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This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Official Information request '35 - Ownership, governance, and operational rollout of the ADHD Clinical Principles Framework (February 2026)'.


Document 17
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INFORMATION 
OFFICIAL 
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DRAFT - NOT GOVERNMENT POLICY
Document 17
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INFORMATION 
Some plans for the IDI
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Document 17
Baseline measures:
(group of individuals receiving ADHD medication vs. a 
comparable group not receiving ADHD meds):
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• School attendance (kids)
• Some measure of employment/income/benefit (adults)
An evaluation of whether ADHD diagnosis was obtained after 
some form of state interaction (child protection, justice, etc)
INFORMATION 
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Document 18
Memo 
Publishing  the  New  Zealand  Clinical  Principles  Framework  for  Attention 
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 
Date: 
4 July 2025 
Security level: 
IN CONFIDENCE 
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To: 
Audrey Sonerson, Director-General of Health 
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From: 
Joe Bourne, Chief Medical Officer, Clinical, Community and Mental Health 
Author: 
Kieran Moorhead, Principal Policy Analyst, Mental Health, Addiction and 
Suicide Prevention Strategy & Policy 
For your: 
Information
INFORMATION 
Purpose of report 
1.
This memo provides information on publishing the New Zealand Clinical Principles
Framework for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (the framework) on the Ministry of
Health’s (the Ministry’s) website in July 2025.
OFFICIAL 
Context 
THE 
2.
The Ministry has worked with the health sector to develop a clinical framework to add an
extra layer of protection for the quality of care of people with suspected or confirmed
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in New Zealand. The framework contains
information for health professionals and the public on the standards they should expect for
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evidence-based assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for ADHD.
3.
The framework aligns with the regulatory changes proposed to come into effect in February
2026 to enable general practitioners and nurse practitioners to prescribe ADHD stimulant
medications for adults in primary care settings.
4.
To develop the framework, the Ministry convened a Clinical Reference Group. The Clinical
Reference Group inc
RELEASED  luded representatives from the Royal Australian and New Zealand
Col ege of Psychiatrists, the Royal Australasian Col ege of Physicians, the Royal New Zealand
Col ege of General Practitioners, New Zealand Col ege of Clinical Psychologists, and Nurse
Practitioners New Zealand. It also included people with lived experience of ADHD including
family and whānau of individuals with ADHD.
5.
The Ministry wil  continue to work with Health New Zealand and professional workforce
bodies to respond to the workforce training needs to support children and adults with ADHD.
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Document 18
 
 
6.  The Ministry wil  publish the framework on the Ministry’s website in July 2025 which wil  
coincide with Kieran Moorhead, Principal Policy Analyst and Dr Jin Russell, Chief Clinical 
Advisor Child and Family presenting the framework at an international ADHD conference in 
Australia on 26 July 2025.  
Risks and mitigations 
7. 
There are some key risks that are important to understand as part of publishing the 
framework. 
Risk: There may be the perception that the framework is a clinical guideline or is setting 
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new mandated requirements for health professionals and clinical services. 
Mitigation: The framework is not a new clinical guideline and does not mandate new 
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requirements for the health sector. What the framework does is bring together the 
existing international evidence-based guidelines for ADHD and describes how these can 
be effectively and appropriately used within the New Zealand context. The framework 
clearly outlines the expected clinical standards for quality assessment, diagnosis and 
treatment of ADHD based on the existing guidelines. The existing mechanisms that ensure 
health professionals are working within their scope of practice wil  continue such as the 
Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 and appropriate oversight from 
INFORMATION 
professional workforce bodies.  
Risk: There may be a perception that the framework comes with investment to address 
the increasing numbers of children and adults seeking assessment and treatment for 
ADHD in New Zealand. 
Mitigation: The Ministry and Health New Zealand a
OFFICIAL re aware that children and their 
families are often waiting months to access a first specialist appointment with a 
paediatrician in order to diagnose and treat ADHD. The Ministry is working with Health 
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New Zealand to improve access to specialist care which wil  help families receive more 
timely support for ADHD. For adults, assessment and diagnosis of ADHD is not currently 
publicly funded and the costs are borne by the individual. Assessment and diagnosis of 
people with ADHD is not a core part of general practice and is an extension beyond the 
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comprehensive services that a general practice provides under capitation funding. 
However, the Ministry is engaging with primary care teams across New Zealand to 
understand where there are new innovative approaches incorporating specialist clinical 
workforces within general practice to diagnose and treat adults with ADHD.  
 
 
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Recommendations 
It is recommended that you: 
1.  Note 
the New Zealand Clinical Principles Framework for Attention Deficit 
Noted 
Hyperactivity Disorder wil  be published on the Ministry of Health’s 
website in July 2025 
2.  Note 
you have approved Kieran Moorhead and Dr Jin Russell to present 
Noted 
the framework at the Australian ADHD conference on 26 July 2025 
which is occurring fol owing its publication. 
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Signature ____________________________________________________ 
Date: 
Audrey Sonerson 
Director-General of Health 
INFORMATION 
OFFICIAL 
THE 
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