THE Health Minister has rejected a recommendation to set up an ADHD hub where patients can receive advice or collect medication due to what he said was a lack of funding coupled with a shortage of “trained professionals”.
Deputy Tom Binet’s comments follow a report from the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel, which reviewed how ADHD medication was prescribed to adults.
The panel, chaired by Deputy Louise Doublet, published a report in December with a series of recommendations aimed at improving the service as well as access to treatment.
Chief among these was a call to set up a dedicated hub where patients could collect medication and receive advice.
The report found that similar hubs in other jurisdictions allowed practitioners and pharmacists to exchange information, which improves care for patients.
The minister’s comments come as new data has revealed that nearly 1,000 Islanders are currently awaiting ADHD assessments, with some facing delays of up to 3½ years.
Deputy Binet, however, has confirmed the government will not be funding an ADHD hub at this time.
He acknowledged the demand for better ADHD support but pointed to difficulties in recruiting specialist staff.
“We are not in a position to fund an ADHD hub currently and furthermore there is a global shortage of trained ADHD professionals,” he said.
“However, in the coming weeks, I am meeting ADHD Jersey to discuss how Islanders with ADHD can be supported further and what can be done to strengthen the services offered by the dedicated team of professionals already working in this area.”
A petition urging the government to reconsider the idea and support ADHD Jersey’s work has gathered nearly 600 signatures.
The non-profit group, which has provided non-prescription support services for three years, warns that failing to invest in a hub would be a costly mistake.
The petition reads: “It would be unwise financially for the government to decline the recommendation for a specific hub, especially considering the significant demand for such services.
“We urge the government to assist ADHD Jersey in providing essential support to those in our community who require it.”
If the petition reaches 1,000 signatures, ministers will be required to respond. At 5,000 signatures, the issue will be considered for debate in the States Assembly.
The founder of ADHD Jersey, Rachel Tippet, said she “agrees to a point that it’s going to be tricky to do a medical-type hub”, where patients can receive medication, due to a lack of trained staff with prescribing capacity.
However, she explained that a “wellbeing hub” with three trained members of staff would be able to provide support beyond medication and could offer advice to patients and those on the waiting list, in addition to the programmes already provided on a voluntary basis.
“There’s massive scope there for us to step in and provide key-worker support to all of the people who are on the waiting list who currently feel abandoned.”
