All Medicare-eligible consultations are bulk billed for patients with a valid Medicare card. Some items, including privately purchased vaccines and consumables, attract a fee.
Assessment goes far better when you arrive prepared, and most people don't know what preparation actually helps. Tap each one.
Four things worth doing first
For a diagnosis, difficulties need to have been present since childhood. School reports, old report cards, even a parent's recollection of what you were like at eight — all of it counts as evidence. This is the single most useful thing you can bring, and most people arrive without it.
“I've brought my old school reports.”There is a lot of ground to cover: childhood, school, work, sleep, mood, relationships, and what changed to bring you in now. Ask for a long appointment when you book — and expect that assessment will take more than one visit.
“I'd like a long appointment about ADHD assessment.”Several common conditions produce inattention and restlessness, and some are much easier to treat. Checking them isn't your GP stalling — it's a real part of the assessment, and it sometimes turns out to be the whole answer.
“What else could be causing this?”Which parts of assessment, diagnosis and prescribing a GP can offer depends on specific training that's still being rolled out across the state. Reception can tell you what applies here before you book, so you're not making a wasted trip.
“What parts of the ADHD pathway can you do here?”ADHD doesn't present the same way at six, sixteen and sixty. Tap through to see what tends to show up when, and what assessment focuses on.
Open any topic for the short version first, with the detail underneath it.
The basics
The short version ADHD is a difference in how the brain regulates attention, activity and impulse — not a lack of intelligence, effort or discipline. People with ADHD often focus intensely on things that interest them, which is why “but you can concentrate on that” is such a common and unhelpful objection.
It's usually described in three presentations: mainly inattentive, mainly hyperactive-impulsive, or combined. The inattentive presentation is quieter, less disruptive and far more often missed, particularly in girls and women.
For a diagnosis, difficulties need to be long-standing, present in more than one setting such as home and school or work, and genuinely getting in the way. Everyone is distractible sometimes; that isn't the same thing.
The pathway
Worth knowing The rules in NSW have changed recently and are still rolling out. Since September 2025, GPs with specific training have been able to continue prescribing ADHD medication first started by a psychiatrist. From March 2026, a selected group of GPs with further training can assess, diagnose and start medication themselves.
What that means in practice is that the pathway is opening up, but it depends on which parts a particular practice is able to offer. Ask us directly what we can provide for you — reception can tell you before you book so you're not making a wasted trip.
Whatever the pathway, the first step is the same: a long appointment with your GP to talk through what's been happening, rule out the things that mimic ADHD, and work out what assessment you actually need.
Children
What to bring School reports going back as far as you have them, any teacher comments, and a note of what you've noticed at home. The more real-world evidence, the better the assessment — memory alone is a poor witness.
Assessment is a process rather than a single test. It involves a detailed history from you and your child, standardised questionnaires completed by both home and school, a physical examination, and checking hearing, vision and sleep.
Nothing about that is a formality. Undiagnosed hearing loss, poor sleep, iron deficiency, anxiety and specific learning difficulties can all produce difficulties that look very much like ADHD, and several are far easier to treat.
Adults
What's involved A long appointment, a detailed life history, standardised questionnaires, and ideally some evidence from childhood — old school reports, or a parent or sibling who can describe what you were like at eight.
Many adults arrive having already read a great deal and fairly certain of the answer. That's fine and often accurate, but the assessment still has to be done properly, partly because the things that mimic ADHD in adults — poor sleep, anxiety, depression, thyroid problems, alcohol — are common and treatable.
If you're considering medication, blood pressure and heart health are checked first. That isn't a hurdle; stimulant medications affect both, and it's the responsible order to do things in.
Ruling things out
Why this matters Several common, treatable things produce inattention, restlessness and poor concentration. Checking them isn't bureaucracy standing between you and an answer — it is the answer, or part of it, surprisingly often.
Sleep is the biggest one. Obstructive sleep apnoea, chronic insomnia and simply not getting enough sleep all impair attention substantially, and in children poor sleep frequently presents as hyperactivity rather than tiredness.
