Purpose

This policy outlines the framework under which Consultant Psychiatrists provide services at Bella Vista Psychiatry and Wellbeing Clinic. It is designed to ensure compliance with applicable regulatory, accreditation, and professional standards, including AHPRA requirements and the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards, where applicable.

Throughout this policy, the terms “we”, “us”, and “our” refer to the psychiatrists and administrative staff operating within Bella Vista Psychiatry and Wellbeing Clinic.

Scope of Services

Psychiatrists practising at Bella Vista Psychiatry and Wellbeing Clinic are appropriately qualified, registered with the Medical Board of Australia, and operate within their individual scope of practice, clinical competence, and professional indemnity coverage. The clinic provides a range of specialised psychiatric assessment and treatment services to adults and adolescents, delivered in accordance with evidence-based practice and professional guidelines.

Each psychiatrist practises independently and has specific areas of clinical expertise. Accordingly, not all practitioners provide the same services, and referrals may be redirected where a requested service falls outside a practitioner’s scope of practice.

Exclusions and Limitations

Bella Vista Psychiatry and Wellbeing Clinic does not currently provide:

• Forensic psychiatric assessments
• Medicolegal reports
• Reports for family law proceedings or court-ordered matters

Requests for services outside the clinic’s scope will be declined or referred to an appropriate external provider.

Governance and Clinical Responsibility

All psychiatrists are responsible for:

• Maintaining current registration and compliance with AHPRA and College requirements
• Adhering to relevant clinical standards, legislation, and ethical guidelines
• Ensuring informed consent, accurate clinical documentation, and continuity of care
• Practising within their approved scope and competency

The clinic maintains policies and procedures to support patient safety, confidentiality, complaints management, and risk management in line with accreditation standards.

What to Expect

Psychiatrists practising at Bella Vista Psychiatry and Wellbeing Clinic provide comprehensive psychiatric assessment and ongoing outpatient care for a range of mental health presentations.

Initial Appointments

Initial psychiatric assessments generally range from 45 minutes to up to 2 hours, depending on the treating psychiatrist and the complexity of the presentation. Where a child or adolescent has been referred, a parent or legal guardian is required to attend the appointment.

Review Appointments

Follow-up consultations typically range from 30 to 45 minutes, depending on clinical need and the treating psychiatrist. If a longer appointment is required, this must be requested at the time of booking to ensure appropriate scheduling.

Letters and Certificates

If brief letters, certificates, or forms are required during an appointment, patients must ensure the booked appointment duration is sufficient to accommodate this request. The treating psychiatrist should be advised at the commencement of the appointment.

Reports and Documentation Outside Consultations

Requests for reports or documentation to be completed outside of a consultation are subject to additional fees, reflecting the time required to prepare these documents. For more detailed or complex reports, an agreed timeframe for completion will be discussed between the requesting party and the psychiatrist.

Due to the time-intensive nature of report writing, not all requests can be accommodated. Please note that reports are not eligible for Medicare rebates.

Separated Parents Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to outline the clinic’s approach to working with separated parents and families, ensuring that the best interests, safety, and wellbeing of the child remain the primary focus of care at all times.

Parental Cooperation and Decision-Making

Bella Vista Psychiatry and Wellbeing Clinic expects separated parents to engage respectfully and cooperatively in matters relating to their child’s care. Wherever possible, decisions regarding a child’s medical and psychological treatment (including the commencement of medication or therapeutic interventions) should be made jointly by both parents.

Parents are responsible for providing the clinic with copies of any relevant court orders, parenting plans, or legal documents that relate to parental responsibility or decision-making authority. These documents must be provided at the first appointment.

Parental Access and Involvement

Unless a court order restricts a parent’s involvement, either parent or legal guardian may:

• Schedule an appointment for their child
• Attend appointments with their child
• Request access to clinical correspondence and reports

Where an appointment is booked by one parent, it is that parent’s responsibility to:

• Inform the other parent of the appointment
• Invite the other parent to attend
• Provide appropriate feedback following the appointment

The clinic does not provide separate feedback sessions to each parent.

Reports and Correspondence

Clinical reports and correspondence will be issued to the parent who attends the appointment. It is the responsibility of that parent to share the information with the other parent. Where specifically requested and where legally permissible, the clinic may provide copies of correspondence to both parents. The clinic does not have the capacity to provide separate reports or separate clinical opinions for each parent.

Fees and Payments

Payment is required on the day of the child’s appointment. Where there is a legal agreement requiring one parent to contribute to or cover treatment costs, the attending parent remains responsible for settling the account at the time of service and arranging reimbursement privately.

High-Conflict Situations

Where there is significant parental conflict, Bella Vista Psychiatry and Wellbeing Clinic reserves the right to:

• Request and review relevant court orders
• Require written consent from both parents prior to providing treatment
• Limit or suspend services until disputes are appropriately resolved

In circumstances where ongoing conflict disrupts clinic operations or compromises the child’s care, the clinic may determine that it is unable to continue providing services and may discharge the family in accordance with clinic policy.

