Too little too late. After a delay of more than 12 months, the Government has responded to the Senate Report on assessment and support services for people with ADHD and formally recognises the contributions of more than 700 people.

But the desperation of those who have missed out – and continue to miss out - on appropriate diagnosis and treatment for ADHD has been largely glossed over. There are stories repeated again and again about years spent struggling, feelings of inadequacy and failure, and the grief and regret about missed opportunities when ADHD was finally treated. How their story might have been different if they had understood about ADHD and received appropriate treatment while growing up.  

The report keeps listing investments that have been made into mental health services. But most of these investments are irrelevant, as ADHD is usually excluded by the public mental health services.   

What we would like to see is investment into programs that are already making a difference locally. One example is for ADHD to be managed by upskilled GPs. But for this to work GPs would need a higher Medicare payment. The legislation that ties them up with unnecessary form-filling and mandates specialist involvement should be scrapped.

Lapses in concentration reduce efficiency. A person with ADHD may work with short bursts of concentration alternating with periods of inattention. When these bursts of concentration are added up, they may amount to considerably less than half of a person’s working day. For some people their concentration span is so short that they are unable even to keep a job. Such people could certainly not afford specialist fees for treatment. Given that ADHD affects 2-4% of the adult population and that most are untreated, giving them access to therapy that increases their efficiency and their ability to contribute to society is an absolute economic no-brainer.

The government's response to the Senate Enquiry into ADHD is so disappointing and disheartening. As a person with ADHD, it feels like our needs and experiences have been dismissed and invalidated - yet again. This is despite ADHD affecting around 5-6% of the population and the long-term physical and mental health issues that arise when people with the condition do not receive adequate diagnosis, treatment and support.  Surely, it's time to prevent the next generation of children with ADHD from experiencing the same poor outcomes, reduced quality of life and life expectancy.