Last year, my state announced bulk billing for ADHD in an attempt to make the diagnosis process more accessible for folks like me who don't have thousands of dollars to fork out repeatedly. That some GPs can now do assessments.
I was so excited that I researched who near me could do it and when. I dove into the information on their website. It wasn't very comprehensive but it said there's appointments with this doctor in 3 months. You'll be sent an ADHD screener to complete beforehand. You don't need a referral. Here's the fees. Cool beans. I book.
I don't receive the screener. Figure it is due to Christmas so I leave it until about two weeks prior to appointment and the receptionist I speak to says "oh we don't do that anymore. Just bring any supporting documents. No, you don't need to do anything else."
Okay. So far so good.
Week of the appointment, stress crashes over me. I realise I hadn't done the new patient form and hurriedly complete it. I tear the house apart looking for the folder I had so meticulously compiled with proof and things. I don't find it. I am last minute going through my primary and secondary school documents to make a makeshift folio.
If you're curious, all of my reports are very similar. "Lucky is a pleasure to have in class." "Lucky is very quiet and reserved." Lucky has achieved outstanding results in English but could use more care in maths" "Lucky is trying hard in maths and I don't believe it is a competency deficit" "Lucky works better when something piques her interest"
Car is out of order so I have to rideshare it. Taxis are too expensive. Public transport can get me there but an hour after my appointment is set. I don't want to ask for a lift. I'm annoyed at my partner because I'd asked to borrow the car today to alleviate some of my stress but it wasn't feasible with his work. Rideshare is not what I wanted to do. It's more money than I wanted to spend but this is too important to be late for. I can't be late.
So I'm there an hour early. I have my notebook, my puzzle book, a novel and my music. Can't focus on anything. Didn't get breakfast due to child drop off issues and waiting period for my other tablets. I check in at front counter, I'm told everything is fine, no other paperwork needed. I wait.
I'm called. Doc seems nice enough. Asks what summoned me to this realm and I explain my life troubles and that I wanted an ADHD assessment to help with that. He nods and goes through various questions and check lists. Seems focused on my diet, sleep and if I have thoughts of self destruction. No. No I do not. Most questions I answer either allude to or reference my suspicion that I have.... well you can guess. I also mention the documents I have lugged around in my adventuring backpack specifically to help with assessment. I mention this a few times, he smiles at me vaguely but never asks to see them.
After some time, he tries to educate me on why we need sleep. Sleep is good for the body and helps us focus. If we don't sleep, it affects our focus. Try to get more sleep, okay?
YES. I WOULD LIKE MORE SLEEP, THANK YOU. PLEASE ARRANGE FOR MY BRAIN TO ALLOW THIS FUNCTION.
Then... he suggests I get a big, nice, helpful day planner to help with my focusing. He eagerly shows me his desk calendar. Maybe I could use my phone to set reminders? I stare at him for a moment. I explain that I have a desk planner. I have a pocket size planner. I have other diaries for specific things like travel, fitness and my child's stuff. All are crammed with frantic writing and insane levels of detail. I explain that I do use phone reminders, despite my aversion to alarms. I explain that I also use my computer alarms constantly and I STILL miss breaks, am late for meetings and forget important tasks.
He looks at me and says "Hey.......maybe you should consider getting assessed for ADHD?"
HMM.
Maybe?
MAYBE?!
GEE DO YOU REALLY THINK SO MISTER???? THANK YOU SOOOOOOOO MUCH. I'LL DEFINITELY TAKE THAT ON BOARD!
So. By now, my fists are clenched, my eye is twitching and my leg has stopped bouncing. I am making direct eye contact. After a few breathing exercises I slowly ask him if this was not the ADHD assessment that I was under the impression that I had booked?
He is surprised and said that he wasn't given any information on this and assumed that I just wanted a general mental health check up and somehow missed all the times I mentioned ADHD and wanting a diagnosis and here's all the documentation that I brought to this appointment for the ADHD assessment. He says there's no referral and that he's sorry for any confusion.
The receptionist is nice but also says oh yeah there's no referral here so you won't get any medicare rebate. By this time I'm pretty upset and I genuinely can't recall if I had a referral. They helpfully call around my other doctors to see if I had one but no dice. She tells me if I want the rebate then I'll have to go find a doctor to write a referral today. I point out that we're in a doctor's surgery. She goes, oh yeah! And books me an appointment.
Later when I'm paying the charges, she explains that the doctor I saw DOES do ADHD assessments... just.... not at this surgery. I asked why it let me book it online at this one place for the assessment specific appointment... she didn't have an answer and suggested next time I call to book.
Okay, fair. I will point out that the downside of my brain is that it will remind me that there was a thing I had to do in daylight hours but now it's nearly midnight so I can't call and I don't trust myself to remember or do it. So I booked online. I read the info, I followed the prompts. Clearly with the change in pre-screen documentation/referral paperwork... I'm going to assume that maybe they had to make some changes and just... didn't let me know? Or when I called to follow up... they just... didn't say anything? Let me think all was fine?
The other thing to point out is that the second you call these doctors, their IVR/recording says "DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN BOOK ONLINE?! IT'S EASIER AND BETTER THAN BEING ON HOLD, FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG, AND TO PROVE IT, HERE'S SOME TERRIBLE HOLD MUSIC INTERLACED WITH VAGUELY MEDICAL ADVERTISING!"
So I'm just... standing there trying not to cry.
This was booked.. months ago. I thought I did everything right. I had a day off work booked. I prepared as best I could. I spent more money than I needed to have done. The receptionist was very lovely and kind and offered to book an assessment with the offending doctor at their other location, which by the way, is probably another half an hour away at LEAST (so about an hour from my house) or to book with their other psych type person. Then she rattled off the pricing and it's just.... no.
No. I can't trust this place to pay that much money and potentially get nothing. I can't trust this place to handle a booking. I can't handle this disappointment.
And what sucks is... I talked myself out of screenshotting everything about this appointment. Trying to control myself and now that's bitten me in the butt.
So yes. That's my grievance for the month. Back to square one I guess. Thanks for nothing.
