Seeing a psychiatrist for the first time? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many Australians are unsure when they need to consult with a GP for a referral. How can they see one? And what to do next after they get there?
A GP referral is basically a letter provided by the GP that gives you access to a psychiatrist for specialised care. In most cases, a referral is necessary to receive Medicare rebates for applicable psychiatrist services. A referral letter also provides your psychiatrist with relevant details about your case, such as your history, current medical condition, and the nature of the referral.
In most instances, obtaining a referral is an easy process, regardless of whether you are attending your GP appointment in person or virtually. In this guide, we’ll explain how the referral process works and how to get one without waiting.
Do You Need a GP Referral to See a Psychiatrist?
If you’re wondering, “Do I need a GP referral to see a psychiatrist?”, the answer is yes, especially if you want to gain a rebate under the Medicare system.
However, a GP referral is more than just medicare funding; it’s also important for your psychiatrist to access details regarding your physical and mental condition prior to your first appointment. As psychiatrists are medical doctors who treat the full spectrum of serious mental health conditions, your GP plays an important role in determining whether you need a referral to a psychiatrist or a less specialised mental health provider.
If you live in Australia and are seeking treatment for any of the mental health conditions, starting with a GP referral is usually the fastest route to obtaining the care you need.
How to Get a Psychiatrist Referral
Navigating the referral process to see a psychiatrist doesn’t have to be complicated. Like with all referrals, the process begins with an appointment with your GP.
Schedule a GP Appointment
Your first step is to schedule an appointment with your GP, or with a different GP if you have to switch for the appointment. If your mental health issues are affecting your work, social life, or activities of daily living, then you need to prioritise getting an appointment sooner rather than later.
Most GP’s in Australia now offer a telehealth option, which may be a good option for you to avoid the need for an in-person appointment.
What Should You Bring to Your GP Appointment?
To make your GP appointment successful, it is important to plan ahead of time and be as prepared as you can.
Make sure to bring:
- Your identification and Medicare card
- An up-to-date list of medications and supplements you are taking
- Any previous mental health diagnosis and any treatment you’ve received
- Any relevant specialists’ reports or hospital discharge summaries
- Any relevant reports about the mental health of family members
- Notes about any of your mental health symptoms, how, when, and to what extent they interfere with your life
- Any relevant reports about the mental health of family members
- Any questions or concerns you may have
Some people keep a symptom diary for a few weeks prior to their appointment. Writing things down like your mood, sleep pattern, anxiety levels, and other symptoms can show your GP a trend that may go unnoticed in one appointment.
Discuss Your Symptoms
Your GP will be unable to refer you to a psychiatrist without knowing the details around your concerns. Opening up about your mental health can be uncomfortable and embarrassing, but the more honest and clear you are, the more likely your GP will be able to help get you the care you deserve.
Some symptoms include:
- Feeling worried and anxious more often
- Feeling low or depressed
- Feeling unfocused
- Having mood swings
- Sleep issues
- Experiencing panic attacks
- Feeling the effects of trauma
- Experiencing symptoms of ADHD
- Having changes in appetite or too much or too little energy
- Overthinking to the extent of disrupting your life
Your GP Assesses Your Mental Health
Your GP will conduct an assessment of your mental health based on what you have told them. Again, this is not a psychiatric assessment. This is an opportunity for your GP to understand your concerns and decide what the best next step is.
GPs play a central role in Australia’s mental health system, with 77% of people who received Medicare mental health services in 2024–25 receiving those services from a GP.
Depending on your situation, your GP may decide to:
- Assess your medical and psychiatric history
- Learn about your previous mental health treatments
- Look over your medications
- Ask about your alcohol and drug use, if applicable
- Decide if you need to see a psychiatrist
- Decide what other support they can offer you while you wait for your appointment
The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that your psychiatrist has the important information they need before your first appointment.
Receive Your Referral
Your GP will write a referral letter to a psychiatrist if they think you need to see a psychiatrist. This letter will include the information your psychiatrist needs to prepare for your appointment.
Sometimes, your GP will write a referral to a specific psychiatrist if they think you need to see a psychiatrist in a specific area or with a specific specialty. If this is not the case, they may write a general referral and leave it up to you to choose a psychiatrist.
Information to be Included in a Psychiatrist Referral
A psychiatrist referral letter is meant to provide the psychiatrist with clinical information before the first appointment. A referral helps the psychiatrist ask valuable questions instead of repeating medical history. It also helps them prepare better for the consultation and focus on understanding your most pressing concerns.
While the exact format may vary between GPs, a referral typically includes:
- Your personal/contact information
- Reason for referral
- Description and duration of presenting symptoms
- Background of pertinent medical and psychiatric history
- Current medications and past medication trials
- Results of any relevant investigations or lab tests, if available
- Any specific issues or questions you’d like the psychiatrist to address
This background information allows your GP to communicate seamlessly with the psychiatrist and front-loads the background to help your care be more streamlined and integrated.
If you do not understand something in your referral, clarify with your GP before your appointment.
Book Your Psychiatrist Appointment
After you have your referral, contact your psychiatrist or preferred mental health clinic to book your appointment. Most clinics require you to submit your referral before booking, so have a digital or physical copy on hand.
The wait time for an appointment largely depends on the psychiatrist’s availability and the type of appointment you’re requesting. If you’re booking a telehealth appointment, you’ll receive an email with appointment instructions and telehealth forms to fill out before the appointment.
What About a Mental Health Care Plan?
