Making Referrals to the Victorian Psychology Clinic
Whilst you are welcome to refer to specific practitioners at the practice, The Victorian Psychology Clinic can match referred clients to a psychologist at our practice, based on their experience and current capacity. As such, you are not required to refer to specific practitioner at our practice.
To make a referral, please either email your referral letter and MHCP to support@vicpsychclinic.com.au or fax to 03 8692 6558.
Please see below information regarding referring under Mental Health Treatment Plans and Eating Disorder Treatment and Management Plans.
Fees
Please note that our clinic is a privately billed clinic and we are unfortunately unable to offer bulk billing. We are proud to offer psychology services well under the recommended rate of $300 per 50 minute session and our typical gap payment is $100 – $140 per session. We also offer appointments after hours and on Saturdays.
GP Mental Health Treatment Plans
The below information has been adapted from Services Australia’s Better Access Initiative – Supporting Mental Health Care page.
The Better Access to Mental Health Care Initiative
The Commonwealth Government’s Better Access to Mental Health Care Initiative supports GP’s in providing improved mental health services by offering Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual and 10 group allied mental health services for patients with a diagnosed mental health condition.
Under the Better Access Initiative, patients can access Medicare rebates for selected mental health services provided by:
- General practitioners (GPs)
- Non-vocationally registered medical practitioners (non-VR MPs)
- Psychiatrists
- Clinical psychologists
- Psychologists
- Social workers
- Occupational therapists
In a calendar year (1st Jan to 31st December), your patient can receive both 10 individual and 10 group Medicare-rebated psychological therapy and Focussed Psychological Services.
Patient eligibility for mental health treatment
To be eligible, a patient must both a mental health condition and be likely to benefit from a structured approach to manage of their needs.
The Better Access initiative enables access to psychological treatment for high prevalence mild to moderate mental health conditions. The conditions classified as mental disorders under the Better Access Initiative are informed by the World Health Organisation, 1996, Diagnostic and Management Guidelines for Mental Disorders in Primary Care: ICD-10 Chapter V Primary Care Version. For the purposes of these items, dementia, delirium, tobacco use disorder and mental retardation are not regarded as a mental disorder. Please note that Personality disorders are also not included in the ICD-10 primary care version.
Mental health conditions able to be treated under the Better Access Initiative include:
- Alcohol use disorder
- Adjustment disorder
- Anxiety Disorders
- Attention deficit disorder
- Bereavement disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Chronic fatigue
- Conduct disorder
- Co-occurring anxiety and depression
- Depression
- Dissociative disorders
- Substance use disorders (excluding tobacco use disorder)
- Eating disorders
- Mental disorder, not otherwise specified
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Post traumatic stress disorder
- Psychotic disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Sexual disorders
- Sleep problems
- Unexplained physical complaints
Referral letters
Please note that Medicare requirements entail that a psychologist has received a valid referral from a GP, in order to provide psychological treatment under the Better Access Initiative. Whilst receiving a copy of the Mental Health Treatment Plan is beneficial, it does not constitute a referral.
The number of services stated in the referral is a ‘course of treatment’. The maximum number of sessions you can include on a referral for the initial course of treatment is six.
Patients are eligible for two or more courses of treatment within their calendar year with a limit of 10 individual psychological sessions.
After each course of treatment, the treating psychologist will provide you with a progress letter and may request additional sessions. A new referral is required for each course of treatment.
What to include in referral letters
There’s no standard mental health referral, however, a signed and dated letter is required. The referral should also include your patient’s:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Their symptoms or diagnosis
- The number of treatment services the patient has been referred for
- Notification as to whether the patient has a MHTP, shared care plan or a psychiatrist assessment and management plan.
Referral validity
Referrals are valid for the number of services states in the referral. Mental health referrals do not expire at the end of the year. If your patient has not used all the services states on their referral by the end of the calendar year, they are able to use them the next year.
