ADHD Roundtable Summary
ADHD Roundtable - Aligning Real-World Practice with Service Design and Policy Reform
Date: 7 October 2025
Roundtable Host: Dr Geoff Kewley, Paediatrician, Co-Founder – ADHD Lifespan Clinic
Host & Moderator: Amy Cheung, Co-Founder – ADHD Lifespan Clinic
Guest Speaker: Catherine Hinwood OBE, NHS England
We are pleased to have Catherine Hinwood OBE, UK NHS Cross Sector Delivery Director and ADHD Taskforce Lead, as our guest speaker. Catherine presented insights from the UK Independent ADHD Taskforce Report (Part 1), which highlights ADHD as a cross-sector issue requiring coordinated action across health, education, employment, justice, and social services.
The ADHD Roundtable was organised by the ADHD Lifespan Clinic and we brought together leaders from NSW Health, RANZCP, RACP, RACGP, AADPA, ACRRM, AMA, universities, Dept of Health Disability & Aging, Rural Doctors Network, ADHD advocates, GPs and specialists to explore how we can align real-world practice with service design and policy reform.
Key Discussion Points
ADHD as a Cross-Sector Issue
ADHD impacts health, education, employment, justice, and social services. A siloed approach is ineffective; integrated, whole-person care is essential.
UK Independent ADHD Taskforce Learnings
- Lack of national infrastructure and data hampered service delivery.
- ADHD services were underfunded and underdiagnosed.
- A cross-sector taskforce led to systemic reform, including data improvement, needs-based support, and community-based care models.
Stigma and Visibility
ADHD remains invisible in many systems. Recognition and validation of lived experience are critical to driving change.
Access and Equity
Long waitlists, rural access barriers, and socioeconomic disparities were highlighted. Generalist care (e.g. GPs) must be empowered and resourced.
Education Reform
Needs-based support in schools must not be contingent on formal diagnosis. Early intervention and school-based mental health teams are vital.
Comorbidities and Integration
ADHD often co-occurs with mental health conditions. Integrated care models are needed to avoid fragmented treatment.
Watch Video presentation by NHS ADHD Taskforce Chair, Professor Anita Thapar.
Presented by Catherine Hinwood OBE, Chair of the UK NHS Independent ADHD Taskforce
Australia’s GPs, paediatricians, psychiatrists, health policy makers, and AADPA leaders are invited to a special ADHD roundtable organised by the ADHD Lifespan Clinic featuring Catherine Hinwood OBE, Cross Sector Delivery Director at NHS England and leader of the UK’s independent ADHD Taskforce. Catherine will share her experience establishing the UK National ADHD Taskforce, insights from its report, and discuss the broader infrastructure and challenges of ADHD care in England.
Catherine leads NHS England’s work to improve service provision and outcomes for people with ADHD and their families, and has also spearheaded initiatives addressing domestic abuse and sexual violence across the healthcare system. She previously served as Deputy Director in the UK Ministry of Justice, leading policy for victims of crime and the government’s COVID-19 response for victims and witnesses. Catherine was awarded an OBE in King Charles’s first honours list in 2023 and is an Adjunct Fellow of the Law Faculty at the University of Technology Sydney.
This 90-minute session will include a 30-minute presentation from Catherine, followed by a 60-minute facilitated discussion. The roundtable aims to foster dialogue between Australian clinicians, influencers, and policy makers, with a particular focus on the current NSW ADHD reforms.
Guest Speaker: Catherine Hinwood OBE
Date: Tuesday 7/10 12:30pm-2pm (SYD time)
Location: Level 16, UTS Central (Building 2), Law Faculty Boardroom, 61 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW.
Lunch will be provided.
RSVP by 2/10
In-person participation is preferred. For those who can’t be in Sydney, video conference link is available upon request.
