ADHD Assessment in Brisbane

Queensland

Brisbane sits in the state that has gone furthest on GP involvement in ADHD care. From 1 December 2025, every GP in Queensland, not just specially trained ones, can initiate, modify and continue stimulant medication for adults with ADHD, which changes the practical pathway for adults compared with the rest of the country.

Who can prescribe ADHD medication in Queensland

Since 1 December 2025, Queensland GPs can initiate, modify and continue psychostimulant medication for adults (18 and over) with ADHD, with no extra accreditation required beyond standard GP fellowship, according to the RACGP's reporting on the reform. Paediatricians and psychiatrists remain the initiating prescribers for children and can prescribe at any age. Queensland had already allowed all GPs to initiate stimulants for patients aged 4 to 17 since 2017, so the December 2025 change closes the remaining adult gap.

This does not remove the diagnostic step: a GP still has to work through the full DSM-5 assessment criteria before prescribing, and many Brisbane patients will still see a psychologist or psychiatrist for the formal assessment itself, with the GP managing medication afterwards.

What it costs and how long you wait

No Brisbane-specific cost or wait survey exists publicly, so the national figures are the fairest comparison: total ADHD assessment costs average close to $1,400 across Australia and adults wait just over 10 weeks on average for a first appointment, per 2026 University of Wollongong reporting. Where a GP in Brisbane now initiates medication directly, the cost of that ongoing step is a standard Medicare-rebated GP consultation (item 23, rebated at 100 percent of the $45.05 schedule fee) rather than an additional specialist consultation, which is a genuine local cost saving compared with states where only a psychiatrist or paediatrician can prescribe.

National average total ADHD assessment cost (not Brisbane-specific)

$530–$1,400 typical range, up to $4,000 in some cases

University of Wollongong, 2026 reporting on Australia-wide ADHD assessment costs.

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Common questions about Brisbane

Can any GP in Brisbane prescribe ADHD medication now?

For adults, yes, since 1 December 2025 any Queensland GP can initiate, modify and continue stimulant medication for ADHD without additional accreditation. For children, initiating prescribers remain paediatricians and psychiatrists, with GPs able to continue treatment for patients aged 4 to 17 under the state's existing rules.

Source: RACGP newsGP, on the Queensland reform.

Does a GP-initiated prescription in Queensland still need a formal ADHD assessment first?

Yes. The GP still has to complete a comprehensive clinical assessment against the DSM-5 ADHD criteria before prescribing; the reform changes who can prescribe, not whether an assessment has to happen.

Source: RACGP newsGP, on the Queensland reform.

Sources

See the full national cost and wait-time comparison or browse all guides.