You don’t necessarily need a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) to see a psychiatrist. An MHCP and a psychiatrist referral serve different purposes, although your GP may recommend one or both depending on your mental health needs.
If you’re seeing a psychiatrist, the important document is the psychiatrist referral, particularly if you want to claim Medicare rebates for eligible appointments. Your GP can advise whether an MHCP is also appropriate for you.
If you’re unsure about the difference between the two, we’ve explained it in detail in our guide Psychiatrist Referral Letter vs Mental Health Care Plan: What’s the Difference?
Can You Get a Psychiatrist Referral via Telehealth?
Yes, a GP referral to a psychiatrist can often be done via telehealth if your GP decides a telehealth appointment is clinically appropriate.
Telehealth services have made it a lot easier for people living in rural or regional Australia, and those with limited mobility, to get the healthcare they need. In 2024–25, 26% of people who needed and saw a health professional for their own mental health used telehealth at least once.
Your appointment type doesn’t change the purpose of your referral. It exists solely to help you access the specialist psychiatric care you deserve.
What Happens After You Receive Your Referral?
Being issued a referral is significant in the process of receiving the care you need, but it’s only the start of the next steps.
Selecting a Psychiatrist
If a particular psychiatrist was not recommended by your GP, you likely can select your own psychiatrist, considering factors such as their specialty, how soon they have openings, how far away their office is, if they conduct appointments via telehealth, etc.
Send Your Referral
Most clinics will require you to send over the referral before they will confirm scheduling your appointment. It can vary by clinic, but most will allow you to submit the referral via their preferred method online, by email, or through your GP.
Complete Any Required Forms
Before your first consultation, you may be asked to complete questionnaires that provide information of your medical history, current symptoms, medications, etc. Completing these forms as soon as possible allows your psychiatrist to review them before the appointment and prepare.
Attend Your First Appointment
First appointments are typically longer than subsequent appointments. Your Psychiatrist will collect your medical, social, and psychiatric history and help you establish your treatment goals. They will help you understand your diagnosis and what next steps will be required to complete your evaluation and get you the support you need.
Ongoing Care
Your psychiatrist will reach out to your GP to discuss the diagnosis and his/her/their recommendations regarding medication and treatment. This will help make sure your psychiatrist and your GP are working toward the same goals to help you.
How Long Does a Psychiatry Referral Last?
A standard GP referral to a psychiatrist is generally valid for 12 months from the date of your first appointment with the psychiatrist, not from the date your GP issued the referral. This is why it is best to schedule the appointment with the psychiatrist after receiving the referral.
In Australia, psychiatrists have different rules regarding the validity of referrals depending on the type of referral your GP gives, such as shorter, longer, or indefinite periods if ongoing specialist care is required. Based on that, some referrals are only valid for a single course of treatment, while others may be valid for ongoing treatment.
There’s no one-size-fits-all; instead, issuance depends on the circumstances surrounding the referral and the patient’s entitlement to Medicare, so if you have a referral, it is prudent to check the rules and details or ask your GP if uncertain.
Some referrals expire before the patient can get an appointment, or if the patient needs to see a different psychiatrist than the one nominated on the referral, then a new referral must be issued by the GP. Knowing these details will save time.
Book a Psychiatry Appointment with ExpertMinds
You don’t have to feel overwhelmed about taking the next step towards better mental health. Many people don’t know how easy it is to book a psychiatric appointment with a valid GP referral.
ExpertMinds provides secure telehealth consultations to connect you with leading psychiatrists and get you access to mental health treatments fast. Our clinicians are dedicated to providing you with timely support that can prevent a mental health condition from developing into a serious chronic condition.
Our specialists assess and help you manage symptoms of your mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, and traumatic disorders.
As soon as you receive a referral from your GP, schedule your appointment with one of our mental health professionals! You can also contact us if you first need a GP referral to book a psychiatry assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I choose my own psychiatrist?
Yes. But most of the time, it will depend on your GP’s referral guidelines. If they are more flexible, you can choose based on what you value the most (location, in-person, or virtual appointments) or the specialty area of your psychiatrist. If your preferred psychiatrist is listed in the referral, get in touch with your GP to request a referral to a different psychiatrist.
Can my GP refer me to an online psychiatrist?
Yes. Many GPs can make referrals to psychiatrists for secure online telehealth consultations. This can be a good way for people in rural and remote communities, or those who would rather have an appointment in their home, to get the help they need.
What if my referral expires?
If your appointment is getting booked and your referral hasn’t been renewed, you will have to see your GP again to get another referral. This is another reason to check your referrals as far in advance as possible, especially for long wait appointments.
Do I need a new referral for every appointment?
Not every appointment requires a new referral. It depends on the type of referral and your treatment plan. If you have questions, your psychiatrist’s office or your GP can help before your next appointment.
Can another doctor write a psychiatrist referral?
Absolutely. If you can’t make it to your usual GP appointment, another doctor who knows your medical history can also determine if you need a referral and provide one.
ExpertMinds (Disclaimer and Liability Terms)
ExpertMinds offers access to mental health professionals and wellbeing resources for informational and support purposes. However, we make no guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of the content provided. The platform is not intended to replace professional diagnosis or treatment. All services are provided “as-is,” and users must exercise judgment when using the platform.
ExpertMinds is NOT an emergency service. All appointments are booked in advance. If you’re in distress or facing a mental health emergency, contact Australian emergency services on 000 or contact your local mental health triage.
Crisis Support Resources in Australia for Mental Health:
- Lifeline: 13 11 14
- Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
- Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
- MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978
- Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service: 1800 011 046
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