What services can I provide and claim for with regards to the Better Access Initiative?
| Service | In person MBS items | Telehealth MBS items | Phone MBS items | Frequency |
| Prepare a GP mental health treatment plan (GPMHTP) | 272 276 281-282 2700-2701 2715 2717 | 92112-92113 92116-92119 92122-92123 | N/A | Health professionals:
|
| Review a mental health treatment plan | 277 2712 | 92114 92120 | 92126 92132 | Health professionals:
|
| Manage a patient’s mental health condition | 279 2713 or a general consultation item | 92115 92121 | 92127 92133 | Health professionals can use these items as often as necessary. There are no restrictions. |
| Provide focused psychological strategies (FPS) services | 283-287 2721-2727 | 91818-91819 91820-91821 | 91842-91843 91844-91845 | Health professionals can use these items up to 10 times every 12 months. |
In person MBS items: 272 276 281-282 2700-2701 2715 2717
Telehealth MBS items: 92112-92113 92116-92119 92122-92123
Phone MBS items: N/A
Frequency:
Health professionals:
- can use these items once every 12 months
- can’t use these items within 3 months of using a review item.
Telehealth MBS items: 92114 92120
Frequency:
Health professionals:
- can use these items once every 3 months
- can’t use these items within 4 weeks of claiming a GPMHTP item.
In person MBS items: 279 2713 or a general consultation item
Telehealth MBS items: 92115 92121
Frequency:
Health professionals can use these items as often as necessary. There are no restrictions.
In person MBS items: 283-287 2721-2727
Telehealth MBS items: 91818-91819 91820-91821
Phone MBS items: 91842-91843 91844-91845
Frequency:
Health professionals can use these items up to 10 times every 12 months.
Eating Disorder Treatment and Management Plans
To access an Eating disorder Treatment and Management Plan referral template, please click herehttps://insideoutinstitute.org.au/resource-library/eating-disorder-care-plan
The below information has been adapted from the National Collaboration for Eating Disorders https://nedc.com.au/eating-disorder-resources/medicare-items/ed-treatment-and-mangement-plans
On the 1st November 2019, the Australian Government introduced a suite of new MBS items for people living with anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders. The changes are relevant for medical practitioners (including GPs, psychiatrists, and paediatricians), and eligible psychologists, occupational therapists, social workers, and dietitians.
People eligible for the EDP are able to access comprehensive treatment and management services for a 12-month period, including:
- Assessment and treatment planning
- Up to 40 sessions of evidence-based psychological treatment from a mental health professional. This can include individual and/or group sessions.
- Up to 20 sessions of dietetic services from an Accredited Practicing Dietitian (as recognised by Dietitians Australia)
- Review and ongoing management services to ensure the person accesses the appropriate level of intervention
Who is eligible for an Eating Disorder Treatment and Management Plan?
- People with anorexia nervosa (no other criteria needs to be met); or
- People who meet the eligibility criteria (below) and have a clinical diagnosis of bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder (BED) or other specified feeding and eating disorders (OSFED).
The eligibility criteria that need to be met for a person with a clinical diagnosis of bulimia nervosa, BED and OSFED, are:
- Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) scores ≥ 3 and
- The condition is characterised by rapid weight loss, or frequent binge eating, or inappropriate compensatory behaviour as manifested by 3 or more occurrences per week and
- Two of the following indicators are present:
- clinically underweight with a body weight less than 85% of expected weight where weight loss is directly attributable to the eating disorder
- current or high risk of medical complications due to eating disorder behaviours and symptoms
- significant functional impairment resulting from serious comorbid medical or psychological conditions
- admission to a hospital for an eating disorder in the previous 12 months
- inadequate treatment response to evidence-based eating disorder treatment over the past 6 months despite active and consistent participation.
