Mental Health
The Local Doctor's GPs provide mental health care at the Ivanhoe and Diamond Creek clinics: unhurried consultations, mental health treatment plans under Medicare's Better Access initiative (rebates for up to 10 individual and 10 group sessions each calendar year), reviews, and referrals to psychologists and psychiatrists. Book a longer appointment to allow time to talk.
Written by Dr Christopher Irwin · MBChB, FRACGP, MMed (Skin Cancer), FACAM, ASCD · Reviewed by Dr Christopher Irwin · Updated 10 July 2026
Looking after your mental health is as important as looking after your physical health — and your GP is a good place to start. At our Ivanhoe and Diamond Creek clinics, our GPs provide unhurried mental health consultations, prepare and review mental health treatment plans, and refer to psychologists and psychiatrists when you need extra support.
How your GP can help
Anxiety, low mood, stress, sleep problems, burnout, grief — these are among the most common reasons people see a GP, and you do not need to have it all worked out before you come in. In a mental health consultation your GP will listen, help make sense of what is going on, rule out physical contributors where relevant, and work through the options with you. That might mean practical strategies, a treatment plan and referral, medication where appropriate, or simply a follow-up appointment to see how you are travelling.
Please book a longer appointment for mental health concerns — it gives you and your doctor the time these conversations deserve.
Mental health treatment plans (Better Access)
A mental health treatment plan is prepared with your GP under Medicare’s Better Access initiative. With a plan in place, Medicare rebates are available for up to 10 individual and up to 10 group sessions with a mental health professional — such as a psychologist — each calendar year. Your first referral usually covers 6 sessions, after which your GP reviews how things are going and can refer you for further sessions.
Our GPs prepare plans, complete the reviews, and coordinate your care along the way. For a step-by-step guide, read our article on how mental health care plans work.
Psychology and psychiatry referrals
We refer to psychologists — including psychology available onsite — and to psychiatrists where specialist assessment or treatment is needed. A psychiatrist referral does not require a treatment plan, just a GP referral letter. Whoever you see, your GP stays involved: reviewing progress, adjusting the plan, and looking after the physical health that so often travels with mental health.
Fees
Standard GP consultation fees apply — see our Ivanhoe fees and Diamond Creek fees pages. Medicare rebates apply to eligible consultations, including mental health treatment plans and reviews.
If you need help now
Our clinics are not an emergency service. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 000.
- Lifeline — 13 11 14 (24 hours)
- Suicide Call Back Service — 1300 659 467 (24 hours)
- Beyond Blue — 1300 22 4636 (24 hours)
Sources
- Mental health treatment plans, Healthdirect Australia.
- Better Access initiative, Australian Government Department of Health.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a mental health treatment plan?
- A mental health treatment plan is a structured plan your GP prepares with you under Medicare's Better Access initiative. It sets out what you are dealing with, your goals, and the support you'll use — usually including a referral to a psychologist or other mental health professional. With a plan, Medicare rebates are available for up to 10 individual and up to 10 group sessions with a mental health professional each calendar year.
- How do I get a mental health treatment plan at The Local Doctor?
- Book an appointment with one of our GPs at Ivanhoe or Diamond Creek and mention it is for a mental health treatment plan — please choose a longer appointment so there is enough time to talk things through properly. Your GP will ask about how you have been feeling, work through the plan with you, and organise any referral.
- How many psychology sessions does Medicare cover?
- Under Better Access, Medicare rebates are available for up to 10 individual sessions and up to 10 group sessions with a mental health professional each calendar year. The first referral usually covers 6 sessions; your GP then reviews your progress before referring you for further sessions. Psychologists set their own fees, so any gap payment varies between providers.
- Do I need a mental health treatment plan to see a psychiatrist?
- No — a psychiatrist needs a GP referral letter, not a mental health treatment plan. Our GPs can assess what is going on, write the referral, and continue your care alongside the psychiatrist.
- Can you help in a crisis?
- Our clinics are not an emergency service. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000. For urgent support any time of day, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. If it is not an emergency, book the next available GP appointment and tell reception you need to be seen soon.