Question 1

How to get an ADHD assessment?

Accepted Answer

If you are wanting an assessment for ADHD there are two main ways of getting this assessment done.

1. You can get referral from your GP to a psychiatrist requesting an ADHD diagnosis and treatment assessment.   Please note we are currently OPEN to new ADHD referrals. 
2. You can go and see a psychologist who is specially trained to do ADHD diagnostic assessments.  If a psychologist diagnoses you with ADHD and medication is indicated you will then need to see a psychiatrist to discuss treatment options and receive an ADHD medication assessment.

Question 2

Steps for an ADHD assessment with a psychiatrist at Christchurch PsychMed

Accepted Answer

1. Get a referral from your GP: In order to process any request to see a psychiatrist we require a GP referral. This referral should contain the reasons for needing to see a psychiatrist including your relevant medical history, height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, current medications, substance use history, results of a recent urine drug screen, social and living situation and context leading to the need for referral.
2. Your referral is reviewed by our clinical team: Each referral is sent to our clinical team members for review.  If there is someone on our team who has the right expertise to meet your needs and the availability to offer you an appointment, we will contact you to discuss booking an appointment.  If we are not able to offer you an appointment we will notify your GP so that they are able to refer you elsewhere (please note we will not contact you directly about this).   
3. If your referral for an ADHD assessment is accepted our admin team will contact you and explain the full process which involves: 
    • Agreement to pay an initial fee of $200 to initiate the assessment process. This is a non-refundable fee that must be paid prior to an appointment being booked. This fee will be subtracted from the total initial assessment appointment cost payable on the day of your initial assessment appointment.  
    • Confirming your contact details and giving you an overview of some important forms (e.g. CAARS assessment) that need to be completed at least 2 weeks prior to your appointment. 
    • Book you an appointment. This  will either be an up to 60-90 min or 90-120 min appointment according to your needs.

Question 3

What is a CAARS assessment?

Accepted Answer

CAARS stands for the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales. This is used to measure the presence and severity of ADHD symptoms in adults ages 18 and older.  There are two online forms.  The first is a form which you will fill out. The second is a form that someone, who knows you well and who has known you for a long time (preferably before you were 18 years old), will need to fill out.  You will be asked to seek their permission for you to share their details with us and for us to send them an online form to complete.

Please note that failure to complete these forms prior to your appointment will likely result in increased costs to you as additional follow up appointments may be needed to allow this information to be gathered.

Question 4

What happens at the first appointment?

Accepted Answer

At your initial assessment appointment your psychiatrist will conduct a full psychiatric assessment and ask questions pertinent to the specific assessment of ADHD.  They will also discuss your physical health, alcohol and drug use, and other relevant information from your background with you.

Question 5

What should I bring to the first appointment?

Accepted Answer

You might find it useful to bring the following with you to your appointment.  Please note, none of these are mandatory:

• A written history or notes of your struggles, goals and expectations. You may sometimes struggle to articulate your story, but writing it down can help you to organise your thoughts.

• Notes that others might share giving their perspective of your struggles, etc.

• A trusted support person/someone who knows you well and/or has known you for a long period of time.

• School reports if you have them.

Question 6

What happens after the assessment?

Accepted Answer

Following the assessment, the psychiatrist will write a report to your GP outlining the outcomes and any treatment options discussed and medications offered.  It is important to understand that getting an assessment for ADHD does not necessarily mean you will get an ADHD diagnosis.  Your psychiatrist will determine whether or not you have ADHD, and may also identify other issues likely to explain your difficulties, instead of, or in addition to ADHD.  When more complex issues are found, it might be necessary to schedule a further appointment before the outcome of your assessment can be finalised.

You may also be booked in for a follow up appointment with the psychiatrist to monitor medication and treatment.  The psychiatrist will discuss this with you at your initial appointment.

Question 7

I've seen a psychologist who has diagnosed ADHD and need medication?

Accepted Answer

If you have seen a psychologist and have been diagnosed with ADHD then the process to get an ADHD medication assessment is similar to the full assessment and diagnosis pathway, except the CAARS forms and the full assessment is not needed.  You still need a GP referral which will be reviewed by the clinical team.  This referral will also need to include the full ADHD assessment report written by the psychologist. If someone in our clinical team is able to see you the admin team will contact you to arrange an appointment.  If someone is not able to see you we will notify your GP so they can refer you elsewhere.

The appointment will either be 60-90 min appointment at the cost of $750-$900 or 90-120 min at the cost of $1000.  Payment is expected on the day of your appointment.  The length of this appointment will be determined by the clinical team at the time of referral.

Following your appointment the psychiatrist will write a report to your GP outlining the outcome of your medication assessment and any treatment options discussed.  You may or may not also be booked in for a follow up appointment with the psychiatrist.  The psychiatrist will discuss this with you at your initial assessment appointment.

Question 8

How much will an ADHD assessment cost?

Accepted Answer

Total cost for an ADHD diagnosis and treatment assessment appointment ranges from $1100 to $1300.  $200 of this total cost is non-refundable and must be paid prior to booking an appointment. The remaining payment ($900 to $1100) is payable on the day of your appointment.

If you have already been diagnosed with ADHD by a psychologist, a medication assessment with a psychiatrist will either be $750-$900 or $1000 depending on the time required.

Please note if you are more than 10 mins late for an appointment your appointment will be cancelled and a cancellation fee will apply.

Question 9

What are the current wait times?

Accepted Answer

Current wait times for ADHD assessment appointments vary between 12 and 16 weeks depending on the Psychiatrist.

