Wednesday, 4 February 2026

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:37): For too long getting treatment for ADHD has depended on three things: time, money and luck. Today accessing ADHD care often means long delays for people waiting for an appointment and out-of-pocket costs that we know stretch families thin. When appointments are booked out for months, sometimes more than a year, many end up waiting. The consequence of this wait is people going without diagnosis and going without being able to access the care and support that they need. And that is a divide between those who can access care ‍– can afford to access care – and those who cannot.

My government is determined to close that gap and to make sure that we are saving Victorians time and money by getting them better access to diagnosis and treatment for ADHD care, which is why we are making that important change to allow GPs to be able to both diagnose and prescribe medication for adults and kids with ADHD. It means quicker treatments. It means less expense. Sometimes it can cost up to $2000 for specialist care. Also it means, particularly for kids, that they get that care and treatment sooner, which means they are settled in school and can go on and be the best little learners.

Today we went one step further by announcing that the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department will be a point of call when adults and kids have run out of medication and have been caught short. They will be able to go to the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department, a free service, be seen by a GP and have their script sent to the local pharmacy. This is about supporting kids. It is about making access to our great healthcare system even easier and fairer for families right across this state.