Improved Access Program (IAP)

Important Announcements

Non-Attendance and Cancellation Fees 

Please provide 24-hours notice to prevent a cancellation fee if you wish to cancel or reschedule your appointment. Cancellation fees do not attract a Medicare rebate and must be paid in full prior to your next appointment.

Please refer to our cancellation policy below, effective 1st October 2024 :

 1. Cancelling an appointment with less notice than specified above incurs a cancellation fee equal to the consultation fee, which is NOT CLAIMABLE THROUGH MEDICARE. 

2. Failing to attend a confirmed appointment attracts a cancellation fee equal to the consultation fee, which is NOT CLAIMABLE THROUGH MEDICARE. 

3. Non-attendance, or cancellation of an initial appointment with less than 24-hours notice will result in forfeiture of the deposit paid for that appointment slot. If a further initial appointment is made, this will require a new deposit to be paid.

It is the patient’s responsibility to contact the clinic to reschedule after cancelling or failing to attend an appointment. Thank you for your understanding.

ADHD Treatment Restrictions

Our senior registrars can currently only accept a limited number of new referrals for patients in need of ADHD assessments. The IAP also has restricted capacity to take on referrals for ADHD assessments and your referral may be returned due to this reason. 

 

The Toowong Specialist Clinic’s Improved Access Program (IAP) is a service that offers patients access to high-quality, affordable private psychiatric treatment with Senior Training Registrars.

The Toowong Specialist Clinic has been granted accreditation by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists as Queensland’s first private outpatient training facility for Advanced Psychiatric Trainees. This Advanced Trainee will have undertaken all of the assessments required in order to be able to proceed to advanced training, have interest and aptitude in private practice psychiatry, and will usually be within twelve months of achieving their RANZCP Fellowship.

There are a number of benefits of the Improved Access Program:

1.

Cost as of August 2024
  • There will only be a $75 out-of-pocket cost per appointment after the Medicare rebate.
  • The cost from August 2024 of an initial appointment with a Senior Registrar is $197.25 with a Medicare rebate of $122.25. Follow up appointments are $140.35 with a rebate of $65.35, leaving you $75 out-of-pocket after Medicare rebate. Payment in full is required at the time of appointment and we can assist you in claiming your Medicare rebate.
  • Cancellation fee is the full cost of your consultation and will be charged for a no-show or if patients cancel within 24 hours.

2.

Quality of Care
  • As multiple registrars apply for this position each year, we are able to personally and individually select excellent Advanced Trainees who wish to transition to private practice as a consultant, and who we are confident will be a “good fit” for our service, and excellent treating practitioners for our patients.
  • All patients will have their treatment under the direct clinical supervision of either Dr Brad Matthews or Dr Jon-Paul Khoo.
  • Continuity of care will be available, as the Advanced Trainee who initially treats patients will be available for ongoing care as a consultant in the future, if required.

3.

Access & Community Need
  • The program allows access to care for patients that might otherwise fall outside of the criteria set down by public health services for mental health treatment, and might be considered in need of specialty assistance beyond what the treating general practitioner might feel confident in providing.
  • In this way, our goal is to, in a broader and more meaningful manner, address the unmet mental health needs of our community.

It should be noted that this service is designed around access to affordable outpatient care, and we cannot directly accept referrals for inpatient care through this program.

When the Advanced Trainee attains full specialist qualifications, they will continue to consult with patients under their clinical care, but the fee structure will revert to our Clinic’s usual consultant billing policies.

For an appointment with one of our Senior Registrars, simply request a referral marked to the Improved Access Program from your GP.

Senior Registrars currently on our Improved Access Program:

  • Dr Claire McNaught
  • Dr Wajeeha Zagham
  • Dr Greg Watson
  • Dr Tomas Heard
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