How it Works
Psychological Assessment and Consultation Services
COVID-19 Safety Update: Appointments are typically available in person or via Telehealth via video conference call or phone. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and health orders, the Australian Government has indefinitely extended telehealth items under the medicare better access scheme. Therefore, appointments are currently available via Telehealth only in the interest to maintain client/patient health and safety and minimising risk.
Jacqueline Saad is a fully qualified and registered psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and remains committed to ongoing professional training. Jacqueline uses a combination of contemporary evidence-based treatments, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Schema Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), and science-based ADHD Coaching and executive function therapy. Jacqueline also provides comprehensive ADHD assessments for diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, diagnostic clinical evaluations may be involved in your treatment to manage symptoms such as anxiety, depression, stress, and sleep difficulties. Before commencing treatment, Jacqueline will discuss the proposed approach with you and ensure you understand the rationale for the process, including any identified risks in line with the promise to act with integrity in everything related to your treatment and the professional relationship.
A referral is not required to see a Psychologist unless you wish to claim a rebate under the Medicare Better Access Initiative. Should you have a referral letter and mental health care treatment plan from a GP, Psychiatrist or Paediatrician, please bring these documents to your session. Also, please check with your private health fund to confirm rebates available to you. Jacqueline Saad is a registered psychologist, holds a Medicare provider number and is registered with most private health funds.
During your treatment with Jacqueline Saad, your psychological service may be delivered via Telehealth. Jacqueline Saad will consider and discuss the appropriateness of ongoing telehealth sessions with you as there may be some services for which Telehealth is not appropriate or effective. The number and frequency of sessions depend on many factors, and you may discuss this during your initial session. A new client information pack will be provided to you at the initial appointment booking stage, which includes essential information about the services you will receive, including the approach to treatment, business practices, fees, and other information relating to confidentiality. This provides an opportunity to review this important information carefully outlined in the client consent form before your initial appointment.
Fees, Rebates and Cancellation Policy
A mental health treatment plan under the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative provides up to 10 sessions per calendar year with a rebate of $88.25 per session. Psychology services are eligible for a rebate by most private health funds through extras cover. The level of cover, waiting periods and restrictions vary between the health fund insurers. After six sessions, you must attend a review consultation with your referring Doctor to obtain another referral for the additional four sessions if you wish to continue to claim a rebate from your consultation fee. Jacqueline Saad will provide a progress letter to your Doctor at the six-session interval and a summary following the completion of ten sessions.
Payment, in full, is expected at the end of each 50-minute session. The consultation fee is payable to Jacqueline Saad, collected on behalf of Jacqueline Saad by the reception team at St Leonard’s Specialist Clinic. If for any reason, a patient/client is unable to pay before leaving the session, payment is required for any outstanding fees before the next/upcoming session. Payment for the last session cannot be made at the follow-up session, resulting in two outstanding payments. Unfortunately, we do not offer any bulk-billing services. If you are experiencing any financial hardship, please discuss options with your GP and Jacqueline Saad. For telehealth consultation, securing your appointment as you will not be present in the clinic on the consultation day may require card payment authorisation, collected and stored securely for payment after consultation, which our reception team will discuss with you.
If patients/clients arrive late, the appointment will be shortened to the remaining treatment time, and the appointment will be charged in full. We all get frustrated with waiting and running late, appreciating the effort patients/clients make to attend their appointment on time, and therefore Jacqueline will do her best to run as close to your booked appointment time as possible. Sometimes, due to emergencies and psychological therapy’s complex nature, Jacqueline may be running late for no more than 10 minutes; in the unusual situation where this may be longer, Jacqueline or the reception team will contact you. As consultations run for 50 minutes, a 1 hour appointment time is allocated to help provide a buffer for these unexpected times. However, especially with Telehealth, technical issues can be experienced on both sides and need to be accounted for, causing delays.
If you need to cancel or postpone an appointment, you will be required to provide us with at least 1 day’s notice during business hours so that we can offer your appointment time to patients on our waiting list; otherwise, you will be charged the full consultation fee for appointments not attended. We have a strict cancellation fee policy with 100% of the appointment fee charged if no replacement service is billed for the lost time. Please note that cancellation fees attract GST as only psychological treatment services are GST exempt. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our reception team for further information on our pricing structure.
The fees set by Jacqueline Saad reflect the level of training and expertise of the Psychologist and will be reviewed on 1 July each year.