ADHD medication: what a psychiatrist can and cannot do

Summary

• Stimulant ADHD medications are Schedule 8 controlled drugs, and prescribing them requires authorisation from the health department in your state or territory.
• A psychiatrist can assess you, and where clinically appropriate, start medication and set out a plan.
• Your GP can only continue that medication if they hold the relevant authorisation, which not all GPs do.
• No assessment guarantees medication. Whether it is suitable is a clinical decision.

Why the rules are stricter than for other medicines

Most ADHD stimulants sit in Schedule 8 of the Poisons Standard, alongside other controlled medicines. That classification is why you cannot simply be prescribed them at a standard appointment, why the paperwork is heavier, and why the rules differ depending on where you live. Each state and territory runs its own authorisation scheme.

In NSW, for example, the Ministry of Health publishes the requirements for practitioners who wish to manage and prescribe for ADHD. Other states and territories run comparable schemes with their own conditions.

What a psychiatrist can do

A Partner Psychiatrist can assess you for ADHD, form a diagnosis where the criteria are met, and where they consider it clinically appropriate, initiate medication and document a management plan. They can also review how you are going, adjust the approach, and set out what ongoing care should look like.

What a psychiatrist cannot do

They cannot promise a diagnosis or a prescription before assessing you. They cannot prescribe outside the authorisation rules that apply in your state. And they cannot make your GP able to continue your medication if your GP does not hold the necessary authorisation.

That last point catches people out. A management plan is an invitation to your GP to take part in your ongoing care, not an instruction they are able to act on regardless. It is worth asking your GP directly, before your assessment, whether they are able to prescribe ADHD medication. We cover this in what a psychiatrist's management plan means for your GP.

If medication is not the right fit

Medication is one option, not the only one. Some people are better served by therapy, workplace or study adjustments, or treating something else that is contributing. Your psychiatrist will talk through what they think fits.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get ADHD medication at my first appointment?

No. An assessment comes first, and it typically runs across more than one appointment. See what actually happens in an adult ADHD assessment.

Can my GP take over prescribing afterwards?

Only if they hold the authorisation required in your state or territory. Ask them before you assume it.

Is any of this covered by Medicare?

Rebates may apply where you are eligible and correctly referred. See ADHD assessment cost and Medicare rebates.

Important: This is general information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice, and it is not a recommendation for any particular medicine. Prescribing decisions are made by a registered practitioner after assessment. If you are in crisis, call Lifeline 13 11 14, or 000 in an emergency.