Psychologists working at Gregory Street Psychology are members of the Australian Psychological Society (APS). APS members are required to abide by principles of professional conduct, responsibilities and confidentiality.
Will my Information be kept Confidential?
As part of providing a psychological service to you, your psychologist will need to collect and record personal information from you that is relevant to your current situation. Our psychologists are bound by the legal requirements of the National Privacy Principles from the Privacy Act (1988). All personal information gathered by your psychologist during the provision of psychological service will remain confidential and secure except where:
As part of providing a psychological service to you, your psychologist will need to collect and record personal information from you that is relevant to your current situation. Our psychologists are bound by the legal requirements of the National Privacy Principles from the Privacy Act (1988). All personal information gathered by your psychologist during the provision of psychological service will remain confidential and secure except where:
- It is subpoenaed by a court; or
- Failure to disclose the information would place you or another person at serious and imminent risk; or
- Your prior approval has been obtained to
- provide a written report to another professional or agency. e.g., a GP or a lawyer; or
- discuss the material with another person, e.g., a parent or employer; or
- if disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law.
Do I need a Referral?
Clients can attend as EITHER a private or public patient. Some private health insurance funds provide rebates for psychological services, but as they all vary in the amount they rebate it is recommended that you check your entitlements with your insurer. Clients deemed eligible by their General Practitioner (GP), Paediatrician or Psychiatrist may be able to access rebates through the Medicare system. If attending without a medical referral, we do require some self-referral information to ensure clinician suitability, noting too that you will be required to pay your fees in full at the time of the consultation and you will not be able to claim a Medicare rebate for the service. Please note that you are not able to use your private health insurance to cover any gap between a Medicare rebate and the consultation fee. If you have private health insurance, you will need to decide whether you will claim a rebate through Medicare OR your private health insurer.
Clients can attend as EITHER a private or public patient. Some private health insurance funds provide rebates for psychological services, but as they all vary in the amount they rebate it is recommended that you check your entitlements with your insurer. Clients deemed eligible by their General Practitioner (GP), Paediatrician or Psychiatrist may be able to access rebates through the Medicare system. If attending without a medical referral, we do require some self-referral information to ensure clinician suitability, noting too that you will be required to pay your fees in full at the time of the consultation and you will not be able to claim a Medicare rebate for the service. Please note that you are not able to use your private health insurance to cover any gap between a Medicare rebate and the consultation fee. If you have private health insurance, you will need to decide whether you will claim a rebate through Medicare OR your private health insurer.
Medicare and Psychology
Medicare has item numbers for the provision of psychological services by a psychologist for people with a diagnosed mental condition who has been referred by a GP, Psychiatrist or Paediatrician. Examples of some of the diagnoses covered under Medicare include: Depression, Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Phobic Disorders, Eating Disorders, Sleep Problems and Bereavement Disorders (further information about the Medicare system and the full list of diagnoses can be found on the website of the Australian Psychological Society).To claim a Medicare rebate, the client must be referred by a GP, Paediatrician or Psychiatrist. If you are being referred by a GP, then your GP will need to complete a detailed mental health assessment and prepare a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP). A longer (double) appointment should be booked with your GP to enable time for this. Eligible clients can access up to 10 individual services AND up to 10 group therapy services per calendar year. The number of sessions required will vary.
The Psychology Chronic Disease Management Initiative allows a person with a complex and/or chronic medical illness to claim a Medicare rebate for up to five visits to certain allied health professionals within a calendar year. The person must be referred by a GP who is managing them under a GP Management Plan and Team Care Arrangements (TCA).
Pregnancy Support Counselling is available for females with a current or recent pregnancy (within the last 12 months) who have any concerns, such as decisions about the future, adjustment following the pregnancy, or general issues related to a pregnancy. The pregnancy support counselling rebate covers 3 sessions, although you may continue as a private patient, or be referred again under another appropriate initiative.
Medicare has item numbers for the provision of psychological services by a psychologist for people with a diagnosed mental condition who has been referred by a GP, Psychiatrist or Paediatrician. Examples of some of the diagnoses covered under Medicare include: Depression, Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Phobic Disorders, Eating Disorders, Sleep Problems and Bereavement Disorders (further information about the Medicare system and the full list of diagnoses can be found on the website of the Australian Psychological Society).To claim a Medicare rebate, the client must be referred by a GP, Paediatrician or Psychiatrist. If you are being referred by a GP, then your GP will need to complete a detailed mental health assessment and prepare a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP). A longer (double) appointment should be booked with your GP to enable time for this. Eligible clients can access up to 10 individual services AND up to 10 group therapy services per calendar year. The number of sessions required will vary.
