Latest News

Adult ADHD Assessments and 12-Month Prescriptions

Date: 02/02/2026

Adult ADHD Assessments

• Recent Government statements indicate that GPs may soon be able to assess and diagnose ADHD in adults, with the aim of improving access and reducing barriers to care.
• While we support initiatives that promote equity and improved availability of services, there is currently limited guidance on how this will be implemented in real-world general practice.
• A comprehensive adult ADHD assessment is complex and time-intensive, typically requiring 1–2 hours, a structured clinical process, and additional specialist training.
• At this stage, Silverdale Medical is not able to offer adult ADHD assessments:
  • Providing assessments without adequate preparation and training would be clinically unsafe.
• We are actively exploring how adult ADHD assessments could be offered in the future in a way that is:
  • Clinically safe
  • Sustainable for our team
  • Appropriate for our patient population
• This is substantial work and will take time to develop properly.
• We will provide updates if and when our approach changes.
   

12-Month Prescriptions

From 1 February 2026, some long-term medicines may be prescribed for up to 12 months.
This change is intended to reduce unnecessary repeat appointments and support easier management of stable, long-term conditions.

Please note:

• 12-month prescriptions can only be issued during a face-to-face appointment and require annual reviews.
• A 12-month prescription is not automatic or guaranteed. Please book an appointment with your GP to discuss whether a longer prescription is safe and appropriate for you.

Additional important information:

• Longer prescriptions are not suitable for everyone. Patients taking multiple medications, controlled drugs, or medicines that require regular monitoring (such as blood pressure treatments) may be prescribed a shorter duration, usually up to 6 months.
• Any prescription longer than 3 months requires a medication review appointment. This allows your clinician to review your treatment, arrange any necessary tests, and issue the prescription if appropriate.
• To help manage appointment availability, please wait until your medication review is due before booking.
• If you are currently requesting a repeat prescription, continue as usual and book your medication review three months later.
• Controlled medicines, including opioid medications, can only be prescribed for a maximum of 1-3 months only.
   

Practice Update – New Enrolments & Urgent Care Hours

Date: 31/01/2026

Silverdale Medical is now open to receive new patient enrolments. We are pleased to be welcoming new patients to our practice.

Silverdale Medical Urgent Care is also returning to full weekend opening hours from Saturday, 31 January 2026.

Urgent Care Opening Hours (effective 31 January 2026):
Monday to Sunday, including Public Holidays
8:00am – 8:00pm

Enrolling with us means that if you need urgent care medical attention, you will pay enrolled fees which are cheaper than casual fees.

We would like to thank our community for your patience and understanding during our period of reduced hours. This change reflects the ongoing efforts of our team to provide safe, sustainable care for our patients and whānau.

Kind regards,
The Team at Silverdale Medical