To get an ADHD diagnosis in Australia, you usually start by talking to your GP about your concerns and getting a referral into an assessment. A registered psychologist leads an in-depth evaluation, and a medical doctor, typically a psychiatrist, confirms the diagnosis where the criteria are met. Treatment is then planned in shared care with your GP.
ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a recognised neurodevelopmental condition, and getting assessed as an adult or for a child is a well-established process. This guide walks you through each step, from first noticing something to living with a diagnosis, including who can legally diagnose, how telehealth fits in, what it can cost, and the important reality that not everyone who is assessed will meet the criteria.
Step 1: Recognising the concerns that lead people to seek an assessment
The first step is noticing a pattern of difficulties that has been present over time and across different parts of your life, such as work, study, home and relationships. ADHD is not about an occasional off day. It is about persistent, longstanding patterns that affect how you function.
You do not need to be certain you have ADHD to seek help. Many people come to an assessment simply because something has not felt right for a long time. A good assessment is designed to explore your experience carefully and rule other explanations in or out.
- Difficulty sustaining attention, following through, or finishing tasks despite trying hard.
- Disorganisation, frequently losing things, or chronic lateness and missed deadlines.
- Restlessness, feeling driven, difficulty relaxing, or acting before thinking things through.
- Patterns that have been present since childhood, even if they have only recently become overwhelming.
- Emotional impacts such as frustration, low confidence, or feeling like you are underperforming relative to your effort.
Step 2: Talking to your GP and getting a referral
Your GP is usually the right place to begin. They can listen to your concerns, check for other physical or mental health issues that might explain your symptoms, and provide a referral into an ADHD assessment. The RACGP recognises GPs as central to identifying ADHD concerns and coordinating ongoing care.
A referral matters for two reasons. It helps the assessing clinicians understand your history, and in some situations it is necessary for Medicare rebates to apply. Bring examples of how your difficulties show up day to day, and any relevant history from school or earlier life, as this context is genuinely helpful.
- Ask your GP directly about being assessed for ADHD and whether a referral is appropriate for you.
- Be honest about how long the difficulties have been present and how they affect your daily life.
- Mention any family history, as ADHD often runs in families.
- Ask whether any Medicare rebates might apply to your situation, while understanding they are never guaranteed.
Step 3: The psychologist-led assessment
At Seen ADHD, the in-depth assessment is led by a registered psychologist. This is the core of a careful ADHD evaluation. The psychologist takes a detailed history, explores how your difficulties appear across different settings, considers your development from childhood onwards, and uses validated questionnaires and structured clinical interviewing.
This stage is thorough by design. The Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for ADHD, developed by AADPA, emphasises comprehensive assessment that considers other conditions which can look like ADHD, such as anxiety, sleep problems, or the effects of significant stress. A good assessment takes the time it needs to get the answer right.
- A structured clinical interview about your current difficulties and your history.
- Validated rating scales and questionnaires, sometimes including input from someone who knows you well.
- Consideration of other explanations, because several conditions can mimic or overlap with ADHD.
- A focus on real-world impact across work, study, home and relationships, not just a symptom checklist.
Step 4: Psychiatrist diagnosis and confirmation where criteria are met
In Australia, a formal ADHD diagnosis is confirmed by a medical doctor. For adults this is typically a psychiatrist, and for children it is often a paediatrician or psychiatrist. The psychiatrist reviews the psychologist's detailed assessment, applies the diagnostic criteria, and makes the clinical decision about whether ADHD is present.
It is important to be clear: not everyone who is assessed will meet the criteria for ADHD. Sometimes the assessment points to a different explanation, and sometimes the honest answer is that the threshold is not met. That is a valid and genuinely useful outcome, because it directs you towards the support that will actually help. Seen ADHD brings psychologists and psychiatrists together so that the in-depth assessment and the medical diagnosis work as one process.
Step 5: Treatment, ongoing review and shared care with your GP
If ADHD is diagnosed, the next step is a treatment plan. Treatment in ADHD is multidisciplinary and tailored to you. It can include psychoeducation, practical strategies, support for work or study, and, where clinically appropriate, medication. Any decision about medication is made by a psychiatrist after a proper assessment, with prescribing regulated in Australia and usually managed over time in shared care with your GP.
Ongoing care matters. ADHD is generally managed over the long term, and reviews help check that your plan is working and adjust it as your life changes. Shared care means your psychiatrist, your GP and you work together, which keeps your care coordinated and accessible.
- A personalised plan that may combine education, strategies, and support beyond medication.
- Medication considered only as a clinical decision by a psychiatrist, where clinically appropriate.
- Regular reviews to monitor how things are going and make adjustments.
- Shared care with your GP so your treatment stays coordinated and sustainable.
Who can legally diagnose ADHD in Australia, and how does telehealth fit in?
A formal ADHD diagnosis in Australia is made by an appropriately qualified medical practitioner, usually a psychiatrist for adults, or a paediatrician or psychiatrist for children. Registered psychologists carry out the in-depth assessment and provide essential clinical information, but the diagnosis itself, and any prescribing, sits with the medical doctor.
Telehealth has changed access significantly. A full ADHD assessment can now be delivered by secure video, from home, anywhere in Australia. This is the same careful, multidisciplinary process, just delivered online. It removes travel and geography as barriers, which matters a great deal for people in regional and rural areas or with busy lives.
On cost, Seen ADHD's pricing is transparent: an Initial Telehealth Assessment from $149, the core Seen ADHD Pathway at $995 (a two-hour psychologist-led assessment with psychiatrist input where appropriate), and Treatment and Review ongoing care from $1,495. Medicare rebates may apply in some situations depending on your referrals and circumstances, but they are situational and never guaranteed. For exact rebate details, speak with your GP and check with Services Australia.
This article is general information only and is not personal medical advice or a diagnosis. If you're in crisis or unsafe right now, call 000, or Lifeline on 13 11 14.