Welcome to the Referrals page! We want to make accessing our services as straightforward and supportive as possible. Whether you’re looking to book yourself in or are being referred by your doctor, here’s a simple guide on how it works.
Making a Referral
Sometimes, you might want to start your journey towards better health and well-being on your own.
- Self Referrals: You do not need a referral from a doctor if you don’t plan to claim a rebate from Medicare.
- Private Health Fund: You might be able to claim a rebate for your sessions through your private health fund. We recommend checking directly with your health fund to understand your specific rebate amounts. Please note, you can’t claim both a private health fund rebate and a Medicare rebate for the same session – you’ll need to choose one.
Referrals from Your Doctor (GP or Psychiatrist)
If you’re looking to claim a rebate through Medicare, the process involves a referral from your GP or Psychiatrist.
- Better Access Scheme (Medicare Rebates): To claim a Medicare rebate under this scheme, your GP or Psychiatrist will need to provide a referral as part of a Mental Health Treatment Plan. This plan allows for up to 6 to 10 sessions per calendar year with a registered psychologist. The initial referral is typically for a maximum of 6 sessions, and your referring doctor will review your progress to decide if further sessions are needed within that annual limit.
- Conditions Covered by Better Access: The scheme covers mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, alcohol use disorder, bereavement disorder, sleep problems, and co-occurring anxiety and depression.
- Conditions Not Covered by Better Access: Please note that the Better Access scheme generally does not cover conditions like Dementia, Delirium, Tobacco Use Disorder, or when the main concern is relationship issues, learning difficulties, or social problems.
- Providing Your Referral: To claim the Medicare rebate, please provide your referral letter and, if you’d like, a copy of your Mental Health Treatment Plan at your first session.
Services for Veterans
We are here to support our veterans.
- Simplified Referral: Veterans do not need a GP Mental Health Care Plan. A standard referral from a GP is all that’s required.
- No Gap Fee: Veterans will not be charged a “gap fee” for sessions.
- No Session Limit: There is no limit on the number of sessions per year for veterans.
Referral Letters
For both GP and Veteran referrals, the referral letter can be made out specifically to our principal psychologist, Ana Guinea, or addressed generically to the practice as ‘Dear Psychologist’.
Referrals Across Calendar Years
Life doesn’t always fit neatly into calendar years!
- If you receive a referral towards the end of a calendar year and have sessions remaining, there is no need for a new referral just because the year changes.
- The remaining sessions can indeed take place in the new calendar year. However, it’s important to know that any sessions used in the new calendar year will still count towards your total entitlement of 10 services per person within that new calendar year.
Ongoing Referrals
Continuity of care is important.
- Your GP will need to review you after each course of treatment (typically after the initial 6 sessions if you are on a Mental Health Treatment Plan).
- Your original Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) does not expire. A new MHTP is only required if there’s a clinical need, such as a change in your condition.
- If your GP determines you need further treatment (up to the maximum of 10 sessions per calendar year under Medicare), the additional referral can be made using a standard GP referral letter – you generally don’t need a whole new Mental Health Treatment Plan just for additional sessions within the year.
We hope this clarifies the referral process. If you have any questions about Medicare rebates or referrals, please feel free to check our FAQs section or simply contact us. We’re here to help guide you.
Small Steps Matter 