Mental Health Care Plan in Point Cook
A Mental Health Care Plan is a written plan you make with your GP. It records what you are struggling with and the goals you want to work towards, and it is the usual pathway to Medicare rebates for sessions with a psychologist, or with an eligible social worker or occupational therapist.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 000. Lifeline is available 24 hours a day on 13 11 14, and Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
Who a plan suits
Plans are designed for people living with a mental health condition, diagnosed or suspected, such as anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress, when it is making work, study, sleep or relationships harder. There is no need to be in crisis or to have the right words for it. Weeks of feeling flat, on edge or not like yourself are reason enough to raise it.
Medicine is not part of every plan. When it is, GPs at the clinic look after mental health medication, and the Medication Management page explains how that works.
What goes into the plan
- Your current symptoms and wellbeing
- Goals that matter to you, in your own words
- Treatment options, including psychological therapy
- Referral to an eligible mental health professional
- People and services to contact if things get worse
- When progress will be reviewed
The planning conversation
Building a plan involves more talking than a quick check-up. Topics generally include sleep, appetite, energy, work or study, relationships, alcohol and other drugs, and any thoughts of self-harm. These questions are asked of everyone and are not a judgement. Many GPs also use a standard questionnaire to measure how much symptoms are affecting you.
Low mood and anxiety sometimes have a physical cause, such as a thyroid problem or low iron, so blood tests may be suggested. Dorevitch Pathology collects samples on site, so there is no separate trip.
Ask reception what length of appointment to book for a plan, and whether a telephone or onsite interpreter would help you speak freely.
Notes worth bringing
None of this is required, although jotting a few things down can make it easier to start:
- Medicines and supplements you currently take
- When the symptoms began and what makes them better or worse
- Letters or reports from any earlier mental health treatment
- The name of a psychologist you would like to see, if you have one in mind
- Someone you trust, if having company feels easier
Using your referral
Rebates under a plan are capped at a set number of sessions per year, and the rules are adjusted from time to time. After an initial block of sessions the psychologist reports back, and a GP review is generally needed before further sessions are referred. Read about Individual Therapy for more on psychological treatment.
Psychologists set their own fees and many charge more than the rebate, so check the gap when you make that first booking. If the fit with a practitioner does not feel right, a new referral to someone else is possible.
Reviews and changes
Each review looks at what has shifted, whether the goals still fit, and whether any new medicine is causing side effects. Book in earlier than planned when things are getting harder, and the contacts listed in the plan are there for difficult days. Registering with MyMedicare is also available at the clinic, which links your ongoing care to one practice.
Health information shared with a GP is protected by Australian privacy law. It is only disclosed without consent in limited situations, such as a serious threat to someone’s safety.
Fees and bulk billing
Out-of-pocket fees apply to most consultations, and each practitioner sets their own fees. Bulk billing is available with all our doctors for Veterans’ Affairs patients, pensioners over 65, childhood and adult immunisations and GP care plans. See our fees page or call reception before you book.