Iron deficiency, thyroid problems, hearing loss, uncorrected vision, anxiety, depression, trauma and specific learning difficulties round out the list. A good assessment considers all of them.
Medication
Straight answer Medication helps a lot of people with ADHD considerably. It isn't compulsory, it isn't a personality transplant, and it works best alongside practical strategies rather than instead of them.
Stimulant medications are tightly regulated in New South Wales and can only be prescribed by practitioners with the appropriate authority. Non-stimulant options exist and are sometimes more suitable, particularly where there's anxiety, a heart condition or a history of substance use.
Starting medication involves finding the right dose gradually, with reviews along the way, and monitoring blood pressure, heart rate, appetite, sleep and — in children — growth. Anyone promising a quick prescription without that is not doing it properly.
Beyond medication
Worth knowing Medication can make it easier to use strategies. It doesn't supply the strategies. For a lot of people the practical scaffolding matters as much as the prescription, and for some it's enough on its own.
Psychology can help with organisation, emotional regulation and the self-critical thinking that tends to build up over years of being told you're not trying. A Mental Health Treatment Plan makes those sessions considerably more affordable, and there's a psychologist on site.
Sleep, exercise, structure and externalising memory — lists, alarms, calendars, one place for the keys — are unglamorous and genuinely effective.
School & work
What this gets you A diagnosis isn't just a name. It opens the door to concrete adjustments — extra time in exams, a quieter room, written instructions, flexible deadlines — that make a real difference to what you can actually do.
Schools, universities and employers generally need documentation, and your GP can provide the letters and reports required. Tell us what the institution has asked for and we'll write to that.
Workplace adjustments are often simpler than people expect: noise-cancelling headphones, written summaries after meetings, deadline reminders, a door that closes. You're not obliged to disclose a diagnosis to an employer, and that's worth thinking through before you do.
Co-occurring
Worth knowing Most people assessed for ADHD have something else going on as well. That isn't a complication or bad luck — it's the norm, and treating only one piece usually disappoints.
Anxiety and depression are the most common companions, and it can be genuinely hard to tell which came first. Specific learning difficulties, autism, tics, sleep disorders and substance use also frequently co-occur.
This is exactly why a broad assessment beats a quick checklist: getting the whole picture is what makes the plan work.
Ongoing care
What ongoing care looks like Regular reviews to check the treatment is still right, monitoring of blood pressure, sleep, appetite and growth, and adjustments as school, work or life changes. It's a long-term relationship, not a one-off transaction.
Having a regular GP who knows your history makes a substantial difference here, particularly around medication continuity and the paperwork that tends to come up at the least convenient moment.
If you're moving to the area with an existing diagnosis, bring your specialist letters and current prescriptions and we'll work out the best way to continue your care.
New South Wales has been progressively allowing GPs a larger role in ADHD care. It's worth understanding where things stand, because it affects who you see and how long you wait. Tap a card.
The first stage lets trained GPs take over prescribing that a psychiatrist originally started.
The second stage lets a selected group of GPs with further training assess, diagnose and start medication.
Reflects NSW Health's staged ADHD prescribing reforms. Arrangements are still being rolled out and vary between practices and between states — please confirm with reception what applies to you before booking.
No single test exists for ADHD. It's a structured process of building a picture from several directions — here's what that looks like.
Gather school reports, any teacher comments, and a note of what you've noticed and when. Old evidence is worth more than a good memory, and this is the single most useful thing you can do.
Flip backNot a quick consult. Your GP takes a full history — childhood, school, work, relationships, sleep, mood — and asks what made you come in now.
Flip backStandardised forms completed by you and, where relevant, a parent, partner or teacher. ADHD has to show up in more than one setting, so more than one perspective is needed.
Flip backBlood pressure, heart rate, height and weight, and blood tests where indicated. This matters both for the diagnosis and for whether medication is safe.
