STUDY REVEALS SOCIOECONOMIC BARRIERS TO CHILDREN’S HEALTHCARE ACCESS. NSW, WA and SA commence reforms allowing GPs to diagnosis and treat ADHD
With
Dr Anita Muñoz, General Practitioner &
Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) Victoria Chair
AUSTRALIAN HEALTH JOURNAL SEGMENT
Filmed in Melbourne | August 2025
Research published in the Australian Journal of General Practice (AJGP) has revealed mental health and developmental–behavioural issues such as ADHD are the most common paediatric referrals in metropolitan general practices.
But the research also revealed children at higher risk are less likely to get the care they may need.
The study of 49,932 consultations at 22 GP clinics in Victoria and New South Wales found private billing specialist GPs were around 1.7 times more likely to refer than bulk billing GPs in the sample – and most referrals were to private billing paediatric specialists.
Corresponding author, consultant paediatrician, and University of Melbourne Professor Harriet Hiscock said the study showed a clear difference in children’s access to appropriate care depending on their socioeconomic status.
She said the study showed the need for greater investment in primary care and public paediatric mental health services, as well as for integrated care between GPs and paediatricians.
“Children from lower socioeconomic areas are more likely to have mental health and developmental–behavioural problems than those from wealthier areas,” Professor Hiscock said.
“However, these children were more likely to attend bulk billing practices and received fewer referrals for specialist care.
“We need more investment in public specialist paediatric services and paediatric mental health services.
“We also need more investment in paediatric primary care, including properly funding longer GP-patient consults, funding co-consults between GPs and paediatric specialists, and empowering GPs to diagnose and treat developmental concerns such as ADHD, especially in lower socioeconomic areas.”
The governments of New South Wales, Western Australia and South Australia, have announced they will allow GPs to work to their full scope of practice to diagnose and treat ADHD. Children in Queensland have been able to access ADHD diagnosis and support for eight years.
GPs in Victoria, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory have also called for GPs to be able to diagnose ADHD to improve access to treatment. In Victoria, a shared care ADHD pilot is underway with GPs and paediatricians.
Australian Health Journal spoke with Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) Victoria Chair Dr Anita Muñoz about the study and the reform underway.
Source: Adapted from RACGP Media Release
-
Addressing Pharmacy challenges at home and abroad
Paul Sinclair’s progression through the ranks of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) demonstrates the impact and influence he’s had in representing the pharmacy profession on a global scale. In this Australian Health Journal interview, Paul talks about the 4 themes in the upcoming FIP Congress in Brisbane this month. He also talks about the challenges facing pharmacy with remuneration, professional service delivery and the workforce coming out of the COVID era.
-
Sense of service and pride in uniform
This ANZAC Day 2023, Australian Health Journal releases an interview with Group Captain Kath Stein MACN, Director of Defence Force Nursing with the Royal Australian Air Force.
She talks about many masks, aside from PPE, that leadership and all nurses need to wear. Currently there is work underway on a new capability description on what a nurse brings to every level in the nursing defence structure. The advice Group Captain Stein, imparts for new recruits and those interested in joining Defence Force Nursing is to take every opportunity that arises. This is evident in her progression through her career.
-
Understanding extracellular vesicles in cancer therapy research
Joy Wolfram is an Associate Professor at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Queensland in Australia. Originally from Finland, she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology before transitioning to engineering with a PhD in nanotechnology completed in China. Wolfram has over a decade of experience working in hospitals in the United States before joining the University of Queensland.
Her research focuses on extracellular vesicles, which are crucial for cell communication both locally within tissues and over longer distances between organs. Her lab studies the roles of these vesicles in both health and disease, particularly in cancer. They investigate the harmful messages released by cancer cells that aid in tumour growth, specifically in breast cancer, while also exploring how to harness beneficial extracellular vesicles from healthy individuals as potential therapeutics.
