Info for GP's | rainbowcarepsyhology

Information for General Practitioner's

Thank you for choosing to refer to Rainbow Care Psychology. Please peruse below, regarding referring a patient under a Medicare Mental Health Care Plan.

The following information needs to be included to form a valid MHCP (Medicare Mental Health Care Plan) referral:

-Patient name.

-Patient's DOB.

-Patient's address.

-Mental Health Disorder Diagnosis, as per the ICD-10, Primary Care edition, under mental health. This cannot be symptoms on their own such as anger or behaviour issues, and cannot be Autism on it's own, as ASD is a developmental delay and has it's own funding stream.

-Symptoms.

-Number of sessions referred for (max 6 at a time).

-Type of treatment: Focused psychological strategies.

-Signed and dated by the GP.

-Note it is a referral under a mental health care plan to distinguish it from a private referral and a referral for a chronic disease plan or NDIS.

-Any current medications.

-Addressed to Wendy Henriks.

-GP provider number.

-All of this information in a referral letter. The MHCP plan is not required to be given to the psychologist, but it is preferred if the GP wishes to include it.

Please note that psychologist's cannot accept referrals that are invalid or with missing information. All of the above information is a Medicare requirement. We appreciate your understanding.

Mental Health Care Plan's work via the following process:

-The GP writes up a care plan and gives the referral letter to the psychologist via fax or to the patient to give to the psychologist directly.

-The patient contacts the psychology clinic to make an appointment.

- The patient completes the original prescription of sessions (max 6 at a time).

-The psychologist completes the MHCP rereferral report and sends to the GP to update them on the client's progress and whether more sessions are needed.

- If more sessions are indicated, the client returns to the GP for a "rereferral" after the first completion of prescribed sessions (usually after the first 6 but may be less if indicated on the original referral). This is billed as a standard consult by the referring GP. Please note that a "review" is not needed to refer the patient for more sessions at this point in time. A review is a separate process the GP can do at any time after the first 3 months of the original referral but not before. The patient does not need to wait 3 months after the original referral to get a rereferral. This is important, as some patients may miss sessions during this time that are needed, and that they are entitled to.

-The patient receives the rereferral paper work with a new prescription of sessions (max 6) and the diagnosis (usually continued from the last referral). The patient then takes this to their next psychologist appointment, or the GP faxes this to the psychologist.

-A client may complete up to ten MHCP sessions per calendar year. Any left over sessions roll over to the next calander year.

-If a patient's presenting issue or situation changes dramatically or it has been more than 6 months since their last session, a review or a new MHCP may be completed by the GP. A new MHCP can only be completed if it has been 12 months since the original MHCP was completed.

-At completion of the treatment, or if the patient disengages, the psychologist will update the GP via a letter.

If you have any further questions regarding MHCP's, you can contact the MBS via email at askmbs@health.gov.au.