Australian GP Mental Health Referral Guide 2026
This free Australian resource brings together a practical GP mental-health referral guide and a companion national research report on what happens between referral and access to care. It is designed for general practitioners, prescribed medical practitioners, practice teams, Primary Health Networks, health organisations, universities and other professionals working with Australian mental-health referral pathways.
The guide summarises current Better Access referral requirements, Mental Health Treatment Plans, course-of-treatment rules, telehealth, alternative pathways, NDIS evidence, crisis escalation and referral documentation. The companion report analyses national patient-experience, Medicare and workforce data to examine access barriers, affordability, geography and gaps in referral-to-treatment measurement.
This Therapy Near Me Research contributed Submission 259 to the Australian Parliament’s inquiry into access to and affordability of medical specialists in Australia (October 2026).
Key Research Findings
Among people reporting a need for psychologist care in 2024–25, 38.8% delayed or did not obtain care when needed.
Among people reporting a need for GP mental-health care in 2024–25, 24.2% delayed or did not obtain that care.
Among people needing psychologist care, 25.3% reported delaying or not obtaining care because of cost.
Therapy Near Me derived indicator: 25.3% psychologist cost barrier divided by the 9.6% GP mental-health cost barrier.
Practical Guide
Australian GP Mental Health Referral Guide 2026
A practical guide for general practitioners and practice teams covering Better Access eligibility and referral requirements, Mental Health Treatment Plans, course-of-treatment rules, telehealth, alternative referral pathways, NDIS evidence, crisis escalation, a GP checklist and a sample psychology referral letter.
Research Report
From GP Referral to Mental Health Care: Australian Access & Referral Report 2026
A national secondary analysis of Australian patient-experience, Medicare, workforce and health-system data examining the gap between needing mental-health care and successfully accessing it, including affordability, geographic access and national referral-data limitations.
GP mental-health referrals in Australia
Better Access is one pathway within Australia's broader mental-health system. It provides Medicare-subsidised access to eligible allied mental-health services, including psychology, but it is not the only way a patient can access care.
Depending on the patient's needs and circumstances, care may also be accessed through private psychology or psychiatry, Medicare Mental Health, public and community mental-health services, NDIS-funded supports where disability-related eligibility applies, or emergency and crisis services.
Key point: A Better Access referral should be considered as part of the patient's overall care pathway rather than as a universal referral mechanism for all mental-health needs.
Better Access in 2026: what GPs need to know
Better Access rules have changed over time, including continuity arrangements introduced from 1 November 2025. GPs and practice teams should consider the patient's existing arrangements, usual practitioner context and relevant MyMedicare requirements when determining the appropriate pathway.
Medicare claiming requirements can change, so current Medicare and Services Australia guidance should be checked before billing. This guide is intended as a practical reference and should not replace current government guidance.
Mental Health Treatment Plan vs psychology referral
A Mental Health Treatment Plan and a psychology referral serve different purposes and should not be treated as interchangeable documents.
What the treatment plan does
The treatment plan documents the patient's mental-health needs, assessment, goals and planned management. It provides a structured framework for ongoing care and review.
What the referral does
The referral communicates the patient's clinical information to the allied-health provider and establishes the basis for the requested services.
Important: A treatment plan does not automatically replace a valid referral. Eligible allied-health treatment requires the appropriate referral documentation and Medicare requirements to be met.
What to include in a Better Access referral
A useful referral should provide enough information for the receiving practitioner to understand the patient's presentation, treatment needs and relevant Medicare context.
Core information
- Patient name and relevant identifying details
- Presenting symptoms and relevant diagnosis or clinical formulation
- Current medications and relevant medical information
- Number of services requested
- Relevant Mental Health Treatment Plan status
Clinically useful context
- Treatment goals and expected outcomes
- Relevant risk or safety considerations
- Previous or current psychological treatment
- Preferred or clinically appropriate treatment modality
- Accessibility, communication or language requirements
Courses of treatment, review and reporting
Better Access treatment is delivered within defined courses of treatment and annual service limits. The initial course can include up to six individual services, with subsequent referrals available within the applicable annual cap where clinically appropriate.
Providers also have reporting obligations to the referring medical practitioner. Review and communication between the GP and treating practitioner support continuity of care and help inform decisions about further treatment.
Practice point: Check the patient's available services, referral status and current Medicare requirements before issuing or billing against further services.
Telehealth and alternative pathways
Video-based telehealth can provide an alternative where it is safe, clinically appropriate and suitable for the patient. A video-first approach may be preferable where the service and patient's circumstances support it.
