Information for New Clients

Individuals, family members or professionals are welcome to make a referral to our clinic. Please call us on 03 8370 3178 or drop us an email at admin@nourishnurturethrive.com.au to make an enquiry.

Intake Process

FIRST CONTACT

Your enquiry or referral will be responded to by a member of our friendly reception team who will give you information about services, fees and waiting periods. We will request some paperwork from you in order to proceed to the intake stage.

To have your enquiry fast tracked, please send your paperwork in as soon as possible.

PAPERWORK

1. Medical Assessment

A medical assessment is typically conducted by your GP (or Paediatrician) and includes an assessment of your current eating behaviours and your physical health including heart rate, blood pressure, weight & height, recent weight trajectory, temperature and perfusion status. Your GP may also order blood tests and an ECG. 

  • Click Here to download Medical Assessment Guidelines to take along to your GP visit.

  • It is important to have regular reviews with your GP and at times we may request an up-to-date assessment prior to the first appointment.

  • Our clinic adopts a non-diet, weight inclusive approach to healthcare. We ascribe to the Health at Every Size philosophy which supports people of all sizes to receive help and care, without weight stigma and discrimination. If you have any concerns about having your weight taken, please can ask your GP to have a blind measurement taken where you don’t have to see the number.

2. Medicare Referrals

If you would like to obtain a rebate from medicare, you will also need to obtain a GP referral. Your GP will help determine which referral type is best suited to you. We accept the following referrals:

  • Mental Health Care Plan - click here for an information sheet on Mental Health Care Plans

  • Eating Disorder Plan - click here for an information sheet on Eating Disorder Plans

  • Chronic Condition Management Plan - click here for an information sheet on Chronic Condition Management Plans

INTAKE CALL

Once we receive your paperwork, you will be contacted by our warm and caring intake team who will conduct an intake interview over the phone. This conversation will explore your concerns and reasons for seeking help, so we can understand your specific needs. After we have gathered this information, we will advise if we can proceed or whether alternative services might be more suitable.

REGISTRATION FORMS

You will be asked to complete some online registration forms to register you with our clinic.

WAITING LIST & BOOKING AN APPOINTMENT

Once we receive your registration forms, we will either book you straight into the next available appointment or place you on our waiting list. This depends on clinician’s availability and matching you with the right clinician with suitable skills, experience and training to meet your needs. 

We take significant care to match clients to the right clinician, and therefore there may sometimes be a waiting period for particular clinicians.  

The first appointment will be an assessment session, where the clinician will spend time getting to know you, understanding your concerns and learning about your needs. For clients who are children and adolescents, the first two appointments held are assessment sessions - a parent only assessment and an individual child assessment.

Fees

We are a private billing clinic and unfortunately we do not bulk bill. This means that there will be out of pocket costs associated with appointments, even if you have an eligible Medicare referral.

Clinical fees are to be settled on the same day as your appointment. If you have an eligible referral, we will process your medicare rebate on your behalf, which you will receive from Medicare within a 1-2 business days. The medicare rebate amount is dependent on which clinician you see, the type of appointment held and individual factors such as the family medicare safety net threshold.

All payments are processed automatically by our secure system. Your credit card details will be requested and stored securely with encryption in our confidential practice management software.

EXPECTED OUT OF POCKET COSTS (full fee, after medicare rebate):

  • Senior Clinical Psychologist: $154 - $219*

  • Clinical Psychologist: $139 - $189*

  • Psychologist / Clinical Psychology Registrar: $146 - $196

  • Dietitian: $118 - $218*

* Concession rates are available for healthcare card holders and pensioners during off peak times. Concession rates apply to clinical psychology and dietitian services, which will lower the listed out of pocket cost by approximately $30 - $40.

Third party billing

Please note that all session fees including cancellation fees are the responsibility of the client. We do not bill third party funders including NDIS plan managers / NDIA, WorkSafe or TAC. We do not claim payment through the NDIS/NDIA payment systems.

You may be able to be reimbursed in part by your funder. Please contact your third party funder or plan manager to discuss this further.

Parents & Medicare Claimants for clients under 18

Please note parents: if you are paying your child’s fees and wish to have the Medicare rebate paid into your account, please ensure you have provided Nourish. Nurture. Thrive. with your Medicare card details (in addition to your child’s) so we can list you as the primary claimant. Additionally, please confirm with Medicare that you have registered your bank details with your child’s Medicare number. While we take every care to ensure you are informed about Medicare processes and rebates, Nourish. Nurture. Thrive. is unable to take responsibility for this process. 

We understand that accessing treatment and support is a significant financial investment. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our wonderful practice managers, Carla on admin@nourishnurturethrive.com.au

Private Health Insurance

Most private health funds will provide some cover for psychological services. However, the level of cover varies significantly and is also dependent on your particular policy. It is best to check this with your private health fund directly.

Cancellation policy

We require sufficient notice (48 business hours) for cancellations, in order for us to reallocate your appointment time to another person. If less notice is received, a cancellation fee will apply which is not covered by a Medicare rebate. Please be mindful of this when scheduling and confirming your appointments. For detailed information on cancellation fees, please contact us directly.