TeleHealth Sessions

COVID19 Update – Telephone and Videolink consultations – Due to the current social distancing guidelines, it is now recommended that psychology sessions are conducted via telephone or videolink. The Government, through Medicare, has introduced new guidelines which allows all clients with a Mental Health Care Plan to be bulk-billed (please note Simon Beal has always bulk-billed clients with a MHCP, so there is no change for existing or new clients).

Please see the information below regarding consultations via telephone and videolink.  Simon’s approach is extremely well suited to either telephone or videolink, as much of what is discussed in consultations are the detailed and comprehensive strategies that parents/carers need to address the problems you and your family are experiencing.  Simon has already been providing this service to rural clients, and this has proved very effective in dealing with the same issues, without meeting face-to-face.  Please feel free to discuss any concerns with Simon.

All clients with a Mental Health Care Plan can contact the office on 8384 2222 to schedule an appointment.  We will need a telephone contact number and email address to provide you with details of the appointment (videolink consults are easily established via an email link).

TeleHealth video link consultations are now available to both private patients and Medicare Referred patients.  Simon specialises in treating children’s behavioural issues, such as anger, defiance, anxiety, self-esteem issues, sleeping difficulties, toileting issues etc.  Typically these behavioural issues are treated via the implementation of behavioural strategies, therefore most is achieved by a parent/s implementing these strategies at home.   TeleHealth is therefore a very effective means of providing this type of treatment.  For private patients, in many instances, the child does not need to be present for the most of the sessions.  Please note however that for Medicare Referred patients, it is a requirement that the child is present for most of the consult – this can be discussed in more detail with Simon during your initial consult.  TeleHealth sessions are not intended for very complex matters (e.g., children in foster care, Family Court/high conflict situations, adolescent self-harm).

Please follow the instructions below.

Private Patients   If you choose to pay privately (either as a private patient or NDIS), a referral is not required, and appointments, payments, and establishing the video link can be done using the links above.  Please note that Initial Consults are 50 minutes duration with a fee of $170, and follow-up appointments will typically be 30 minutes duration with a fee of $90, which is payable when booking the appointment.  If Simon is unable to keep any appointment, a full refund will be issued.  To get the most from each session, please ensure you are able to establish the video link at the stated appointment time.  In order to use the time as efficiently as possible, prior to your first session, you may wish to email a brief summary detailing the reason for the consult and a short history detailing relevant issues (however, this is not essential).

Medicare Referred Patients  The Australian Government has recently introduced Medicare Rebates for Clinical Psychological Services for patients living in rural and remote areas.  To access these rebates, you must live in a location which falls within the Monash Modified Model (MMM) Region 4, 5, 6 & 7.  The Doctor Connect website contains a searchable online map that can be used to check whether you are within regions MMM4-7.  Go to the Doctor Connect website and then enter your postcode. The search will identify the MMM region classifications from MMM1-7.  (Please note, it is the patient’s responsibility to check that you meet the criteria to access the Medicare Rebate (If you are ineligible, you will be invoiced as a private patient).

Medicare Referred Patients also require a current Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP), which is available from a General Practitioner or Paediatrician.  Please contact your local doctor to discuss this in more detail.  A current MHCP must be faxed or emailed to Simon prior to any appointments being made.  The fax number is 08 8219 9950, and email simon.beal@bigpond.com.  (Please note that every care is taken to ensure the security and confidentiality of information faxed and emailed, however both forms of communication are subject to the normal security issues associated with both – if you have any concerns regarding the confidentiality of any information, please discuss these during your secure video link).  As a Medicare Referred patient, you will be bulk-billed – please ensure you have faxed or emailed your MHCP and your Medicare Number prior to any appointment being made.  For Initial Consults, please book the 50 minute appointment, with follow-up appointments typically being 30 minutes duration.

Consult Information

TeleHealth sessions are exactly the same as clinic-based sessions.  Please refer to the other pages on this website for important information regarding appointments and what to expect from your session.  When making appointments, please make one appointment booking initially, the need and time-frame for further appointments will be discussed in your initial consult.  For Initial Consults, please book the 50 minute appointment, with any follow-up appointments typically 30 minutes.

IMPORTANT: If you plan to use a computer for the video link, your video link will be established via your web browser.  Mobile devices require the Whereby App (free to download) to be installed.  Please ensure your device (computer or mobile device) allows access to your device’s camera and microphone.  To avoid technical issues, please trial the Whereby Video Meeting with a friend prior your appointment time.

At the time of your scheduled appointment, please click on the link provided above.  During video consults the video meeting room is locked to ensure privacy, which means no-one else has access until your meeting is terminated.  As with normal consults, delays can occur, however every effort is made to ensure your appointment will proceed on time.  If your meeting is delayed, please be patient and the video link will be established as soon as possible.