The Australian ADHD Professionals Association (AADPA) will hold its 9th annual conference on 25-26 July 2026 at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, with pre-conference workshops on 24 July and a virtual livestream option.
The theme is “Embracing Change For Every Mind.”
This is one of the largest ADHD-specific clinical conferences in Australasia. It brings together psychiatrists, paediatricians, GPs, psychologists, and researchers who work with ADHD across the lifespan.
Why GPs should pay attention this year
The December 2025 regulation change in Queensland means GPs with training in ADHD assessment now diagnose and prescribe for adult ADHD without a psychiatrist.
AADPA is where the guidelines, evidence, and clinical tools that shape this work get presented first. If you are a GP doing ADHD assessments, the keynotes and workshops at this event directly affect how you practise.
Confirmed keynote speakers
Prof. Anita Thapar — Chair of the NHS England ADHD Taskforce and child and adolescent psychiatrist at Cardiff University, Wales. Her work on ADHD genetics and environmental factors has shaped international assessment guidelines.
A/Prof. Guilherme V. Polanczyk — University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Research focus on early developmental emergence of ADHD, intervention, and health policy.
Alison Clink — Founder of the Dundee and Angus ADHD Support Group, ADHD coach, and treasurer of the Scottish ADHD Coalition. Lived experience and community advocacy perspective.
QLD GPs on the AADPA board
Dr Chris Soo sits on the AADPA board as a director. He is a Queensland GP who runs a full-time ADHD practice, co-founded the QLD ADHD GP Alliance, and is a founding member of the National Council of ADHD GPs. If you are a QLD GP doing ADHD work, he is worth knowing about.
What the conference covers, and what it does not
AADPA covers the clinical evidence: assessment frameworks, pharmacotherapy updates, comorbidity management, policy changes. It does not cover what happens in the fifteen minutes before a patient sits down in your consultation room.
For GPs running ADHD assessments, the data collection is the bottleneck. ASRS questionnaires. Observer reports. Childhood evidence. Medication history. If this happens during the consult, the appointment is data entry. If it happens on paper beforehand, reception staff are doing clinical intake work.
Velluto sends patients a structured pre-assessment on their phone before the appointment. Scored questionnaires, observer contacts, childhood evidence uploads, and medical history. The GP receives a clinical summary formatted for Best Practice. The appointment becomes the assessment.
If you are attending AADPA 2026 and want to see what this looks like, visit velluto.health.
General health information
This article is general health information only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always speak with a qualified health professional before making any changes to your medication or treatment plan.
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