Clinical psychologists say patients should not need a GP referral to receive Medicare rebates to fund their consults, at least for their first three therapy sessions.    

The Australian Psychological Society says the current system is creating bottlenecks and that direct access to Medicare funding would fast-track patient care and “ease pressure” on GPs.  

“Additional red tape is potentially stopping [a lot of people] from getting treatment or stopping them from getting treatment as early as they would otherwise,” its president, Tamara Cavenett, said.

The society, which largely represents clinical psychologists, also wants to allow patients to claim up to 20 MBS-funded psychology sessions each year. The cap was raised from ten in 2020 as a temporary pandemic measure.