A new Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) clinic in Newcastle is set to take the pressure off pediatric wait lists.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park was in town to announce the new service yesterday that will set up shop at Wallsend. It will have a multidisciplinary team of paediatricians, as well as a psychologist, clinical nurse consultant, pharmacist, Aboriginal health worker, shared care coordinator and administration staff have transformed the clinical space into a warm and inviting home-like environment.
The clinic will support the 1 in 20 children aged between 6 and 12 who are affected by the disorder.
It will run as a pilot program for two years at Wallsend.
“What is great about this new service is it will take pressure off the general paediatric waitlist and ensure children receive specialised care which can be fed back to the patient’s family doctor,” Health Minister Ryan Park said.
“ADHD diagnosis is challenging for young people and its also challenging for the family. By its very nature it can be difficult to try and access support.
“This clinic builds on the successful ADHD shared-care model, which ensures ongoing management between a paediatrician and the patient’s regular GP.
“Patients will be able to see their regular GP for monitoring and prescriptions rather than travel to a hospital’s outpatient service every six months, which as we know can be a significant barrier for our rural patients.”
Hunter New England Local Health District Executive Director for Children, Young People and Families, Dr Paul Craven said while the clinic is physically located in Newcastle, the service is available to support regional and rural patients virtually who are already seeing a public paediatrician.
“It allows patients to stay closer to home for their follow-up care, which is particularly important for our regional and rural patients and will allow families to continue building strong relationships with their existing GPs.
“As the service grows, we’ll also look to provide outreach clinics to areas where there is the greatest need and will continue to leverage our growing telehealth and virtual care offerings when appropriate.”
Eligible patients who have been referred to the District’s existing general paediatric waitlist will be accepted and contacted by the clinic to book in an appointment. The clinic does not currently accept direct referrals.