👩‍⚕️Step 2 - Referral to a Psychiatrist

Dr Shaw will directly refer you to a psychiatrist or psychiatric clinic.

This referral can be emailed or faxed to the clinic by our front desk.

The referral must specifically request a psychiatric assessment under item 291.

This allows a Medicare rebate of about $450. The actual total fee seems to range between about $900 to $1200, so a gap payment of about $450 to $750 is required. Note these figures may vary. They are just a ballpark figure based on patient feedback.

Most clinics will respond within 2 weeks (some within 24 hours) and most are able to offer appointments within 2-8 weeks.

Note, almost all ADHD psychiatric consultations are done via Telehealth. It is virtually impossible to get an assessment done face-to-face in Victoria.

Assessment usually lasts 60–90 minutes, may include questionnaires, collateral history, and past school/work reports.

If you have any supporting documents including functional impact summaries (work/school), past reports (school, workplace, psychologist notes) then these should be sent to the psychiatric clinic.

Most clinics will request these documents if available.

Note, most of these clinics do not prescribe. They generally hand over prescribing to the GP.

Dr Shaw will request in the referral letter the right to obtain a permit to prescribe.

The permit to prescribe lasts for 2 years. There is an extra fee of ~ $70 for obtaining the permit, although if you are eligible for a GP Chronic Disease Plan this will be waived (see next page).

This means that repeat scripts can be obtained from Dr Shaw rather than the psychiatrist, which significantly reduces the patient’s expense.

After 2 years, the patient must be reviewed again by the psychiatrist, and a new permit obtained.