Flip backSleep, hearing, vision, iron, thyroid, anxiety, mood, learning difficulties. Not a delaying tactic — a genuine part of the assessment.
Flip backYour GP explains what the picture shows, including if it doesn't point to ADHD. A clear no is a useful result too, especially when it comes with what the answer actually is.
Flip backWhat treatment is available, what it involves, what it costs and what happens next. You decide what to take up and at what pace.
Flip backWhatever you start, it gets checked. Doses get adjusted, strategies get revisited, and the plan changes as school, work and life change.
Flip backThis is a memory aid for your appointment, not a test and not a diagnosis — plenty of these apply to people without ADHD. Tap whatever rings true and print the list to bring with you.
Assessment appointments are available across our team. Which parts of the NSW pathway an individual GP can provide depends on their specific training — reception can tell you before you book.
Our GPs hold general registration with AHPRA. Areas listed are special interests within general practice rather than recognised specialist registration. Where a paediatrician or psychiatrist is the right route, your GP will refer you and can advise on likely waiting times.
Pick your situation and what you're coming in for. We'll show you what to expect before you book.
What are you coming in for?
Figures shown are what you pay at the clinic for the appointment itself. Medicines, devices, imaging and specialist fees are set elsewhere. Reception will always confirm the cost with you before anything goes ahead.
The rules changed recently. Since September 2025, GPs with specific NSW training have been able to continue prescribing ADHD medication first started by a psychiatrist. From March 2026, a selected group of GPs with further training can assess, diagnose and initiate medication themselves. Training places are limited and are being rolled out progressively, so please ask reception what we can currently provide before you book.
Assessment appointments with your GP are bulk billed for patients with a valid Medicare card, and assessment usually takes more than one appointment. If you're referred to a paediatrician or psychiatrist, they set their own fees — private ADHD assessments can be expensive, so ask their rooms for the figure before booking.
Expect more than one appointment. The first is a long consultation taking a full history, followed by questionnaires, blood tests where indicated, and a review appointment to put it together. If a specialist referral is needed, waiting times vary considerably — we'll be straight with you about that.
School reports going back as far as you have them, any teacher comments, a list of what you've noticed and when it started, and any previous assessments or reports. For adults, evidence from childhood matters, so a parent or sibling's recollection is genuinely useful.
Because iron deficiency, thyroid problems, sleep apnoea and chronic poor sleep all impair attention, and all are treatable. In children, poor sleep frequently looks like hyperactivity rather than tiredness. Ruling these out is part of the assessment, not a delay before it.
Adults absolutely can be assessed. Many people reach their thirties, forties or later before asking the question, often after their own child is assessed. The process is the same in principle, though it relies more on establishing that difficulties were present in childhood.
No. Medication is one option and it helps many people considerably, but it isn't compulsory and it isn't the only thing that works. Psychology, practical strategies, sleep, structure and workplace or school adjustments all matter, and for some people they're enough.
From around 14, a young person able to make their own decisions about their care can be seen alone, and what they say is confidential in almost every situation. For an assessment, information from parents and school is genuinely important, so it usually works best as a combination.
Bring your specialist letters and current prescriptions and we'll work out the best way to continue. Whether a GP here can take over prescribing depends on their NSW training, so please ask reception before you transfer your care.
Yes. Tell reception what the school, university or employer has asked for. A letter written during a consultation is generally covered; a detailed report prepared outside an appointment may attract a fee, and you'll be told before anything is written.
Whether it turns out to be ADHD or something else entirely, you'll leave knowing more than you came in with.
Assessment starts with a long GP appointment, with school reports and history from people who know you, and other conditions are checked along the way. Your GP explains the next steps in the NSW pathway.
You will find us at Shop 5, 2 Town Centre Circuit, Salamander Bay, inside the shopping centre, a few minutes from Nelson Bay, Corlette and Soldiers Point and an easy drive from Anna Bay, Medowie and Lemon Tree Passage.
Book online with HotDoc at any hour, or call (02) 4008 4400.
