Frequently Asked Questions
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Please call us on 8373 7620. Your call with be answered by one of our reception staff. The staff will help you find the best fit for a psychologist if you are not sure who to see. They will also work with you to find a time that works well for you. As a new new client we will ask for a few details during the call to make your appointment happen. If you are unable to call please email us at services@astutepsychology.com.au or use the referral portal on our website.
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Appointments are generally between 50-60 minutes. We offer extended sessions for those that require a longer appointment. For longer appointments please talk with your psychologist. Longer appointment fees differ from standard appointments.
Psychological assessments take longer than a standard consultation. The length of these depend on the type of assessment being conducted. Your psychologist will give you more information about this if required.
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No, a referral is not necessary to see a psychologist. Some people choose to obtain a referral, or one is recommended by their GP, paediatrician or psychiatrist. These referrals, if under a Medicare program, usually enable you to receive a Medicare rebate.
If you have Private Health Insurance with the appropriate level of extras cover you may also be eligible for a rebate; you do not need a referral for Health Insurance rebates. Please check with your Private Health Fund regarding your eligibility and rebates.
Any person can access psychological therapy without a referral. This may be because the reason for seeing a psychologist is not because of a mental health concern but may be due to dilemmas or personal preference.
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If you have a referral under a Mental Health Care Plan you are likely to receive a rebate.
A referral under a Medicare Mental Health Care Plan can be provided by a GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician if you are eligible.
These referrals provide a rebate for 10 sessions of psychological therapy each calendar year. Generally a review by the referrer is required after 6 sessions for a rebate for the remaining 4 sessions. Unused sessions in one calendar year can be rolled into the next year.
It is important to note that you can’t receive Medicare rebates for appointments that you attended prior to obtaining a referral.
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The Better Access to Mental Health program was established in Australia in 2006. This program allows eligible persons 10 sessions of mental health treatment by an approved provider, each calendar year.
To access these sessions you will need to visit your GP, paediatrician or psychiatrist and talk to them about your mental health and circumstances or situations that are bothering you. Your practitioner will establish if you are eligible and if so, lodge the activating item code with Medicare and provide you with a Mental Health Care Plan and referral letter.
It is important to get a copy of the referral so that you can obtain your rebate after your psychology consultation.
When booking an appointment with your GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician, let them know you are wanting a Mental Health Care assessment for a referral so they allow enough time for this to be completed.
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Our fees are below those recommended of our professional bodies; the Australian Psychological Society and the Australian Association of Psychologists:
https://www.psychology.org.au/for-the-public/about-psychology/what-it-costs
Bulk billing or reduced fees may be available at the discretion of the Psychologist, after the initial consultation. Please talk with Reception and your Psychologist regarding fees.
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If you have Private Health Insurance that covers psychology then you will be able to claim from your fund for treatment with us.
Some funds ask you to use a referral under a Mental Health Care Plan first so please check what conditions your fund may have.
On payment for a session, we will provide you with an invoice to claim with your fund. Generally you can do this online.
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No. You cannot claim a rebate from your Private Health Insurer and Medicare for the same session.
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How often you see your psychologist is dependent on the reasons you are seeking treatment and what you and the psychologist decide is the best frequency of treatment. For some the frequency can be weekly or fortnightly and for others it may be monthly.
The length of treatment will depend on the issues that you are discussing and working on. Research shows that treatment can range from a few sessions for psycho-education and information to more than 20 sessions for more complex issues. A discussion with your psychologist will provide a more detailed guide.
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Yes. We will send you a text message reminder in the days prior to your appointment. This is a courtesy as we trust that people take responsibility for the appointments they make.
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If you need to cancel or change your appointment we ask for 48 hours notice. The reasons for our cancellation policy is to ensure that our services are provided equally and fairly to all our clients who need them. We are happy to reschedule or cancel when you need to do so and 48 hours gives another client a chance to book that time.
If you let us know you need to reschedule or cancel with les than 48 hours notice, you will be charged a cancellation fee as below.
less than 48 hours and more than 24 hours - 50% of the consultation fee is applied.
less than 24 hours - 100% of the consultation fee is applied.
We do understand emergencies can happen and we will take that into consideration in applying the late cancellation policy.
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Yes, we can. If you need to see your psychologist outside of Astute’s office near Adelaide, please speak with reception or your psychologist.
Your psychologist consulting with you outside the office may incur addition fees due to travel and time from other consulting hours.
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We take your privacy and confidentiality seriously.
Our practice is committed to best practice in relation to the management of information we collect. Astute Education & Psychology has developed a Policy to protect your privacy as a client in compliance with privacy legislation.
