OVER 700 children in Jersey are being treated with ADHD medication, a scrutiny panel has heard – following a “massive rise” in demand post-pandemic that did not “tail off” as expected.
During a hearing with the Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel, Children’s Minister Richard Vibert also said that there were currently 187 children awaiting ADHD assessments.
The matter was raised by panel member and St Lawrence Constable Tina Palmer, who asked about the increased diagnosis of ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions, and the number of children prescribed medication for them.
Mr Vibert said this was “a picture across the UK and Europe” and was “not a Jersey specific issue”.
He continued: “There are 771, I think, children who are on ADHD medication treatment at present.
“There was a massive increase post-Covid. It is something that I’ve discussed because I think we were expecting a tail off to some extent by now, but the numbers coming in this year are fairly consistent with last year.”
Mr Vibert noted that, while a drop could still happen, it might take “longer than we expected”.
“We are constantly monitoring those [numbers], and we have certainly improved on assessments,” he told the panel.
“There are currently 187 children awaiting ADHD assessments, and 37 appointments have been booked for those. But last year we actually completed 678 assessments.”
He explained that “significant effort” and savings from other areas had been put into bringing down a backlog.
Asked why he thought the need had not tailed off, Mr Vibert contended that “it is a combination [of factors]” and “cannot just be better assessment”.
“There was a shortage of ADHD medication across the world, for the very reason that they were not expecting this massive blip.
“There currently is not a shortage because the pharmaceutical companies have upped the volumes and caught up with the demand – but no one expected that demand.”
