ADHD assessment in Queensland.

Queensland changed its rules on 1 December 2025. A specialist GP (one with FRACGP or FACRRM fellowship) can now diagnose ADHD in an adult and start, adjust and continue stimulant medication without a psychiatrist signing off first. Queensland GPs have been able to prescribe for children since 2017. A GP in another state works under that state’s rules, so ask the practice what applies to you.

Nine GPs at Nurtured Thoughts Psychology in Brisbane assess and treat adults, in person or by telehealth. GP fees depend on the practice: $498 across two consultations with the Sydney GPs, with no Medicare rebate, or $1,950 all-inclusive at Nurtured Thoughts in Brisbane, with about $200 back from Medicare. ADHDme takes no commission.

A psychologist can assess and diagnose ADHD and treat it with therapy, but cannot prescribe. In Brisbane, Lachlan Avent and Meera Lakhani at GOALS Psychology do ADHD and autism assessments, in person in Fortitude Valley or by telehealth. A GP or psychiatrist often works from a psychologist’s assessment report. On the Gold Coast, the clinical psychologists at Atlantis Recovery Centre in Bundall start each client with a full assessment, and the practice says its approach suits ADHD. In Benowa, clinical psychologist Chantelle Pin at Therapy Co is taking on assessments.

Each psychologist sets their own fee, shown on their profile. With a Mental Health Treatment Plan from a GP, Medicare pays part of the fee for up to 10 sessions a year. At current rates the rebate is $101.55 a session for a registered psychologist and $149.05 for a clinical psychologist.

You need a GP referral to see a psychiatrist. In Queensland the wait for a first appointment is commonly months, and the fee is commonly several hundred dollars above the Medicare rebate. In the network, Dr Jae Cho and Dr Rajitha De Silva see people in Brisbane and by telehealth. The 2025 reform was introduced because, for many adults, the psychiatrist step added waiting time without adding much to what a well-trained GP could assess.

A psychiatrist is still the right choice when the picture is complicated: another serious mental illness, a history that makes stimulants risky, or a child younger than a GP is allowed to treat.

• A history going back to childhood. ADHD is a developmental condition, so the signs need to have been there early, even if nobody named them.
• Rating scales, filled in by you and, where possible, by someone who knew you as a child or knows you now.
• A check for other causes, including sleep, mood, anxiety, thyroid, substance use and your general health.
• A baseline before any medication: heart rate, blood pressure, weight, and questions about whether a stimulant is safe for you.
• A written plan with a review date. The Australian guideline asks for reviews at set intervals.

The Brisbane clinicians and the network GPs also work by phone or telehealth, so you can start today from Cairns, Townsville, Toowoomba or the Sunshine Coast. Parts of the assessment that need a room, such as a physical baseline before medication, can often be done by your local GP using the assessing clinician’s letter. Ask the practice how they handle this.

For more on telehealth, see ADHD assessment online.