Clinical Services

Scope of Clinical Appointments

All consultations are conducted via secure video consultation. In-person appointments are not available.

Services for Clinical Care are limited to:

• Medicare Item 291 (initial comprehensive assessment)
• Medicare Item 293 (review of management plan)

These are consultative services, after which care is returned to your referring GP.

Video consultations are conducted via a secure, confidential platform. You will receive instructions after your appointment is confirmed.

Patients must be located within Australia at the time of consultation.

Fees

• Initial consultation (Item 291): AUD 655.60 ($200 gap after Medicare rebate for Medicare cardholders).
  Payable in full at the time of consultation
• Review consultation (Item 293): AUD 434.80 (30+ minutes) ($150 gap after Medicare rebate for Medicare cardholders).
  A review of the initial management plan may occur after 3–4 months, if clinically appropriate
• A referral letter from a general practitioner or other medical practitioner is required to access a Medicare rebate for psychiatric consultation.

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Medicare and Insurance

• Patients with a valid Medicare card may be eligible for a rebate
  → Please check Services Australia for current rebate amounts
• Patients with Visitor Health Cover or Temporary Resident Health Cover are required to pay the full fee at the time of consultation
  → Please check with your health fund regarding rebate eligibility

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Referral Requirements

• A valid GP referral is required prior to booking
• Please discuss with your GP your suitability for Item 291, as your GP will need to:

   

  • Receive the assessment report
  • Continue your ongoing treatment and prescribing
• For Item 293 (review):

   

  • An updated GP referral is required, specifically requesting review of the management plan
• Item 291 and Item 293 can generally be accessed once within a 12-month period, provided the GP referral clearly specifies the relevant item

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Scope of Service

• Comprehensive psychiatric assessment
• Diagnosis and formulation
• Management recommendations
• Second opinions for:

   

  • Psychiatrists
  • General practitioners
  • Other mental health professionals

These consultations are provided for diagnostic clarification and treatment recommendation purposes.

Following the assessment, a comprehensive report and management recommendations will be provided to the referring general practitioner to assist with ongoing care and treatment planning. Patients seeking ongoing psychiatric care or regular review appointments are encouraged to discuss alternative referral options with their general practitioner. A copy of the report can also be provided to you upon request.

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Prescribing

• Medications may be discussed and recommended
• Ongoing prescribing is managed by your GP or treating doctor
• Certain medications (including benzodiazepines such as alprazolam) are strictly regulated in Australia, and continuation is not guaranteed

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Important Information

• This service is not suitable for urgent medication requests
• This service is not intended for the continuation of long-term benzodiazepine prescriptions
• To maintain fairness and quality of care, all patients are required to follow the same referral and booking process
•  Dr Pokharel works part-time in private practice and may not be able to return phone calls on the same day. However, he will endeavour to respond to messages within two business days.

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Reports for Legal or Administrative Purposes

The report provided to your GP is intended for clinical care only.

• It is not suitable for legal, statutory, or administrative purposes, including:

   

  • Centrelink reports
  • Immigration assessments
  • Court or compensation matters

Preparation of such reports typically requires:

• A long-term doctor–patient relationship
• Ongoing clinical involvement

The Item 291 / 293 consultation model is not appropriate for these purposes.

If you require such reports, please discuss with your GP for referral to a psychiatrist who provides ongoing care. 

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How to Proceed

 

Please upload your referral using the secure form on this website (please find the upload button at the top).
You will be contacted after referral review regarding appoint