Referrals to psychologists & social workers

Referrals to psychologists and social workers (allied health professionals) are more complicated if a Medicare rebate is needed. Under the Medicare system, rebates for consultations with allied health professionals are limited to 12 sessions each calendar year, or 18 sessions under exceptional circumstances. There are two ways of obtaining such a referral to an allied health professional. If you are already seeing a psychiatrist or paediatrician, the easiest method is for that clinician to write to the allied health professional asking them to see you for up to six sessions of treatment.

The allied health professional is required to write back to the referrer after the first and sixth session to provide an update on progress, and you will be asked to go back to the referrer for a review. If the referrer believes that a second set of six sessions is required, he or she can write another referral requesting provision of another six sessions. At the conclusion of the final session the allied health professional must write again to your referrer providing another progress report. In exceptional circumstances and after you have been reviewed again by your referrer, he or she can request in writing a third set of six sessions within the same calendar year.

Another method for obtaining a referral to an allied health professional under the Medicare system is to speak to your GP about a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) referral. To meet criteria for a GP MHCP a person must be suffering from a specified mental disorder. To find a full set of criteria, please click here. Your GP is the one who decides whether you meet criteria for a MHCP referral. You will need to book a long consultation with your GP if you wish to have a mental health assessment. If your GP thinks you are eligible, he or she can write a specific referral which will entitle you to six treatment sessions. After the first six sessions, additional sessions are the same as for referrals from psychiatrists or paediatricians. A maximum of 12-18 Medicare rebateable sessions with allied health professionals can be claimed in total each calendar year.