Question 10

Can I get a repeat prescription?

Accepted Answer

If you are currently under the care of a Psychiatrist at Christchurch PsychMed you may be able to request a repeat prescription.

Please check out the Terms of Agreement by reading the text below.

Alternatively you can click on the document below to access this information.

You can only order a repeat prescription if you agree to these terms.

Important things to check with your pharmacy before ordering a repeat prescription:
Before ordering a repeat prescription please contact your pharmacy to:
 • ensure you have no repeats remaining on the medication(s) you are requesting a repeat prescription for.
 • For stimulant medication:
    • confirm the date that you are eligible to pick up your next prescription (you will need to provide this date when you email through your script request). 
    • ensure that the pharmacy has the medication you are requesting in stock.

How to order a repeat prescription
You can order a repeat prescription by sending an email to info@christchurchpsychmed.co.nz (info@christchurchpsychmed.co.nz) and providing the following information:

• Your full name
 • Your date of birth
 • The name of the Psychiatrist you see at Christchurch PsychMed
 • The medications you need a repeat of and the dosage required
 • The name of the pharmacy you would like your script sent to
 • If you are requesting stimulant medication you will also need to provide:
    • the date that you are eligible to pick up your next prescription (your pharmacist will be able to tell you this)
    • confirmation that you have checked that your pharmacy has stock of the medication you are requesting

Please allow 3-5 days for your script to be sent.
The cost of a repeat prescription is $55 and this fee must be paid on the day your script is sent.

Christchurch PsychMed Terms of Agreement for Requesting Repeat Prescriptions Without a Clinical Consultation.

1. Purpose
This document outlines the terms and conditions under which patients of Psychiatrists working out of the Christchurch PsychMed (ChCh PMed) Clinic may request and obtain repeat prescriptions. By requesting a repeat prescription, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.

2. Eligibility for Repeat Prescriptions
 • Repeat prescriptions are available only to existing patients who have been assessed and prescribed medication by one of the ChCh PMed Psychiatrists and whose usual clinician is available. 
 • Patients must be enrolled with a GP practice. 
 • Patients must be clinically stable on their current medication and under ongoing care with the clinic.
 • The psychiatrist must determine that a repeat prescription is clinically appropriate without the need for an in-person or virtual consultation.

3. Eligibility for Repeat Prescriptions if usual clinician is not available
In circumstances where repeat prescriptions are requested by an existing patient whose usual clinician is not available and the GP is not able to prescribe it may be possible to request a prescription by a different clinician at Christchurch PsychMed.

Please note that there is an expectation that patients will have approached their GP for this script before requesting this from a ChCh PMed Clinician.

The decision for a ChCh PMed clinician to prescribe is decided on a case by case basis and in this situation:
 • Patients must also be enrolled with a GP practice. 
 • Patients must be clinically stable on their current medication and under ongoing care with the clinic.
 • The psychiatrist must determine that a repeat prescription is clinically appropriate without the need for an in-person or virtual consultation.
 • Additional charges for an assessment by the willing clinician may apply
 • Additional charges for repeat prescriptions may apply
 • Prescriptions with a very limited supply of medications may be given

4. Prescription Request Process
 • Requests must be made via the clinic’s approved methods (e.g., email, phone or website enquiry).
 • Please allow 3–5 business days for processing. Urgent requests may incur an additional fee and are not guaranteed.
 • The clinic reserves the right to decline any repeat request if a follow-up consultation is deemed necessary or if any of the eligibility criteria outlined in section 2 or 3 are not met.

5. Prescription Fees
 • Fees applies for all repeat prescriptions. Current prices can be found at https://www.christchurchpsychmed.co.nz/helpful-info.      
 • Repeat prescriptions will not be issued if a patient has any outstanding fees.  
 • Fees are non-refundable once the prescription has been issued.

7. Medication Safety and Monitoring
 • It is your responsibility to ensure medication is taken as prescribed.
 • Regular reviews (typically every 3–6 months) are required. Failure to attend scheduled reviews will result in the suspension of repeat prescriptions.

8. Lost or Stolen Prescriptions
 • Patients must be responsible for the safekeeping of their prescriptions and      medications. Replacement prescriptions for lost or stolen prescriptions for stimulant medication will not be provided.
 • Requests for replacement of lost or stolen prescriptions for other medications may incur an additional fee.
 • The clinic may refuse to reissue certain prescriptions without further assessment.

9. Pharmacy Dispensing
 • Prescriptions can be sent to your nominated pharmacy. It is your responsibility to provide accurate and up-to-date details.
 • Patients must be responsible for the timely fulfilment of their prescriptions at their preferred pharmacies.

10. Patient Responsibilities
By requesting a repeat prescription, you agree to:
 • Inform the clinic of any changes in your health, medication side effects, or concerns.
 • Attend scheduled follow-up appointments.
 • Use the medication only as prescribed and not share it with others.

11. Clinic and Clinician Rights and Discretion
 • The clinic or individual clinician reserves the right to amend these terms at any time.
 • Prescriptions are issued at the discretion of your treating psychiatrist, who may decline to provide repeats based on clinical judgement, legal requirements, or ethical considerations.

10. Complaints and Concerns
If you have concerns or complaints about your prescription or the service received, please contact the clinic directly. You may also lodge a complaint with the Health and Disability Commissioner (www.hdc.org.nz)(http://www.hdc.org.nz/) if necessary.

By requesting a repeat prescription, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to abide by the above terms.

To find out how to order a repeat prescription click here.

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