Can GPs Prescribe ADHD Medication in New Zealand? What the New Rules Mean for Adults
- Dr Louise Cowpertwait
- 5 days ago
- 8 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
This article provides general information and is not medical or legal advice. It reflects information we are privvy to as clinicians and advocates working nationally in ADHD care and will be updated as the situation evolves. If you have any updates, please contact us. Last updated 6 January 2026.
If you are an adult in New Zealand who suspects ADHD, or supporting someone who does, you’ve likely encountered long waitlists, high costs, and limited access to care. From 1 February 2026, regulatory changes will allow GPs and Nurse Practitioners to prescribe ADHD medication without a psychiatrist needing to do this first.
Before you book a GP appointment expecting a diagnosis and prescription on the spot, it is important to understand what these changes do and do not mean. There is a lot of incomplete or misleading information circulating, and the reality is more nuanced. This guide brings everything together in one place. What is changing, what you can realistically expect, and answers to the questions we are hearing most often.
In a nutshell
From 1 February 2026, regulations will change so GPs and mental health Nurse Practitioners can apply for a special authority to prescribe ADHD medication to an adult without a psychiatrist initiating this first.
What this helps
These changes are a positive step forward.
Access should improve, as more healthcare providers will be able to prescribe ADHD medication, which may ease pressure on specialist psychiatrists and reduce bottlenecks.
Costs may reduce for some people. While initial ADHD care consults will still require longer appointments than a standard GP visit, options are likely to emerge that are more affordable than psychiatrist-led pathways.
Psychiatrists will be better able to focus on more complex scenarios, such as people with co-existing mental health or physical health challenges, that make ADHD care more complex.
What this does not fix
This does not make ADHD care simple or quick.
ADHD diagnosis and treatment remain specialist work, and not all GPs or Nurse Practitioners will choose to specialise. It is important to ask clinics directly whether they provide the service you want before booking an appointment.
Diagnosis is still time-intensive. The Clinical Principles Framework recently released by the Ministry of Health make it clear that a comprehensive process is expected, including an in-depth clinical interview (at least 1-2 hours), validated rating scales, developmental history, screening for co-occurring conditions, and differential diagnosis by an experienced clinician. This work cannot be done safely in a short appointment, and many GPs are already time-poor. For this reason, even primary care providers who are willing to prescribe may still rely on specialist clinical psychology and psychiatry services for the diagnostic assessment first.
Medication support for adult ADHD may be available in some GP clinics, but people with potential complexities may still be asked (or prefer) to see a psychiatrist.
Medication shortages remain. National shortages of ADHD medications are unrelated to these prescribing changes and may continue to affect access.
Overall, these reforms are helpful, but they are not a complete solution.
What Are the New Rules?
As of 1 February 2026, GPs and mental health Nurse Practitioners will be able to prescribe stimulant medications like methylphenidate (e.g., Ritalin, Concerta), dexamfetamine, and lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) to ADHD adults without requiring a psychiatrist to initiate treatment first [1,2].
This change aims to improve access to adult ADHD care and has been welcomed by advocacy organisations, including ADHD New Zealand, as well as specialist providers like MindMatters Clinic [3].
These clinicians typically work in primary care settings, such as local GP practices or online GP services. Standalone primary care ADHD-focused clinics may also appear over the coming months.
Diagnosis is not a regulated activity in New Zealand, so there are no changes to the rules about diagnosis. While this may be surprising, any registered health professional offering diagnosis should still be practicing in accordance with their scope and professional body standards. It's possible that as GP's and Nurse Practitioners become ADHD specialists, they will start to offer diagnostic assessments.
Why was this change made?
Expanding prescribing authority increases the pool of clinicians who can support treatment and helps relieve pressure on specialist services.
Demand for adult ADHD care has increased significantly as awareness has grown. Many adults are only now recognising lifelong ADHD traits and seeking support.
Until now, diagnosis has been carried out by clinical psychologists or psychiatrists, with medication prescribing requiring psychiatrist involvement. Given New Zealand has a limited number of psychiatrists (755 last time we checked [4], and very few specialising in adult ADHD) this created a major bottleneck.
Do these changes apply to all GPs and Nurse Practitioners?
In principle, yes. In practice, only those with "specialist training" are expected to provide ADHD care.
Both the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists agree that ADHD diagnosis and prescribing require specialist knowledge. This is similar to how some GPs develop special interests in areas such as skin cancer or travel medicine (sometimes referred to as "GPSIs" - General Practitioner with Special Interest).
What training will GPs and Nurse Practitioners have? Do I have any cause for concern?
Currently, there are no clear, agreed-upon, or mandated training pathways for GPs or Nurse Practitioners who want to diagnose or prescribe for adult ADHD.
There are also no plans to monitor if GPs or Nurse Practitioners have completed adequate training or are consistently adhering to the Ministry of Health's Clinical Principles Framework [5].
Professional bodies do not appear fully aligned either: In November 2025, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists released a statement calling for mandatory accredited training and ongoing professional development and stressed the need for only highly trained clinicians to diagnose ADHD [6]. In contrast, the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners ran a brief webinar series where only an hour was dedicated to "advanced diagnostic skills" for ADHD.
Overall, in practice this means service quality is likely to vary. Many GPs and Nurse Practitioners will prescribe only when a specialist assessment has already been completed and are likely to defer to specialist services in more complex situations.
