We advocate for adults with ADHD in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Building a better future for the ADHD community through policy advocacy.
Aoreretini Aotearoa exists for one purpose only – to reform health policy in Aotearoa New Zealand to make life easier for adults with ADHD.
Right now, there are far too many obstructive policies and bad behaviours in the health sector that make it difficult for people – particularly women – to get diagnosed, to access medication when they need it, and to be treated with respect by health professionals. Our role is to advocate on behalf of the adult ADHD community to change policies and attitudes across the health sector.
We want to ensure there is straightforward access to professional psychiatric diagnosis and help for the many tens of thousands of adults who don’t yet realise they have ADHD. We want to see reform of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, the nearly 50 year old and very outdated legislation that prevents people accessing the ADHD medication they require. And we want to see attitudes changing in the health sector, to get past the old stereotypes of ADHD people not being treated with respect and understanding.
Ours is a specialist role in policy advocacy. We don’t provide support or day-to-day assistance for people with ADHD, because there are already great organisations full of brilliant people who already do that – such as ADHD New Zealand. And our focus is on adults rather than children, although many of our policy areas will have benefits for all members of the ADHD whānau.
Read on for what we’re doing to make Aotearoa New Zealand a more welcoming and inclusive place for adults with ADHD.
Better access to diagnosis
By most estimates, between 5% and 7% of the population is likely to have ADHD – and a great many adults don’t realise their struggles in life are due to undiagnosed ADHD, because it’s very under-diagnosed, particularly in women. We aim to improve access to professional psychiatric diagnosis through better policy development and advocating for more funding.
Reform of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975
Getting access to standard ADHD medication such as methylphenidate is a complex nightmare of a process, thanks to its inclusion in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 – an antiquated piece of legislation that’s no longer fit for purpose. We’re advocating strongly for a major reform of the Act to move methylphenidate and other front-line ADHD medications out of the Schedules, based on an objective assessment of their risk rather than restricting them because of a drug panic from the 1970s.
Better primary health outcomes
Too often, adults with ADHD aren’t treated with respect and compassion by primary health professionals. Far too many adults with ADHD have stories of being told ADHD isn’t a diagnosable condition by GPs, or being told they are merely drug seekers, or that they need to wean themselves off the medication prescribed by their psychiatrist. The health profession should know better and needs to start doing better.
Contact
Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Email
convener@aroreretini.nz