Our policy is to inform you of:
1. the kinds of personal information that we collect and hold;
2. how we collect and hold personal information;
3. the purposes for which we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information;
4. how you may access the clients’ personal information and seek the correction of that information;
5. how you may complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles and how we will deal with such a complaint.What kinds of personal information do we collect?
The type of information we may collect and hold includes personal information about:
1. The clients’ name, address, date of birth, email and contact details;
2. Medicare number;
3. The clients’ health information and other sensitive & personal information is collected as part of providing psychological service;
4. Insurance claim information, if relevant.
5. Other medical reports and forms if relevant.How do we collect and hold personal information?
We will generally collect personal information:
1. from the client directly when the client provides their details to us;
2. from a person responsible for the client;
3. from third parties where the Health Records (Privacy and Access) Act 1997 and the Privacy Act 1988 or other law allows it.Where do we hold the clients’ personal information?
Any physical files are locked and electronic data is kept secure via an industry compliant software package.
Why do we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information?
In general, we may collect, hold, use and disclose the clients’ personal information for the following purposes:
1. The clients’ personal information is gathered and used for the purpose of providing psychological services, which includes assessing, diagnosing and treating the client’s presenting issue. The personal information is retained in order to document what happens during sessions, and enables the psychologist to provide a relevant and informed psychological service.
2. to communicate with the client
3. to comply with our legal obligations
4. to help us manage our accounts and administrative services.Consequences of not providing personal information
If a client does not wish for their personal information to be collected in a way anticipated by this Privacy Policy, Astute Psychology may not be in a position to provide the person with a psychological service.
How can you access your personal information?
Subject to the exceptions set out in the Health Records (Privacy and Access) Act 1997 and the Privacy Act 1988, a client may seek access to and correction of the personal information which we hold. The psychologist may discuss the contents, subject to the exceptions of the aforementioned Acts. If satisfied that personal information is inaccurate, out of date or incomplete, reasonable steps will be taken in the circumstances to ensure that this information is corrected. An appointment will need to be made and fees charged (if necessary) for clarification purposes.
Psychologists also have the right to refuse access to clinical records if they believe the request is malicious and vexatious, or if it could result in serious harm to the patient.
Disclosure of personal information
A clients’ personal information will remain confidential except when:
1. It is subpoenaed by a court; or
2. Failure to disclose the information would in the reasonable belief of Astute Psychology, place a client or another person at serious risk to life, health or safety; or
3. The client’s prior approval has been obtained to:a) provide a written report to another professional or agency, e.g., a GP, Return to Work insurer or a lawyer; or
b) discuss the material with another person, e.g. a parent, employer or health provider; or
c) disclose the information in another way; or4. you would reasonably expect the clients’ information to be disclosed to another professional or agency (e.g. the clients’ GP or an insurer such as Return to Work) and disclosure of the clients’ personal information to that third party is for a purpose which is directly related to the primary purpose for which the clients’ personal information was collected; or
5. disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law.
A client’s personal information is not disclosed to overseas recipients, unless the client consents or such disclosure is otherwise required by law. Clients’ personal information will not be used, sold, rented or disclosed for any other purpose.
Other
Your treating Psychologist may discuss your case at clinical supervision with other psychologists or health professionals. All psychologists are legally bound to keep the information confidential.
Your treating psychologist may use a computer program to assist in note-taking for clinical sessions. All programs used at Astute Psychology are well vetted and only those meeting Privacy and Confidentiality standards in South Australia are used.
How can you make a privacy related complaint?
We will take reasonable steps to protect the security of the clients’ information and comply with our legal obligations. Our staff are trained and required to respect the clients’ privacy. We take all reasonable steps to protect information held from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
If you have any questions about privacy-related issues or wish to complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles or the handling of the clients’ personal information by us, please contact us on services@astutepsychology.com.au
You may lodge a complaint in writing to the email address above. Any complaint will be investigated and you will be notified of the making of a decision in relation to the clients’ complaint as soon as is practicable after it has been made, usually within 30 days.
Concerns
Upon request you can obtain a copy of the Australian Privacy Principles, which describe the clients’ rights and how the clients’ personal information should be handled.
Ultimately, if you wish to lodge a formal complaint about the use of, disclosure of, or access to, the clients’ personal information, you may do so with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner by phone on 1300 363 992, online at http://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/making-a-privacy-complaint or by post to:
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, GPO Box 5218, Sydney, NSW 2001.Updates to this Policy
This Policy will be reviewed from time to time to take account of new laws and technology, changes to our operations and other necessary developments.