How to make a referral
Please see the below flowchart of referral and ongoing review of the EDPs:
EDP item numbers:
| Discipline | Item Number | Item Number Description |
| GP without Mental Health Training | (1) 90250 | (1) EDP preparation by a GP without mental health training. At least 20 minutes but <40 minutes |
| (2) 90251 | (2) EDP preparation by a GP without mental health training. At least 40 minutes | |
| GP with Mental Health Training | (1) 90252 | (1) EDP preparation by a GP with mental health training at least 20 minutes but <40 minutes |
| (2) 90253 | (2) EDP preparation by a GP without mental health training at least 40 minutes | |
| Other Medical Practitioner without Mental Health Training | (1) 90254 | (1) EDP preparation by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist or consultant physician) without mental health training. At least 20 but <40 minutes |
| (2) 90255 | (2) EDP preparation by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist or consultant physician) without mental health training. At least 40 minutes | |
| Other Medical Practitioner with Mental Health Training | (1) 90256 | (1) EDP preparation by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist or consultant physician) with mental health training. At least 20 but <40 minutes. |
| (2) 90257 | (2) EDP preparation by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist or consultant physician) with mental health training. At least 40 minutes. | |
| Consultant Psychiatrist | (1) 90260 | (1) EDP preparation in consulting rooms with a consultant psychiatrist. At least 45 minutes. |
| (2) 90262 | (2) EDP preparation by video conference with a consultant psychiatrist. At least 45 minutes. | |
| Consultant Paediatrician | (1) 90261 | (1) EDP preparation in consulting rooms with a consultant paediatrician. At least 45 minutes. |
| (2) 90263 | (2) EDP preparation by video conference with a consultant paediatrician. At least 45 minutes. |
Item Number:
(1) 90250 (2) 90251
Item Number Description:
(1) EDP preparation by a GP without mental health training. At least 20 minutes but <40 minutes.
(2) EDP preparation by a GP without mental health training. At least 40 minutes.
Item Number:
(1) 90252 (2) 90253
Item Number Description:
(1) EDP preparation by a GP with mental health training at least 20 minutes but <40 minutes.
(2) EDP preparation by a GP without mental health training at least 40 minutes.
Item Number:
(1) 90254 (2) 90255
Item Number Description:
(1) EDP preparation by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist or consultant physician) without mental health training. At least 20 but <40 minutes.
(2) EDP preparation by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist or consultant physician) without mental health training. At least 40 minutes.
Item Number:
(1) 90256 (2) 90257
Item Number Description:
(1) EDP preparation by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist or consultant physician) with mental health training. At least 20 but <40 minutes.
(2) EDP preparation by a medical practitioner (not including a general practitioner, specialist or consultant physician) with mental health training. At least 40 minutes.
Item Number:
(1) 90261 (2) 90263
Item Number Description:
(1) EDP preparation in consulting rooms with a consultant paediatrician. At least 45 minutes.
(2) EDP preparation by video conference with a consultant paediatrician. At least 45 minutes.
| Discipline | Item Number | Item Number Description |
| GP | 90264 | EDP review by General Practitioner |
| Medical Practitioner | 90265 | EDP review by Medical Practitioner |
| Consultant Psychiatrist | (1) 90266 | (1) EDP review in consulting room by Consultant Psychiatrist. At least 30 minutes. |
| (2) 90268 | (2) EDP review by video conference by Consultant Psychiatrist. At least 30 minutes. | |
| Consultant Paediatrician | (1) 90267 | (1) EDP review in consulting room by Consultant Paediatrician. At least 20 minutes. |
| (2) 90269 | (2) EDP review by video conference in consulting room by Consultant Paediatrician. At least 20 minutes. |
Item Number: 90264
Item Number Description: EDP review by General Practitioner
Item Number: 90265
Item Number Description: EDP review by Medical Practitioner
Item Number:
(1) 90266 (2) 90268
Item Number Description:
(1) EDP review in consulting room by Consultant Psychiatrist. At least 30 minutes.
(2) EDP review by video conference by Consultant Psychiatrist. At least 30 minutes.
Item Number:
(1) 90267 (2) 90269
Item Number Description:
(1) EDP review in consulting room by Consultant Paediatrician. At least 20 minutes.
(2) EDP review by video conference in consulting room by Consultant Paediatrician. At least 20 minutes.