What to Expect

We are available via email and phone to answer any of your enquiries. We aim to provide a warm and welcoming environment and are happy to talk through any queries prior to attending your first appointment.

When you first call for an appointment, one of the first things we will ask is if you have received from your GP a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP), sometimes referred to as a care plan or access plan. This is the most commonly used and most easily accessible way for you to see a psychologist. Having the plan in place is also necessary for you to be eligible to receive the Medicare rebate. Alternatively, if your treatment will be funded by a third party, such as an insurer, we will need written approval from your case manager (email is fine) outlining how many sessions are approved and any invoicing requirements, and we will invoice them directly. You are of course welcome to attend appointments in a private fee-paying capacity, and to later claim the session with your private health insurer if applicable.

Before you attend your first appointment, we will need a copy of the referral letter and MHTP. You can bring these to your first appointment, or ask your GP to send them to us directly. If the referral from your GP is the first contact we have received, we will get in touch with you to discuss scheduling a consult.

When booking your first consult we will ask for some basic personal information in order to confirm the appointment. If you are uncomfortable disclosing some information over the phone, that’s okay, you can discuss them confidentially in your session. We do, however, require a contact phone number and email address so that we can send out appointment reminders and other necessary documentation for you to read prior to the first consult.

At the time of booking the first consult, we also schedule your first six appointments at fortnightly intervals. This is to guarantee that once you begin treatment you receive a consistent allocated time to gain the most from your sessions without significant waiting periods between appointments. This schedule can of course be adjusted to accommodate your needs and circumstances. However, we do require a minimum 24 hours’ notice of an appointment alteration or cancellation. That provides us with sufficient time to offer that appointment to other clients who may need it. 

We are located at suite 10/780 South Road, Glandore, SA 5037. We have parking available directly outside the clinic and we are also located near many public transport options. More details on those are on our Contact Us page.

We are the third office in from the parking lot entrance (on King Street). Our name and logo can be spotted directly above the door as well as on the larger sign on top of the building. The front windows are tinted for comfort and privacy so can appear darker from the outside, while still providing plenty of natural light on the inside of our offices. Immediately inside the front door you will find reception and next to that our waiting room. If reception is unattended, please take a seat in there and someone will be with you shortly.

When checking in for the first appointment, we will double check that we have all the correct information in your file, in particular that we have received the referral letter and Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP, and your Medicare details. The use of personal information in our clinic is solely done as necessary for the purpose of accessing and maintaining a client’s legal benefits, and as required to preserve a psychologist’s duties as bound by state and federal laws. We respect and uphold the use of preferred names, pronouns, identities, and self-expressions, and acknowledge government records may not accurately represent a client’s true self.

At the conclusion of your consult, we will ask for payment of the full consult fee. There is limited capacity for bulk billing and alternate payment rates, and these can be discussed confidentially during your first session. We will process your Medicare rebate for you upon payment. The rebate should be paid to the bank account you have registered with Medicare within 48 hours. It is usually much quicker than this, but we advise to account for potential delay.

If at any time prior to your appointment you have any questions, feel free to get in touch so that we can assist you. Otherwise, we will be ready to welcome you to South & Cross Psychology.