that it was a “very productive meeting with Mr. Millman and Senior Health Advisors”. This is a fantastic step forward in addressing this urgent issue. ADHD WA would like thank everyone in the ADHD WA community who wrote, emailed and called the WA Health Minister and their local members to encourage action. Please keep an eye out through our emails, website and social media for further updates on this matter.