What this means in practical terms is that someone seeking ADHD care should not assume every GP or Nurse Practitioner will be trained or able to provide diagnosis or medication. Expect to ask questions, take time choosing the right pathway, and be cautious of any service suggesting ADHD diagnosis or medication can be done quickly or without a comprehensive process.
Will I be able to see my GP for an ADHD diagnosis?
Possibly, but you should ask first, and consider whether you need a more specialist assessment.
We are aware of some GPs undergoing assessment training with local clinical psychologists or practicing under the supervision of a specialist psychiatrist. However, we expect most GPs to prefer a specialist diagnostic assessment from elsewhere before prescribing.
The diagnostic process is very time-intensive; most primary care settings will be unable to offer this. The recently released Ministry of Health guidelines confirm that a proper diagnostic assessment should be comprehensive, including:
an in-depth clinical interview (at least 1-2 hours)
validated psychometric questionnaires
multiple informants
a full developmental history
screening for co-occurring conditions
all delivered by clinicians experienced in differential diagnosis, including mental health.
This aligns with international best practice standards [7, 8] but requires significant time commitment and specialist skill.
In addition, presentations involving mental or physical health complexity, or other neurodevelopmental differences, are likely to require more specialist input. Autism co-occurs in up to 80% of people who are ADHD [9, 10], and this is not something primary care services can assess for as part of ADHD care.
If I get a specialist assessment by a clinical psychologist, can I skip seeing a psychiatrist and go straight to my GP?
In some cases, yes, if your GP or Nurse Practitioner offers ADHD prescribing and is comfortable managing your care. People with complex mental or physical health histories may still be advised to see a psychiatrist.
Will it be cheaper to see a GP than a psychiatrist?
Probably, but it will not be low-cost. ADHD consultations will usually require longer appointments than standard GP visits.
While GP fees are typically lower than psychiatrist fees, these will still be extended consultations and priced accordingly.
By our estimates GPs charge around 40% to 60% less per hour for non-subsidised services than psychiatrists - around $300 per hour compared to around $500-800.
Psychiatrist-led ADHD care has been financially out of reach for many adults. These changes may improve affordability, but they will not eliminate costs or fully address equity concerns.
Will access improve quickly?
Access is likely to improve, but not overnight. Significant GP workforce shortages remain [11], and primary care services will need time to build training, supervision, and safe ADHD care pathways.
That said, current wait times are unacceptable. Around a third of adults seeking private ADHD care in New Zealand have waited over a year [12]. New Zealanders deserve better, and these changes should expand options and ease pressure on specialist services over time.
We also know wait times are not only about workforce shortages; they're also about efficient service design and creating work environments where clinicians want to work. At MindMatters Clinic, we have shown that with the right systems and support, high-quality ADHD care can be delivered and long waits eliminated, with an average wait time under 3 weeks. There is genuine reason to be cautiously optimistic that access can improve if similar models are adopted more widely.
Will the new rules resolve the ADHD medication shortage?
No.
Medication supply issues are unrelated to prescribing authority changes. The implementation date was delayed to February 2026 partly to allow time for supply stabilisation, but shortages may still persist.
Overall, these changes represent meaningful progress for adult ADHD care in Aotearoa New Zealand. They increase options, improve flexibility, and may reduce pressure on specialist services. However, ADHD diagnosis and treatment remain specialised, time-intensive work. It will still require careful assessment, trained clinicians, and realistic expectations.
Stay informed, ask questions before booking appointments, and be patient as the system adapts. While this is not a quick fix, it is a step in the right direction.
Got questions? Comment below
MindMatters Clinic are a team of New Zealand leading clinical experts supporting organisations across Aotearoa in the areas of wellbeing, mental health, and neurodiversity. MindMatters offers training workshops, speaking events, resources, and consulting services. We also operate a nationwide diagnostic clinic for adult ADHD and autism.
References
1. Pharmac. (2025, June 24). GPs and nurse practitioners able to start ADHD treatment from next year [Press release]. Te Pātaka Whaioranga – Pharmac. https://www.pharmac.govt.nz/news-and-resources/news/gps-and-nurse-practitioners-able-to-start-adhd-treatment-from-next-year
2. Beehive (NZ Government). (2025, June 24). Changes for prescribing ADHD medications [Press release]. Retrieved from https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/changes-prescribing-adhd-medications
4. Medical Council of New Zealand (2025). Register of Doctors.
5. Ministry of Health. (2025). New Zealand Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Clinical Principles Framework. Ministry of Health. https://www.health.govt.nz/publications/new-zealand-clinical-principles-framework-for-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder
7. May, T., Birch, E., Chaves, K., Cranswick, N., Culnane, E., Delaney, J., Derrick, M., Eapen, V., Edlington, C., & Efron, D. (2023). The Australian evidence-based clinical practice guideline for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
8. Skirrow, P. (2025). Practice Standards for the Assessment of ADHD: A Synthesis of Recommendations From Eight International Guidelines. Journal of the New Zealand College of Clinical Psychologists, 35(1). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16743965
9. Rau, S., Skapek, M. F., Tiplady, K., Seese, S., Burns, A., Armour, A. C., & Kenworthy, L. (2020). Identifying comorbid ADHD in autism: Attending to the inattentive presentation.
10. Stevens, T., Peng, L., & Barnard-Brak, L. (2016). The comorbidity of ADHD in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 31, 11–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2016.07.003
12. Bull, D. (2022). Background: Our attention deficit to ADHD. Briefing document to national ADHD hui. ADHD NZ