Health · Healthcare & Policy · 15 hrs ago
Victorian ADHD clinic directory lists wrong services after program launch
Victoria has expanded who can provide ADHD care, allowing about 150 trained GPs to diagnose and treat the condition.
Previously, only specialists such as paediatricians and psychiatrists could provide this care, contributing to high costs and waits of up to a year.
A new government directory was meant to help people find the participating clinics, but it listed services that were not part of the program and left out some that were.
Non-participating services received calls from people seeking appointments, adding pressure for callers and clinic staff.
The government said some clinics had asked for changes; 14 services were removed and five added after the errors were raised.
The government has asked the RACGP to help keep listings accurate and ensure doctors tell their clinics whether they are taking part.
A Victorian government website listing clinics for a new ADHD care program directed patients to services that were not participating.
The directory went live on October 26 and included at least 15 services that were not accepting patients through the program.
Some participating clinics were missing from the list, while non-participating services received calls from people seeking appointments.
The government said clinics had requested changes to their listings and denied bungling the rollout.
- Who
- The Victorian government launched the program, and patients seeking ADHD care were affected by the directory errors.
- What
- A directory for the new ADHD care program listed services that were not participating and omitted some participating clinics.
- When
- The directory went live on October 26, 2026. The article was published on November 8, 2026.
- Where
- Victoria, Australia.
- Why
- The government said some clinics had requested changes to their listings. The article does not state why the initial errors occurred.
Victorian government
Mental Health Victoria and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Victorian Branch
Rollout
Victorian government
The government denied bungling the rollout and said a small number of clinics requested listing changes.
Mental Health Victoria and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Victorian Branch
Mental Health Victoria called the start disappointing and said major policy changes should not be rushed.
Directory accuracy
Victorian government
The government said the requested changes had been updated.
Mental Health Victoria and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Victorian Branch
The psychiatrists’ Victorian branch urged the government to keep information up to date quickly.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners oversaw training for GPs involved in the program.
The Department of Health website listing clinics for the program went live.
Premier Ben Carroll celebrated changes allowing 150 newly trained GPs to diagnose, treat and prescribe stimulants for ADHD.
Fourteen services were removed from the directory and five others were added.
The Living Room was removed from the directory, after having closed the previous month.
- Newly trained GPs
- 150
- Directory launch
- October 26, 2026
- Services incorrectly listed
- At least 15
- Directory changes
- 14 services removed; five added
- Estimated Victorians living with ADHD
- 163,000 children and 320,000 adults
What people are saying
It’s a disappointing start and a reminder that it’s not in anyone’s interest for significant policy changes like these to be rushed.
We urge the Victorian government to make sure the information is up-to-date as quickly as possible, so this important reform can be delivered as intended, particularly in communities where people already face significant barriers to accessing ADHD and mental health care
A small number of clinics requested changes to their public listings, which have been updated