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The Health Department is considering closing the waiting list for ADHD assessments which has become so long that there is “no point” adding more people to it, according to the Mental Health Director.
With over 700 patients awaiting assessment, Health is also exploring the possibility of prioritising assessments based on the severity and impact of symptoms.
Mental Health Director Andy Weir told the Health and Social Security Panel that closing the ADHD assessment waitlist was being considered due to its excessive length – but added that no decision had been reached yet.
During the Scrutiny Panel meeting, he explained: "Waiting lists have just got to the point where there is no point putting more people on them, frankly."
Mr Weir also suggested that individuals should seek available support services as "not everything rests on a medical diagnosis and prescribing of medicines".
In a statement last week, he explained: "Discussions have been held on consideration being given to prioritising assessments based on significance of symptoms and the effect on individuals.
"This is not just a Jersey position – in the UK, some services, both NHS and private, are now closing to new referrals or only accepting emergency referrals.
"The issues facing the ADHD service are well documented, particularly in relation to increased demand and the difficulty recruiting staff, consistent with international pressures."
Mr Weir added: "Jersey's one Specialist ADHD Consultant Psychiatrist has a current prescribing caseload of 220 patients. Any increase in prescribing demand reduces assessment capacity.
"The possibility of joint prescribing of ADHD medication with GPs remains under consideration."
In Jersey, controlled drugs – including ADHD medication – can only be prescribed by a specialist, rather than a GP.
Joint prescribing refers to a shared care arrangement with primary care so that the routine prescribing of medication could be done by a GP or community pharmacist.
This would allow the island's single ADHD psychiatrist to focus on providing diagnostic assessments, rather than filling out repeat prescriptions.
According to Mr Weir, this is commonplace in other jurisdictions where the initial ADHD assessment and treatment plan would be initiated by a specialist, followed by routine medication prescription by GPs.
The Mental Health Director added that the global medication shortage has forced Health to prescribe medication to patients every four weeks, rather than every six weeks.
As a result, Mr Weir said the consultant psychiatrist is spending an"extraordinary amount of their time just doing repeat prescriptions".
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