Mental Health Care Plans (Bulk Billed)

Harbour Town Doctors prepares bulk billed mental health care plans for patients across Biggera Waters, Labrador, Runaway Bay, Southport and the northern Gold Coast. A plan is the practical route to seeing a psychologist with most of the cost carried by Medicare.

You do not need a referral to come and talk to us, and you do not need to arrive with a diagnosis. Book a longer appointment, have an honest conversation with one of our GPs, and in most cases you will leave the same day with your plan and a referral in hand.

What a mental health care plan actually covers

Included on your plan

Up to 10 individual sessions each calendar year with a psychologist, counsellor or mental health social worker
Up to 10 group therapy sessions in the same calendar year
A Medicare rebate on every one of those sessions
A GP review after your first 6 sessions
A written plan you keep, setting out your goals and the support around you

Worth knowing before you book

The GP appointment to prepare your plan is bulk billed at our Biggera Waters clinic
Medicare pays a rebate towards each session rather than the whole fee
Some psychologists bulk bill and others charge a gap, so ask when you book
Your subsidised sessions reset at the start of each calendar year
You can change psychologist partway through, your GP just writes a new referral

How to get your plan at Harbour Town Doctors

Step 1

Book a long appointment

Call 07 5222 7117 or book online and tell reception it is for a mental health care plan. A standard consult is not long enough, so we set aside extra time.

Step 2

Talk it through with your GP

Your GP will ask what has been going on, how long for, and how it is affecting your sleep, work and the people around you. Nothing you say leaves the room.

Step 3

We write the plan with you

You agree the goals together, and your GP writes the plan and a referral to a psychologist, counsellor or mental health social worker.

Step 4

Six sessions, then a review

Use the referral for your first six sessions, then come back so we can see how you are travelling before referring you for the rest of the year.

Who can get a mental health care plan?

Anyone with a diagnosed mental health condition, including anxiety, depression, panic, PTSD, grief or long-running sleep problems
Children, teenagers and adults are all eligible
You need a current Medicare card
No referral is needed to see the GP who writes the plan
Plans can be reviewed with your GP, and your subsidised sessions reset each calendar year

Mental health support across the northern Gold Coast

Our clinic sits inside Harbour Town Premium Outlets at Biggera Waters with free parking at the door, which makes it a straightforward stop for patients from Labrador, Runaway Bay, Coombabah, Hollywell, Paradise Point and Southport. We are open seven days a week, so a plan appointment does not have to cost you a day off work.

Not sure where to start? Talk it through with one of our GPs at an ordinary appointment first. You can also see what else is covered under general practice and family medicine, or book online whenever suits you.

Mental health care plan FAQs

Is the mental health care plan appointment bulk billed at Harbour Town Doctors?

Yes. The GP appointment where we prepare your plan is bulk billed for eligible Medicare card holders. The sessions afterwards are billed by the psychologist or counsellor you see, and their fees vary, so it is worth asking when you book that first session.

How long is the appointment?

Allow around 20 to 30 minutes. Please tell reception when you book that it is for a mental health care plan so we can set aside a long appointment rather than a standard one.

Do I need to bring anything?

Just your Medicare card. If you have seen a psychologist or counsellor before, or you are taking any medication, it helps to mention it, but there is nothing you need to prepare or write down beforehand.

Can I get a mental health care plan for my child or teenager?

Yes. Children and teenagers are eligible, and the plan works the same way. A parent or guardian would normally come to the appointment, and your GP can point you towards psychologists who work with younger patients.

What happens after I have used my 10 sessions?

Come back and see your GP. Your subsidised sessions reset at the start of each calendar year, and in the meantime your GP can talk through other options, including group sessions, which sit on a separate allowance of up to 10 per year.

Do I have to see a psychologist near Biggera Waters?

No. Your referral is not tied to one practice, so you can see anyone suitable on the Gold Coast or further afield. Your GP will suggest options, and you are free to choose based on availability, fees or who you feel comfortable with.

Will my employer or my family be told?

No. Your plan and everything discussed in the appointment are part of your confidential medical record. Nothing is shared with an employer, a family member or anyone else without your consent.

I have had a plan before. Can I get another one?

Yes. Plans are reviewed and renewed rather than being a one-off. Book an appointment and your GP will look at how things have gone since the last plan and what would help now.

Our other services at Harbour Town Doctors

We are a bulk billing medical centre at Harbour Town Premium Outlets, Biggera Waters, open seven days a week. Alongside mental health care plans, our GPs also look after the following.

Talk to a GP about a mental health care plan

We are open seven days a week at Harbour Town Premium Outlets, Biggera Waters. Book a long appointment online, or call reception and say it is for a mental health care plan.

ADDRESS

Harbour Town Premium Outlets.
Shop A054 / 147-189 Brisbane Road.
Biggera Waters, QLD 4216