Refer

Helpful information for Referrers

How do I make a referral?
You can send a referral to Living Well Psychiatry via:
Is there anything specific I need to include in the referral? Please ensure that you clearly state that the referral is for an 'item 291' psychiatric assessment. Do you bulk bill? We have bulk billed thousands of patients but due to Medicare changes, sadly we are no longer able to do so. Medicare will cover part of the consultation fee, however a gap fee will apply for patients. The fee will be discussed with the patient and pre-approved before the appointment is made. All patients seen under WorkCover, TAC, DVA and VOC will have their assessment covered by the relevant providers, as long as the assessment is pre-approved by the appropriate provider. How long before my patient is seen? All patients will be contacted as soon as the referral is received, and an appointment will be offered to the patient within one to two week. Of course, patients may wish to have their appointment at a later date, should this suit them better. How long before I receive the report? All reports are sent to the referring GP within one week of the assessment. How often can my patient be seen after the initial assessment? All patients are allowed one Medicare rebated 291 psychiatric assessment per calendar year. All patients are able to book another appointment to review their progress and the treatment plan any time within 12 months of the inital 291 assessment. This will be billed under item 293. The patient can be re-referred for assessment under item 291 annually, if this is required. Some psychiatrists may offer patients ongoing care at their discretion. Do you offer urgent appointments? If your patient requires an urgent appointment, or you need the report more urgently, please let our administrative staff know and we will try to accommodate this. Please note that we are not equipped to deal with crisis presentations. If a patient requires an urgent assessment due to acute risk, we recommend that the patient is re-directed to their local emergency department or their local psychiatric Crisis Assessment Service (CAT).