ADHD prescribing rules in Western Australia

The first prescription must come from an approved specialist. A government funded training program is building a group of GPs who will be able to start medication for patients aged 10 and over.

Western Australia's published rules still put the first prescription with an approved specialist. The change under way is a workforce program rather than a rule change: the state is training a defined number of GPs and authorising them individually.

Who grants approval: WA Department of Health
Governing law: Medicines and Poisons Act 2014
Prescription monitoring: ScriptCheckWA

The rules at a glance

ADHD stimulant prescribing in Western Australia, as published by WA Department of Health
Rule	Position	Detail
Specialists who can start	Yes Approved specialists	The approved specialists for ADHD are neurologists and paediatric neurologists, paediatricians, psychiatrists, and rehabilitation medicine specialists. WA Health states that the initial prescription for an S8 stimulant must be written by the approved specialist.
Can a GP start it	Changing Training program under way	The WA Government committed $1.3 million to train 65 GPs, with all 65 expected to complete the program by August 2026. Once trained they will be authorised to initiate stimulant medications for patients aged 10 and older.
Can a GP continue it	Yes At the specialist's dose and form	Other medical practitioners may continue treatment provided they maintain the dose and form previously prescribed by the approved specialist.
Government approval	Yes Notification, not per patient approval	WA works through approved specialist status and notification rather than a permit for every patient. Prescribers must notify the department when stimulants are ceased for reasons such as induced psychosis, drug dependence, diversion, misuse or oversupply.
Nurse practitioners	Yes Continuation only	Nurse practitioners are named alongside other medical practitioners as able to continue treatment at the dose and form the approved specialist prescribed.
Age rules	Yes Not permitted under 2	WA Health states that treatment of any patient less than 2 years of age with an S8 stimulant medication is not permitted. The GP training pathway is set at age 10 and older.

Scheduled: August 2026. 65 GPs expected to complete the WA ADHD training program, after which they can initiate stimulant medication for patients aged 10 and older.

Approved specialists and the one prescriber rule

WA Health lists the approved specialists who may prescribe S8 stimulants for ADHD as neurologists and paediatric neurologists, paediatricians, psychiatrists, and rehabilitation medicine specialists. The initial prescription must be written by the approved specialist, and other medical practitioners and nurse practitioners may then continue treatment at the dose and form the specialist prescribed.

Western Australia also runs a rule that does not appear in the other jurisdictions in this form: only one S8 stimulant prescriber is permitted at one time for each patient. Prescribers must check ScriptCheckWA before prescribing, which is how that rule is enforced in practice.

The GP training program

In October 2025 the WA Government announced $1.3 million to train 65 GPs to diagnose ADHD and prescribe stimulants, with all 65 expected to complete the program by August 2026. Once trained, participating GPs will be authorised to initiate stimulant medications for patients aged 10 and older.

The first cohort was drawn from GPs working in rural, remote and outer metropolitan communities, in areas of low socio-economic advantage, and from Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. More than 400 GPs expressed interest. The training was developed by the WA branch of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners with the Australasian ADHD Professionals Association, with input from the WA Department of Health.

Because this is a program with a fixed number of places rather than an open authorisation, the practical question in Western Australia is not whether GPs can prescribe but whether a particular GP is one of the 65.

Age limits and safety conditions

Treatment of any patient less than 2 years of age with an S8 stimulant medication is not permitted in Western Australia. Prescribers must also notify the department when they cease stimulants because of induced psychosis, drug dependence, substance abuse, diversion, misuse or oversupply.

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Common questions about prescribing in WA

Can a GP diagnose ADHD in Western Australia?

Not yet, unless the GP is part of the state training program. WA Health's published rules put the initial prescription with an approved specialist. The government is funding 65 GPs to complete training by August 2026, after which those GPs can initiate stimulant medication for patients aged 10 and older.

Why did my WA pharmacy say I can only have one prescriber?

Because Western Australia permits only one S8 stimulant prescriber at a time for each patient. Prescribers check ScriptCheckWA before prescribing, so a second prescriber shows up straight away.

Can my GP keep writing my repeats in WA?

Yes, provided they maintain the dose and form your approved specialist previously prescribed. Changing the dose or the medicine is where it goes back to the specialist.

Sources

WA Department of Health: Stimulant medicines Read 8 September 2026. Source states last updated 21 May 2025.
Government of Western Australia: GP training to help more Western Australians access care for ADHD Read 8 September 2026. Source states last updated 28 October 2025.
WA legislation: Medicines and Poisons Act 2014 Read 8 September 2026.

Compare with other jurisdictions

See all eight jurisdictions side by side, or open one directly.

Looking for assessment cost and wait times rather than prescribing rules? See the Perth pathway page.

ADHD Pathways Australia is an independent, editorially-run information resource. It is not a clinic and does not diagnose, treat or provide medical advice. Content here is general information only, sourced and cited where a figure is stated, and is not a substitute for a formal assessment by a registered psychologist, psychiatrist or paediatrician. Always seek individual advice from a qualified professional about your own situation.