Faq's

The Specialist Medical Centre at Norwest (SMC at Norwest) does not offer acute care services.

Service providers attend the SMC at Norwest on a sessional or part-time basis. We are unable to offer urgent or emergency care. Each clinician will have their own strategies for handling less urgent issues that come up in between scheduled sessions. You might not be able to get advice on these from the administrative team. There are a number of resources available in times of crisis that are tailored to the requirements of families and children experiencing severe challenges.

For non-urgent medical support during the business hours please contact your General Practitioner (GP).

For urgent medical support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: Please dial emergency 000.

For mental health support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Dial 000 Ambulance or local emergency department
Lifeline - 13 11 14
Kids Helpline - 1800 55 1800
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
Headspace: 1800 650 890

The following services also provide support and information to parents and families, though may not be available 24 hours per day:
Parent line - 1300 30 1300
Family and Child Connect 13 32 64

Fees

Our practitioners determine their fees individually, and they may vary depending on the service provided on the day.

Payments

We require full payment of your account on the day of your consultation. Payments may be made by cash, EFTPOS or credit card (Mastercard/Visa). Please contact us before the appointment if you have any queries or concerns.

Claiming a Medicare Rebate

You can claim a rebate from Medicare if you have a valid referral from your GP (valid for 12 months) or a specialist (valid for 3 months).

We offer online Medicare claims, allowing Medicare to pay the rebate directly into your account within 48 hours. More information about claiming and how to register your details with Medicare are available at this website

We take your child's privacy seriously. We follow strict confidentiality standards and comply with relevant privacy laws to ensure the security and confidentiality of your child's health information.

Your child's health information is used for medical treatment, billing, insurance claims, and other necessary administrative purposes. The information is accessed by only authorized healthcare providers who are directly involved in your child's care.

At least 24 hours notice is required if you need to cancel or change your appointment, as this allows us to offer it to other patients. Missed appointments, or those cancelled with less than 24 hours notice will incur a cancellation fee of $50.

Medicare Safety Net

Families or individuals who have reached the Medicare Safety Net threshold may be eligible for an additional benefit from Medicare. Please visit Services Australia for further information and Eligibility.

Better Access to Mental Healthcare Scheme

Medicare rebates are available for up to 10 individual and 10 group allied mental health services per calendar year to patients with an assessed mental disorder who are referred by:

• A GP managing the patient under a GP Mental Health Plan, or a psychiatrist or a paediatrician

Allied mental health services under this initiative include psychological assessment and therapy services provided by clinical psychologists, eligible occupational therapists, and psychologists.

Health professionals determine their own fees for the service they provide, and may charge in excess of the Medicare rebate.

Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDM) and Team Care Arrangements (TCA)

The Chronic Diseases Management Plan (CDM) is a Medicare-rebated funding program for people who have chronic medical conditions (classified as a condition that has been present for at least 6 months).

It consists of 5 (maximum) rebates per calendar year for Allied Health services (Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy and Psychology). If you are accessing more than one type of therapy, you are entitled to share the CDM sessions across the therapists (not 5 rebates per service).

GPs may suggest a CDM or TCA to help plan and coordinate care for children with complex medical or developmental needs. If your child has a CDM or TCA they may be eligible to claim through Medicare for up to 5 allied health visits (eg. speech pathology, dietician, physio, Occupational Therapy, Psychology) per calendar year.

Helping Children with Autism Program

There are Medicare rebates for the assessment and treatment of autism under the age of 13.

To be eligible for these rebates, a GP refers a child with possible ASD for assessment by a paediatrician or psychiatrist.

The paediatrician or psychiatrist may refer to allied health professionals such as a speech pathologist, psychologist, or occupational therapist to assist in diagnosis. Medicare provides rebates for up to 4 diagnostic assessments visits per child. The paediatrician will then see your child again to develop a treatment and management plan which is also rebated through Medicare (provided it is completed before your child turns 13).

After the development of the management plan, your paediatrician or psychiatrist may refer you for allied health services. Medicare will rebate up to 20 allied health services per child for the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder. These treatment services must occur before your child turns 15.

Better Start Program

The Better Start Program has been introduced for children with other disabilities such as deafness, blindness, Cerebral Palsy, Down’s Syndrome and Fragile X Syndrome. The model is very similar to the HCWA (Helping Children with Autism Package) funding.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

NDIS is a new national funding scheme now available in all parts of New South Wales. NDIS offers an information and referral service to any Australian with any level of disability, including access to specialist disability support services. If eligible for NDIS, your child will receive funding on an annual basis to buy the services and aids your child needs to achieve your goals and achieve optimal independence. You can decide whether to manage the funds yourself (“self-managed”) or you can ask the NDIS to manage these funds for you.

HCWA & Better Start funding will continue until your funding is utilised or the NDIS rolls out in your area. If you are still receiving this funding at the time of the roll out, you will receive information to assist with the transition to NDIS.

What should I bring?

Please bring your Medicare Card, referral, registration forms and previous assessment reports (if not emailed or faxed through). Your child’s Health and Development Record (blue/green book) is also helpful.

Also, if you have any other relevant reports (such as those from other medical appointments, teachers, or test results) that you would like considered in your appointment, please send them by email or fax prior to your consultation.

Does my child need to attend the appointment?

You will not be eligible for a Medicare rebate if your child is not present at the consultation. If you will need to speak to your practitioner without your child, please bring along a trusted friend or relative to wait with your child while you do so.

Require an interpreter?

If you have an upcoming appointment with a Paediatrician, we can help you book an interpreter to support you in person throughout your appointment. Interpreters will talk to your doctors and speak to you in a language you understand to ensure you have the details you need for your care and support.

Please note interpreters must be booked ahead of time for on-site visits, to ensure a person who speaks your language is available. Please inform our friendly reception team if we need to book an interpreter for your appointment with the Paediatrician.