Who will I see?
Who you will see really depends on why you are coming to us. We will offer you an assessment appointment with one of our Psychologists, Mental Health Social Worker or Dietitians. We can then together work out who you may most benefit from having treatment with, or it may be a mix of treatment providers over the course of your journey with us.
Do I need a diagnosis?
No. You are welcome to contact us without a formal diagnosis.
How do I make an appointment?
There are two ways to make an appointment:
Self-referral: Call (02) 43 623 443 to make an appointment. Please note you will not be able to claim any rebate through Medicare if you access the services through self-referral. You may access Private Health Fund rebates depending on your level of cover, so it’s best to speak with your fund about this.
GP referral: Visit your GP or psychiatrist and discuss whether you are eligible for a Mental Health Care Plan or Eating Disorder Plan. Your doctor can write a referral to Myrtle Oak Clinic so you can claim some Medicare rebates on sessions with a psychologist, mental health social worker and dietitians. If you need assistance with this process, please call us on 43623443.
All referrals should be addressed to:
Psychologist, Dietitian at Myrtle Oak Clinic
Central Coast Clinic
17/19 Reliance Drive
TUGGERAH, NSW, 2259
OR
Newcastle Clinic
1/116 Nelson Street
WALLSEND, NSW, 2287
Fax your referral to: (02) 43622998
How many sessions can I have?
You are welcome to attend Myrtle Oak Clinic for as many appointments as you need.
However, you are only eligible to claim a Medicare rebate on a maximum of 10 individual sessions per calendar year under a Mental Health Care plan or a maximum of 40 psychologist and 20 Dietitian sessions under a Eating Disorder Plan. After the first 6-10 sessions, you will need to visit your doctor for a review in order to have further Medicare session rebates released to you. You may be able to claim some rebates via a Private Health Funds.
What are the fees?
We understand that it can be difficult to afford ongoing therapy, and our fees are reflective of the specialised nature of our work and expertise. They are in line with the recommended amount as per the Australian Psychological Society and the Australian Association of Social Workers. Fees vary from $150 to $280 per session, depending on the type of clinician you see. If you have a referral from a GP, you may be eligible for a Medicare rebate of up to $124.50. Private Health Funds may also allow for rebates depending on your level of cover.
All fees are payable at the time of consultation. Our aim is to provide prompt access to high quality specialised services to all of our clients. In order to do so we have implemented a $90 cancellation fee.
We accept cash, EFTPOS, Visa and Mastercard.
Medicare
Medicare may cover some costs related to different types of eating disorder treatments. If you are hospitalised in a public hospital because you are in need of medical care, hospitalisation alone does not result in full recovery. It is important to keep in mind that there are low-cost and no-cost treatment options available for eating disorder treatments although access to them can be limited. For further information speak to our administration officer or clinician about the costs involved in treatment before you commence treatment.
What if I need to cancel or reschedule my appointment?
If you have to cancel your appointment at short notice, we are unable to offer your place to someone else. The following cancellation fees will apply:
Like many other therapy services, we have implemented this cancellation policy in order to reflect the time set aside for you. In order to be respectful of the needs of other clients, please be courteous and call Myrtle Oak Clinic promptly if you are unable to attend an appointment. Appointments are to be cancelled 24 hours in advance of your appointment. This can be done by phoning our office on 4362 3443. We reserve the right to charge your credit card a cancellation fee of $90.00 if your appointments are not rescheduled within 24 hours. To uphold fairness we are unable to discriminate against reasons for cancelling an appointment unless it is an extreme circumstance such as hospitalisation of the client.
Please call Reception on 43623443 if you need to cancel your appointment.
Will my private health fund cover any of the cost?
If you have private health insurance, you may be able to claim back certain expenses that arise from the treatment of your eating disorder (for example, psychology or dietitian counselling services). What you will be able to claim and how much you will get back will depend on your specific health fund policy. In some cases, your private health insurance may not cover your expenses at all.
To find out more, you will need to obtain the relevant Item Number/s from your medical professionals and talk to your Private Health Care provider about whether those particular service items are covered by your fund.