GPs: Please provide both a formal referral letter and your GP Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP). Please note that Medicare rules state an MHTP on its own is not a valid referral.

Paediatricians: You only need to provide a formal specialist referral letter. Please clearly specify your intended pathway:

• Better Access: For mental health therapy.

• Complex Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Under MBS Group M10 for diagnostic assessment or ongoing treatment.

To be legally valid for Medicare rebates, your referral letter must include the following details:

• • Date of the referral

  • Patient details: Full name, date of birth, and current address

  • Clinical details: A clear diagnosis, provisional diagnosis, or symptoms

  • MBS Item Code: (Paediatricians only) Your specific consultant or referral item number

  • Request for care: An explicit request for psychological services (e.g., therapy or assessment)

  • Course of treatment: The specific number of sessions you are approving for this block

  • Practitioner details: Your name, Medicare provider number, and signature

• Additional Sessions: When a patient requires a new course of treatment, simply send a brief re-referral letter containing the same 10 essential details listed above.

• MHTP Reviews: (GPs only) A formal MHTP Review is highly appreciated for continuity of care, but it is not strictly required by Medicare for every single re-referral.