The Psychology Chronic Disease Management Initiative allows a person with a complex and/or chronic medical illness to claim a Medicare rebate for up to five visits to certain allied health professionals within a calendar year. The person must be referred by a GP who is managing them under a GP Management Plan and Team Care Arrangements (TCA).
Pregnancy Support Counselling is available for females with a current or recent pregnancy (within the last 12 months) who have any concerns, such as decisions about the future, adjustment following the pregnancy, or general issues related to a pregnancy. The pregnancy support counselling rebate covers 3 sessions, although you may continue as a private patient, or be referred again under another appropriate initiative.
How do I pay for my Appointment?
Payments are due in full on the day of service. EFTPOS facilities are available at reception for your convenience. If you are having financial difficulties, please raise this with admin as we might be able to offer you an extended payment plan. We are a private billing practice, meaning that clients will be charged a consultation fee that is higher than the Medicare rebate and there will be an “out of pocket” charge. These billing arrangements apply to both face-to-face and TeleHealth (video and phone) consultations. We charge private fees because our model is to provide our clients with quality care delivered by psychologists and counsellors who genuinely care about them. We charge the same for phone and video consultations as for in-person consultations because they require the same amount of the practitioner's time. We also always aim for clients to have the same level of care and value from all of their appointments, whether they are in-person or in the convenience of their homes via TeleHealth.
We charge a low "out of pocket" fee to see one of our provisional psychologists. Clients of provisional psychologists are not limited in the number of sessions they can access, and they do not require a MHCP to access their services. Sessions are therefore affordable for clients who do not want to seek a Medicare rebate, or may not be eligible for one. Additionally, our provisional psychologists have a short wait time meaning quicker access to treatment.
Payments are due in full on the day of service. EFTPOS facilities are available at reception for your convenience. If you are having financial difficulties, please raise this with admin as we might be able to offer you an extended payment plan. We are a private billing practice, meaning that clients will be charged a consultation fee that is higher than the Medicare rebate and there will be an “out of pocket” charge. These billing arrangements apply to both face-to-face and TeleHealth (video and phone) consultations. We charge private fees because our model is to provide our clients with quality care delivered by psychologists and counsellors who genuinely care about them. We charge the same for phone and video consultations as for in-person consultations because they require the same amount of the practitioner's time. We also always aim for clients to have the same level of care and value from all of their appointments, whether they are in-person or in the convenience of their homes via TeleHealth.
We charge a low "out of pocket" fee to see one of our provisional psychologists. Clients of provisional psychologists are not limited in the number of sessions they can access, and they do not require a MHCP to access their services. Sessions are therefore affordable for clients who do not want to seek a Medicare rebate, or may not be eligible for one. Additionally, our provisional psychologists have a short wait time meaning quicker access to treatment.
How much will I pay for a Legal Report or Letter?
Requests for letters and reports by clients for legal or other purposes will incur a fee based on the recommended Australian Psychological Society (APS) rate.
Requests for letters and reports by clients for legal or other purposes will incur a fee based on the recommended Australian Psychological Society (APS) rate.
I need to cancel my appointment. Will I have to pay for the missed consultation?
As is standard in health care practice, we require at least 24 hours notice if you are unable to attend, to allow us to offer the appointment to a client from our waiting list (we have an answering machine for after hours messages). We do understand that extraordinary circumstances arise and will give these due consideration, however failure to provide sufficient notice may result in the full fee being charged. This fee is not recoverable from Medicare, private health insurers, nor third party payers (e.g., other insurers).
As is standard in health care practice, we require at least 24 hours notice if you are unable to attend, to allow us to offer the appointment to a client from our waiting list (we have an answering machine for after hours messages). We do understand that extraordinary circumstances arise and will give these due consideration, however failure to provide sufficient notice may result in the full fee being charged. This fee is not recoverable from Medicare, private health insurers, nor third party payers (e.g., other insurers).