How to Refer a Patient

Requirements for Referral to Gidget Foundation Australia:

In order to access our service, we require the completion of a Gidget Foundation Australia online GP Referral and Mental Health Care Plan. Before completing your referral, please review our eligibility criteria below to ensure we are the most suitable service for your patient.

• If you are a GP referring a patient to our service for their initial 6 sessions under Better Access, please complete the online GP Initial Referral and Mental Health Care Plan here.‍
• If you are a GP providing a re-referral for additional sessions, subsequent to the initial 6 sessions under their existing Mental Health Care Plan, please complete the online GP Re-Referral Form here.‍
• If you are a Third Party Referrer providing a referral for your client to access our services under Better Access, please complete the online Third Party Referral Form here. *This referral is not sufficient for clients to receive our Better Access service, a GP referral and Mental Health Care Plan will still be required.

What can my patient expect once the Referral and Mental Health Care Plan have been completed?

Once you have completed the online GP Initial Referral and Mental Health Care Plan, your patient will receive an SMS asking them to contact Gidget Foundation Australia to be added to the waitlist. If there is no waitlist at their nearest Gidget House location, booking options will be discussed. If there is a waitlist at their nearest Gidget House location, information on an estimated wait time will be discussed and the patient will be added to the waitlist.

Waitlist Process

When there is availability with a Clinician, the next client on the waitlist will be contacted and we will proceed to book them into the Gidget Foundation Australia Clinician diary for psychological counselling.

Please provide your patient with our central booking number: 1300 851 758 so that they can contact us on submission of their referral.

Patient Eligibility Criteria

Gidget Foundation Australia is committed to providing the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Our services are provided to people throughout the perinatal period: from conception up until the baby is 12 months old.

We offer support to those experiencing or at risk of developing perinatal depression, anxiety or perinatal related stress disorders.

Support is also provided to those people and their partners who have experienced birth trauma or pregnancy related loss, e.g. stillbirth, miscarriage or termination.

The Gidget team is dedicated to providing care that is safe, effective and meaningful within the parameters of the resources available to us.

As a result, we are unable to accept referrals of people in crisis including those with:

• Current or enduring psychotic illness;
• Current serious suicidal, homicidal or infanticidal ideation;
• Current serious substance abuse that requires medical intervention;
• Current child protection and/or family violence or issues requiring Department of Community and Justice involvement.

If we receive a referral that includes any of the above, Gidget Foundation Australia will notify the person’s GP who can refer to a more suitable service.

If you have any questions about who we can support, please contact us on 1300 851 758.

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Please download our WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT fact sheet for your patients.