Fees
Medicare and Private Health Rebates
Confidentiality Policy
Cancellation Policy
First Session Forms
Fees
The fee for a standard 50-60 minute consultation is $240 (the APS’ recommended rate for psychologists can be found here. Any incidental and brief calls and emails with you or others on your behalf are included in this fee. Under some special circumstances I also offer fee reductions – please discuss this with me if required.
The provision of psychological reports or detailed letters (the kind required for legal matters, by workplaces and schools, medical practitioners, insurers, etc.) takes substantial time and so incurs a separate fee. If you anticipate requiring a report or detailed letter, please discuss this with me and provide as much notice as possible.
Please note that fees are due in full at the end of your session and can be paid electronically using the banking details provided on the invoice.
Medicare and Private Health Rebates
Medicare rebates: If you have a valid Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) and referral from your GP or psychiatrist, you will be eligible for a rebate of $131.65 per session for the maximum number of sessions allowed by Medicare per calendar year. After I receive payment for our session, I issue you a receipt that contains the details you require to then claim your own rebate directly through myGov. Please note that I will need your current Medicare card number and a copy of your valid referral and MHCP in order to provide you with a Medicare-eligible receipt.
Additional information about the various Medicare rebates and programs is available on the APS website.
Private Health rebates: Your rebate will depend on your level and type of cover, and who your insurer is. Please contact your private health fund if you are unsure what rebates you may be able to claim.
Please note that you cannot use your Private Health extras cover and claim a Medicare rebate for the same session.
Confidentiality Policy
Your relationship with us (“us/we” refers here to me as your psychologist as well as any professional support staff engaged by me, such as admin assistants or IT technicians) is a professional one with important and specific limitations to what can be kept confidential.
The limits to what we can keep confidential applies to all information of any nature (i.e., during the administrative process, active psychological service delivery, incidental communication exchanges, etc.) that you share with us, in any format (via email, telephone call, text, social media, mail, in person, etc).
Any and all information you share with us will remain strictly confidential, except under any of the following circumstances:
- When there is a legal obligation to disclose information (e.g. if I or my file notes are subpoenaed);
- If we reasonably believe that the collection, use, or disclosure of such information is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to the life, health or safety of any individual, or to the public’s health or safety;
- When I access clinical supervision (client information is only discussed in a non-identifiable way, and only with colleagues who are professionally and ethically bound to preserve your confidentiality too);
- To comply with the conditions of your funding (e.g. reporting requirements for sessions funded by a Medicare scheme, your employer, WorkSafe, DVA, NDIS, etc.);
- In following all legal requirements for reporting alleged or suspected child abuse to the relevant authorities as specified by the Government; or
- If you disclose information about a registered health practitioner (including yourself) that AHPRA defines as requiring mandatory notification.
In all of the above exceptional circumstances, we make efforts to safeguard your privacy where possible by disclosing only the minimum, necessary, and relevant information. If we wish to share your information under any circumstances not listed above, we will first gain your consent or the consent of the person/s with legal authority to act on your behalf.
Your session notes and records of all other communication are stored securely and comply with relevant privacy laws.
We respect and support your right to make an informed decision about how and what you communicate with us, and so we will alert you to our confidentiality policy and seek your consent to our policy as early in our first communication as we reasonably can. By communicating with us, you are consenting to all information being treated in accordance with our confidentiality policy. If you have any questions or concerns about your privacy and information, please raise these with us at the beginning of our first contact before disclosing anything further.
Cancellation Policy
Sometimes circumstances change and appointments need to be cancelled or rescheduled. Please give me as much notice as possible, because I need at least 48 hours’ notice to be able to organise someone else from my waiting list to take your spot.
If you are cancelling with less than 48 hours’ notice, the following fees apply:
- Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice will result in the full session fee still being charged.
- Sessions cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice will incur a cancellation fee of 50% of your normal session rate.
Cancellation fees are due ahead of your next session, and unfortunately Medicare and Private Health funds do not allow rebates to be claimed for cancellation fees.
Sometimes your personal circumstances might change unexpectedly (such as illness or a medical emergency) and you will not be able to provide the above notice when cancelling. Please let me know if you are cancelling for these exceptional personal circumstances (I do not apply the cancellation policy if these occasions are infrequent and irregular).
By booking an appointment with me you are agreeing to this cancellation policy.
First Session Forms
Once you have contacted me and booked your appointment, and read all of the information above on confidentiality, cancellations, fees and rebates, please electronically complete the Intake Form and DASS21 before we meet (1-2 days before our session would be ideal).