Patients may also access Medicare Mental Health without a GP referral, as well as private or self-funded psychological care and other public, community or funded services depending on their circumstances.
Where disability-related needs are relevant, the NDIS may provide another pathway subject to its eligibility and evidence requirements. Emergency or crisis situations require appropriate urgent or emergency services rather than routine referral pathways.
What national data show about access after referral
The accompanying research report examines national evidence on access to mental-health care using patient-experience, Medicare, workforce and health-system data.
The analysis identifies a 14.6 percentage-point gap between people reporting a need for psychologist care and those reporting that they were able to access that care. The report also finds that this access gap has persisted over a five-year period.
Important limitation: These national datasets should not be interpreted as tracking individual GP referrals from referral through to appointment. They provide evidence about access and utilisation, not a complete referral-to-treatment pathway.
Affordability and geographic access
Cost remains an important barrier to accessing psychological care. Among people reporting a need for psychologist care, 25.3% reported delaying or not obtaining care because of cost, compared with 9.6% for GP mental-health care.
Geographic access presents a separate challenge. Workforce distribution, service availability and patterns of service use vary between metropolitan, regional and remote areas. These differences can affect the practical availability of psychological and other mental-health services even when a patient has been referred.
What Australia does not currently measure well
Australia does not currently have a routinely published national measure that follows a patient through the complete GP referral pathway.
In particular, national reporting does not consistently connect these stages for individual referrals:
- GP referral issued
- Referral received by the provider
- Referral accepted
- First contact with the patient
- First attended appointment
- Completion or continuation of treatment
This measurement gap makes it difficult to quantify exactly where patients are lost between referral and completed care at a national level.
Why this matters: Better measurement would help distinguish referral activity from successful access to treatment and identify where additional capacity, funding or coordination may be needed.
Practical GP Tool
Better Access referral checklist
Use this quick checklist before issuing a psychology referral. Confirm the current Medicare requirements before billing.
- Patient details: Confirm the patient's name, date of birth and relevant contact details.
- Clinical presentation: Document presenting symptoms, relevant diagnosis or clinical formulation.
- Relevant history: Include significant treatment history and other relevant clinical information.
- Current medication: List current medications and relevant medical considerations.
- Treatment plan: Confirm the relevant Mental Health Treatment Plan status where applicable.
- Services requested: State the number of services requested and relevant treatment needs.
- Treatment goals: Include the patient's goals or the intended focus of psychological treatment.
- Risk and safety: Identify relevant risk factors, safety concerns or escalation requirements.
- Accessibility needs: Note relevant language, communication, cultural, disability or accessibility requirements.
- Referral details: Include the referring GP's details, date and any relevant practice information.
Practical Template
Sample psychology referral letter
A generic starting point for GP practices. Adapt the content to the patient's circumstances and current requirements.
View sample referral letter
Date: [Date]
To: [Psychologist / Psychology Practice]
Re: [Patient name and date of birth]
Dear [Psychologist / Practice],
I am referring [patient name] for psychological assessment and treatment in relation to [presenting concerns / diagnosis].
Relevant clinical information includes: [brief summary of symptoms, relevant history, current medications and other information relevant to treatment].
The patient's current treatment goals include: [treatment goals / intended outcomes].
Relevant risk or safety considerations: [risk information, if applicable].
Please provide psychological treatment as clinically appropriate and provide the relevant report to the referring practitioner in accordance with applicable requirements.
Services requested: [Number of services]
Yours sincerely,
[GP name]
[Provider number / practice details]
This is a practical template, not a mandatory Medicare form. GPs should ensure referrals meet the current applicable Medicare and professional requirements.
Need the complete referral guide?
Includes Better Access requirements, telehealth, alternative pathways, review and reporting, and additional practical tools.
Cite this resource
Recommended citations
Research report
Therapy Near Me Research. (2026). From GP Referral to Mental Health Care: Australian Access & Referral Report 2026. Therapy Near Me Pty Ltd. Available at: https://therapynearme.com.au/gp-mental-health-referral-guide-australia/
GP Referral Guide
Therapy Near Me. (2026). Australian GP Mental Health Referral Guide 2026. Therapy Near Me Pty Ltd. Available at: https://therapynearme.com.au/gp-mental-health-referral-guide-australia/
Short attribution
Australian GP Mental Health Referral Guide 2026, prepared by Therapy Near Me.
Citation note
When referring to Therapy Near Me's analysis, guidance, referral framework, practical tools or recommendations, please cite the relevant Therapy Near Me resource above.