Limitations of Service

The clinic does not accept referrals where the primary purpose of assessment is to provide information for legal decision-making related to custody, parenting disputes, or family law proceedings.

Information Disclosure

Families are encouraged to provide full and accurate information regarding their family circumstances at the first appointment. This enables the clinic to provide safe, ethical, and appropriate care for the child.

Fees and Cancellation Policy

Fees and Payment

Bella Vista Psychiatry and Wellbeing Clinic is a private billing clinic. Payments are required on the day of your consultation. Medicare rebates are available for eligible patients with a valid GP referral presented at the time of consultation. Online claiming is available for those eligible for Medicare rebates. Accepted payment methods include credit card and EFTPOS.

New Patients

A non-refundable deposit is required at the time of booking your appointment. Rescheduling requires at least 2 business days’ notice; otherwise, the deposit will be forfeited, and a new nonrefundable deposit will be required when re-booking.

Review Patients

For review appointments, rescheduling or cancellations require at least 2 business days’ notice. Late changes may incur an additional fee at the time of re-booking.

Cancellation Policy

We understand that unplanned situations may occur. If you need to cancel or reschedule, please contact our team as soon as possible. Providing at least 2 business days’ notice helps us offer the appointment to another patient and ensures timely access to care. If a pattern of last-minute cancellations or non-attendance is observed, future appointments may only be confirmed with full prepayment of expected fees.

Financial Assistance

If you are experiencing financial hardship, please discuss your options for psychiatric care with your GP.

Medicare Safety Net

Some patients or families may qualify for the Medicare Safety Net Scheme, which reduces out-ofpocket costs once an annual threshold is reached. The threshold is lower for holders of a pensioner concession card, Health Care Card, or Commonwealth Seniors’ Card. Couples and families should register all eligible members with Medicare to ensure out-of-pocket costs contribute toward the family’s Extended Medicare Safety Net threshold, even if all members are listed on a single Medicare card.

Lateness

Please arrive on time for your appointment. If you arrive up to 15 minutes late, your appointment may be shortened, but you will still be charged in full.

If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, your appointment will be considered a ‘no show’ and a non-attendance consultation fee will apply. Medicare rebates will not be available for missed or excessively late appointments.

Telehealth Consultations

If you are attending a telehealth consultation, you understand that you will not be physically present with your clinician. While the consultation occurs via a secure communication system, there are potential risks, including technical interruptions or connectivity issues.

To ensure confidentiality:

• Attend from a quiet, private location.
• Inform your doctor if others are present or able to overhear the consultation.
• Recording of consultations is strictly prohibited.
• Telehealth appointments are charged at the same rate as face-to-face consultations. Pre-payment is required upon receiving your appointment reminder.

Informed Consent

Adults:

For adult patients attending Bella Vista Psychiatry and Wellbeing Clinic, it is assumed you have the capacity to make decisions regarding your health, wellbeing, and treatment. Your clinician will explain your diagnosis, treatment options, and the associated risks and benefits. All decisions regarding treatment remain your choice, and you are encouraged to ask questions and consider options carefully before commencing treatment.

Children and Adolescents:

For patients under 18, a parent or guardian must attend the appointment. If the child is too young or lacks sufficient understanding, the parent or guardian provides informed consent on their behalf.

Separated Parents/Guardians:

Unless specific court orders dictate otherwise, the parent attending the appointment is expected to discuss treatment and care with the other parent/guardian, ensuring agreement on the proposed management plan.

Prescriptions

Prescriptions will only be provided during scheduled appointments. This ensures that your medical care is appropriately reviewed and monitored.

Unacceptable Behaviour Policy

We ask that all patients treat our reception and clinical staff with courtesy and respect. Abusive, aggressive, or threatening behaviour will not be tolerated. If this policy is violated, we reserve the right to:

• Terminate a phone call,
• Ask the patient to leave the clinic, or
• Contact law enforcement if necessary.

Privacy Policy

Your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information are important to us. Please refer to the Bella Vista Psychiatry and Wellbeing Clinic Privacy Policy to understand how your information is collected, used, and protected.

Contact and Communication

Our doctors are unable to respond to medical questions via phone or email as a standard practice. If you have questions regarding your treatment or condition, please book an appointment to discuss these with your doctor.

Crisis and Emergency Services

The services provided by Bella Vista Psychiatry and Wellbeing Clinic are not a crisis or emergency service, and same-day consultations are not available.

If you are in crisis, please:

• Attend your nearest Emergency Department, or
• Contact your local public mental health service.
• In an emergency, call 000. Additional support services include:
• Lifeline: 13 11 14
• 24 Hour Mental Health Access Line: 1800 011 511
• Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
• Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800
• Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467

Feedback

We value your feedback and want to know if you were satisfied with your care or if there are ways we can improve. Feedback is taken seriously and may be de-identified and reviewed with colleagues to improve our services.

Please provide feedback by: Emailing i[email protected], or requesting to speak with the Practice Manager.