Yes, you will need a valid referral from a GP to see a psychiatrist, or a Mental Health Care Plan to see a psychologist or a social worker. The referral is mandatory by Medicare for consultation rebates. 

Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) is a General Practitioner Assessment of your mental health, and it is required by Medicare to see a psychologist or a social worker. It allows you to claim rebates from Medicare for an initial 6 consultations, and further 4 sessions upon request.

Medicare rebates can be processed at the time of consultation at our practice. Medicare rebates are credited within 48 hours to your nominated bank account that is held with Medicare.

Claims are usually processed straight away, but they occasionally take as long as three working days.

Some private health funds provide rebates for psychological consultations. We can provide you with a receipt of payment which you can claim from your private health fund. Private health funds do not rebate psychiatric consultations.

Yes, we currently offer telehealth services to our clients, however, this may change subject to Medicare changes to guidelines.  Please contact the practice for further information.

Yes, our psychiatrist and psychologists provide assessments and ongoing treatment for patients who have approved insurance claims. You will need to be referred by your family doctor and obtain an approval for psychiatric/psychological treatment from your insurance company, prior to making the appointment.

If you are coming by car, we recommend that you park at Parramatta Westfield. Exit Parramatta Westfield at Level 2 near St George Bank, to Argyle Street, and cross the road near the railway bridge. We are the first building on the left. Please allow extra travel time as Westfield parking is often busy. If you are coming by bus or train, we are about a 3 to 5 minute walk from Parramatta Train Station and the Bus Terminals. Please use the Google map on the website for further directions.

An initial consultation with a psychiatrist or a psychologist is up to 60 minutes. Subsequent psychiatric consultations are 30 minutes. All consultations with our psychologists and social worker are up to 60 minutes.

Yes. You can request a report to Centrelink, Department of Housing or Department of Immigration from some of the clinicians. These reports are not covered by Medicare, and they incur a separate fee.

Yes, you can have your partner or a significant other be present with you during a consultation if you wish.

Our practice is open Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 5:30pm. We are not an emergency service. If you require assistance after hours, you can contact your family doctor, nearest hospital or emergency service by dialling 000

Yes. We send a courtesy SMS reminder, prior to your appointment. We require a notice of cancellation of appointments at least 48 hours prior to the appointment time and date. Cancellations short of this period will incur a cancellation fee. The cancellation fee ranges from $75 to $445 depending on the clinician. Should you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please contact us at least two days before your appointment date.

We utilise Translating & Interpreting Services for patients who don’t speak English. However, Dr Samir Benajmin, Lillian Mawad and Dina Soufy speak Arabic language fluently.