Patient information

Who can refer me to your clinic?

You do not need a referral to see us. Medicare does not allow rebates for clients of the teaching clinic. Our teaching clinic fees are already significantly reduced.

CPSP-only clients may be able to claim a rebate with a valid chronic disease management plan from your GP or Helping Children with Autism package.

How can I contact you?

Contact us on + 61 (2) 9850 2900 to make an appointment, or to discuss your communication and swallowing needs. See additional contact information here.

How can I book an appointment?

1. To join our waiting list or book an appointment, new clients will need to complete an intake form for either adults or children. This will inform your initial appointment and assist your clinician in planning your service.
   1. As a teaching clinic, many services are conducted by students under supervision of Certified Practising Speech Pathologists ('Teaching Clinic').
   2. Some clients may be able to elect to be seen without students ('CPSP-only').
2. Return the questionnaire to us. You should review our teaching clinic fees and CPSP-only fees, as well as case examples of our service. Make sure you indicate which service you’d like to be referred to.
   The teaching clinic intake process is also available here.
3. You will be offered your initial appointment as soon as possible. When this occurs, MQ Health Speech and Hearing Clinic will send you more details about the clinic.

How long should I allow for my first appointment?

Speech Pathology appointments can range from 30–90 minutes in duration, depending on the type of service required.

Is there parking available?

Yes there is. Get directions and parking information.

What you will need to bring depends on whether you are eligible for subsidised services. We can confirm this when you book your appointment.

Items you may need could include:

• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) documentation – if you are an NDIS participant, please bring any relevant documentation including your plan number and billing details.
• Any other previous documentation and assessments relevant to your appointment.
• Your completed consent and registration form.

Arriving at the clinic

When you arrive at the clinic, you will need to complete a client information form. Our staff will then register you as a client.

Your initial consultation

Usually an initial consultation will involve a conversation about your specific needs and an assessment of your communication or swallowing (as required). Then we will discuss your results with you and the relevant options for management. For some appointment types, this structure may be different.

Next steps

Before you leave, our reception staff will create an account for your consultation and any testing performed. If applicable, we can electronically lodge your account claim with Medicare.

Clients who are managed by third parties or the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) will not need to pay at the time of their appointment.

You can also make any follow-up appointments at reception before you leave.

How much do services cost?

View our fees for the teaching clinic and speech pathologist only, and examples of fees applied.

Teaching clinic

• Services in the teaching clinic are based on a fee of $116.39/hour and are overseen by Certified Practising Speech Pathologists (CPSP). Download current teaching clinic fees.
• Services usually require an assessment. A short assessment (one area only) begins at $232.78, and a long assessment (two or more areas) begins at $407.37. Download examples of how fees are applied.

CPSP-only

Children over 13 or clients on the NDIS can elect to see a speech pathologist (CPSP) without students.

• These services are based on a fee of $193.99/hour. Download current speech pathologist-only fees.
• Services usually require an assessment which can occur over several hour-long sessions. Contact the clinic directly for information about the cost of these services.

If you cancel your appointment within 24 hours of the booking you may be required to pay a fee equivalent to 100% of the appointment costs. Learn more about cancellations.

Will I get money back from Medicare?

Medicare does not allow rebates for clients of the teaching clinic. Our teaching clinic fees are already significantly reduced.

CPSP-Only clients may be able to claim a rebate with a valid chronic disease management plan from your GP or Helping Children with Autism package.

We can lodge your rebate with Medicare on your behalf when you pay for your appointment. Medicare will then credit your nominated bank account.

Will I get money back from my private health insurance?

Private health insurers usually do not allow rebates for clients of the teaching clinic.

CPSP-Only clients may be eligible for a rebate from their private health insurance. This will depend upon individual levels of cover.

For more information, speak directly to your health fund about what’s covered in your policy.

When do I pay for my appointment?

All appointments require payment on the same day as the service rendered (usually at the start of the session).

Telehealth sessions require payment one day before the session.

MQ Health Speech and Hearing Clinic is not a bulk billing practice. Self-managed NDIS participants are responsible for payment of services and progressing their own claims through the NDIS.

Who can refer me to your clinic?

If you have a Medicare card, we recommend you obtain a referral from your GP as many of the assessments we perform attract a Medicare rebate.

If you have a Government pension card or DVA card, please let Reception know at the time of your booking as you may be eligible for subsidised services through the Hearing Services Program.

Please note: Some services, including hearing aids and other devices are not covered by Medicare.

How can I contact you?

Contact us on +61 (2) 9850 2900 to make an appointment, or to discuss your needs.

What happens after I book my appointment?

We will send you more information about how to find us and your rights as a client of the clinic. We will confirm your appointment (usually by SMS) in the 48 hours before your appointment.

How long should I allow for my first appointment?

A standard adult hearing assessment is 60 minutes. This is slightly shorter for children, and longer if you want to discuss hearing aid options.

Tinnitus, auditory processing and balance assessments are two hours or longer.

Is there parking available?

Yes there is. Directions and parking information.

What you will need to bring depends on whether you are eligible for subsidised services. We can confirm this when you book your appointment.

Items you may need could include:

• a valid referral from your medical practitioner—if you are a private patient and intend to make a claim through Medicare.
• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) documentation — if you are an NDIS participant, sending us a copy of your plan before your first appointment will allow us to create a service booking and avoid unnecessary delays on the day of your appointment. Please contact us to discuss this, as we understand individual circumstances will differ for each participant.
• any other prior documentation and assessments relevant to your appointment.

Arriving at the clinic

Please review the location and parking information we send you before the appointment. If you have any questions regarding this information, or if you have not received it, please contact us via phone or email. We ask that new clients arrive ten minutes before their scheduled appointment time.

Your initial consultation

Usually an initial consult will involve a conversation about your specific needs and an assessment of your hearing. After the assessment, we will discuss your results with you and the relevant options for management. For some appointment types, this structure may be different.

Appointments are conducted by a clinical audiologist who will often be accompanied by Master of Clinical Audiology students. Students may assist in parts of the testing, but generally recommendations are made by the audiologist.

Next steps

Before you leave, our reception staff will create an account for your consultation and any testing performed. Upon payment, we can electronically lodge your account claim with Medicare.

Clients who are managed by third parties or the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) will not need to pay at the time of their appointment.

You can also make any follow-up appointments at reception before you leave.

How much do services cost?

Costs vary depending on the type of service and your eligibility for various funding sources. A standard hearing assessment for a privately funded adult or child costs $160.

Pensioners and other people eligible for the Hearing Services Program receive subsidised hearing care. There are generally no fees for appointments.

Will I get money back from Medicare?

If you have a valid referral from your GP you may be able to claim approximately $50 back from Medicare for your appointment.

We can lodge your rebate with Medicare on your behalf when you pay for your appointment provided you have a savings or debit card (we cannot process the rebate with a credit card).

Will I get money back from my private health insurance?

Private health insurance extras often include a rebate for hearing aids. Some providers also offer coverage for hearing assessments. This will depend upon your individual level of cover.

For more information, speak directly with your health fund about what’s covered in your policy.

When do I pay for my appointment?

MQ Health Speech and Hearing Clinic is not a bulk billing practice, so you will need to pay at the time of your consultation.

NDIS participants who are managed by the NDIA or a third-party may not have to pay on the day of the appointment as this will be arranged separately.