2021 AADPA Board of Directors Candidate Statements

I have served the Board of AADPA for the last 5 years, from its inauguration, and I am keen to continue advancing the cause of ADHD and its excellent management throughout Australia.

I feel I have contributed a useful clinical perspective to the academic Board with my almost perfect attendance record at Board meetings, my central role in the Sydney conference in 2018, my presentations at conferences, and my continued moderator role on the AADPA group email.

I have been responsive to members concerns and have never been shy in advocating for best practices, including the medicolegal arena. I undertake to continue my advocacy with vigorous enthusiasm and I look forward to members support.

I am an academic child and adolescent psychiatrist with 25 years of experience researching and treating ADHD. I have a strong interest in developing clinical practice in ADHD for children, adolescents and adults.

I have been fortunate to work with many ADHD experts across Australia and internationally and am particularly proud of the work we have done through AADPA to improve understanding of ADHD in Australia. Going forward I am looking forward to the Australian ADHD guidelines and the opportunities these will give us to develop clinical practice and improve training for clinicians working with ADHD.

I have been a director of AADPA for two terms and look forward to serving another. While I will continue to develop and push forward new initiatives I also think that it is important for the board to listen to what our members are saying and to also develop stronger links with consumers and make sure that their views are heard.

I am the Inaugural President of the Australian ADHD Professionals Association (AADPA) and would be honoured to stand for re-election to the Board.

In my role as President since 2016, I have led a number of important developments at AADPA, including most recently, the development of an evidence-based guideline for ADHD which will be presented to the National Health and Medical Research Council in early 2022.

It is my hope that I can serve on the Board of AADPA throughout 2021/22 to effectively implement these guidelines for benefit of Australians living with ADHD.

I am an academic at Nepean Hospital and a Senior Lecturer at Sydney University. I also practice clinically. I have a research degree (MD Cantab) describing the effects of stimulant medication on growth and physical development. My research interests and publications include database studies of health in people diagnosed with ADHD; and evidence for the stimulant therapeutic dose range.

From my years in clinical practice, dealing with the reality of ADHD and related conditions, I have developed a website with simple explanations (6,500 visits in 6 months) and published a book: ADHD made Simple (2020). I am developing an introductory course on ADHD with the University of Sydney.

Other activities:

• NSW Stimulants Subcommittee for 12 years (5 years as Chair)
• Contribution to The World Federation of ADHD International Consensus Statement: 208 Evidence-based Conclusions about the Disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2021.
• I run an ADHD clinic where I train Paediatric and Psychiatry Registrars.
• I am working with the Agency for Clinical Innovation and NSW Health on integrated care for ADHD that involves up-skilling GPs to diagnose and treat ADHD in primary care, supported by specialist services. This model is supported by community ADHD organisations.

I am passionate about providing better services for people with ADHD. As a member of AADPA for more than 3 years, I would bring to the Board more than 20 years of clinical and research experience and a commitment to improving the understanding and management of ADHD, including advocacy for better services for adults and children.