How to Refer a Patient

Health professionals, GPs and partner hospitals can visit our Access Services page to refer clients, find referral template options and access further information.

Requirements for Referral to Gidget Foundation Australia:

In order to access our service, GFA requires the completion of a Gidget Foundation Australia online GP Referral and Mental Health Treatment 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 the first time under Better Access, please complete the online GP Initial Referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan, available from the Access Services page.
• If you are a GP providing a re-referral for additional sessions, subsequent to those within your initial referral under their existing Mental Health Treatment Plan, please complete the online GP Re-Referral Form, available from the Access Services page.

• If you are a Third-Party Referrer providing a referral for your client to access our services, please complete the online Third-Party Referral Form, available from the Access Services page. *This referral is not sufficient for clients to receive our Better Access service; a GP referral and Mental Health Treatment 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 Treatment Plan, we will contact your patient requesting the completion of some paperwork for our intake team. Once reviewed, we will contact your patient to confirm whether they are suitable for our service and next steps. In instances, where the patient's chosen GFA location has a waitlist, alternative options will be discussed, where possible.

Waitlist Process

When there is availability with a Clinician, at the preferred location, the next client on the waitlist will be contacted and we will proceed to book them into the GFA 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

GFA services are provided to people throughout the perinatal period: from conception up until their baby is 12 months old. GFA offers 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, including stillbirth, miscarriage or termination. The entire Gidget team provides care that is safe, effective and evidence informed within the parameters of the resources available to us. As a result, we are unable to accept referrals for 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 Communities and Justice involvement.

If we receive a referral that includes any of the above, Gidget Foundation Australia will notify the person’s GP so they 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.