I run a sleepy little clinic, offering treatment to only a limited number of clients at any one time.

Please help me decide if I have availability to take you on as my client at this time by filling out the treatment questionnaire on the CONTACT ME page of this website.

The information you provide helps me ascertain your treatment needs, and decide if I have enough availability to offer you treatment in a timely way, or offer you a recommendation of who can.

I have over 20 years experience treating children and their families.

However, please note I am not currently seeing child clients.

I may make an exception to this for children who have experienced a significant trauma and require targeted trauma treatment.

Clients book and manage their own appointments using the Healthengine booking system, available to download on the app store or google play store for mobile phones, or on the Healthengine website if youre using a computer.

Once in the app, just search for Dr Melissa Vella and add me to your 'My Care Team’ via the love heart emoji.

Once you register your details you will be able to book, reschedule and cancel appointments from here.

If you cannot find the ideal appointment time, but sure to add yourself to the waiting list, so as to be offered appointments as soon as they become available. Note, the waiting list offers appointments on a first in best dressed basis, so be sure to be quick.

No, you do not need a referral to have psychological treatment with me.

However, if you want to receive Medicare Rebates on your treatment sessions your GP will need to supply a valid GP referral, and will need to review your progress over the course of your treatment.

I will process your payment at the conclusion of your session.

You can tap your card to pay if your session was held face to face in the clinic.

You'll be sent an sms payment link if your session was held via telehealth. In this instance, please text me when you have made payment so that I can know to process any rebates you are eligible for.

I understand that you may wish to predominately attend your treatment in person in the clinic.

However, I want to ensure that nothing gets in the way of your treatment, even if you or I have a sniffle.

In the instance where one of us is sick, I request your openness to telehealth to prevent the spread of germs.

Having this flexibility around telehealth is a requirement of seeking treatment with me.

If you really are not comfortable with telehealth, I totally understand and respect this, and can recommend some other clinics that may be better suited to your needs. Please just ask.

In order to provide maximum access for all of my clients, I ask that should you need to cancel or re-schedule an appointment, you allow sufficient time (24 business hours notice) for me to offer the opportunity to those who are waiting.

Please note that you are required to cancel any Monday appointments before the close of business Friday, so that I have time to offer your appointment to other clients as I do not operate over the weekend.

Please note that cancelation fee is the full cost of the session you have reserved, and is not subject to Medicare or Health fund rebates.

My cancelation fee policy is firm and is always applied to be fair.

You are able to link your booked appointments to your electronic calendar, to help you easily see conflicts in your calendar. I also send appointment reminders one week in advance of your session and 2 days prior to your session.

If you agree to doing treatment with me, you understand that I run a sleepy little clinic without admin support, and understand I cannot refill a canceled appointment at late notice.

Please, if you anticipate that you may need a clinic with an admin team to fill late notice cancelations, I can recommend more flexible clinics to you. Please just ask.

Yes I do offer treatment to Medicare clients.

I have online Medicare processing. If you are eligible for a Medicare rebate I will process this on your behalf.

Please ensure your banking details are registered with Medicare to ensure your rebates are deposited into your nominated account.

Yes, I do offer treatment to self-managed NDIS clients.

However I ask NDIS clients to self-manage their own claims.

NDIS clients are billed in full on the day, and they claim their rebates from NDIS themselves.

Please note the NDIS do not fund treatment for psychological conditions, but rather fund support to help you reach your functional capacity goals.

Yes I do offer treatment to WorkSafe clients.

However I ask WorkSafe clients to self-manage their own claims.

WorkSafe clients are billed in full on the day, and they claim their rebates from WorkSafe themselves.

Yes I do offer treatment to VOCAT clients.

However I ask VOCAT clients to self-manage their own claims.

VOCAT clients are billed in full on the day, and they claim their rebates from VOCAT themselves.

Yes I do offer treatment to TAC clients.

However I ask TAC clients to self-manage their own claims.

TAC clients are billed in full on the day, and they claim their rebates from TAC themselves.

What type of personal information do I collect about you?

• Your name, date of birth, address and contact details

• Your billing and claim information

• Clinical records and correspondence (eg referrals, letters, reports and forms) that your psychologist receives or creates while providing treatment to you.

Your personal information is used in the process of:

• Responding to your enquiries

• Communicating with you via SMS or email regarding billing and invoices, appointment reminders, questionnaires

• Processing your payments and claims

• Providing your psychological service, assessment, diagnosis, treatment or preparing reports

• Complying with obligations to third party insurers enabling you to receive correct claim entitlements

• Complying with legal obligations

What sources do I collect personal information about you?

• Your referring GP, Psychiatrist or other specialist

• Other healthcare providers on your treatment team

• Third Party Insurers in relation to billings and claims

• Your parent or guardian if you are a minor
  

How do I store personal information about you?

• Your personal information is stored in electronic form

• Any information that was collected in paper-based documents is converted to electronic form and the paper copied destroyed.

• I am legally required hold store your personal information for a minimum of 7 years from your last psychological service, or until the age of 25 if you were a child at the time of your last psychological service. Please ask for clarification for any exceptions to this.

How do I protect your personal information?

• Your personal information can only be accessed by authorized employees

• I only use electronic systems that meet Australian Privacy Standards

• I maintain security systems, firewall, password systems and 2 factor authentication for electronic systems.

• I send password protected correspondence
  

When do I disclose personal information about you?

• When you consent to it

• In instances where you’d reasonably expect I would, such as to your GP or medical specialist, or the hospital

• When it is required by subpoena or court order or disclosure is required by law

• When I believe it is necessary in the case of serious threat to the safety of you, an individual or public health or safety as required by law

• When engaging professional indemnity assistance for the provision of legal advice and representation

Accessing your personal information

• You have rights under Privacy Laws to request access to your personal information, and to request that we correct any information

• Under Privacy Laws there are certain circumstances that allow me or require me to refuse your request

• If you make a request to access or correct your personal information you will be required to verify your identity, and these requests will be responded to within 21 days and an appointment will be made if necessary for clarification purposes.
  

What to do if you have concerns or complaints about your privacy

• You can contact me at any time about my Privacy Policy or how your personal information is being handled.

• If you have a complaint, you can put this in writing, with as much information as possible to help us investigate and respond to your complaint within 30 days.

• I will advise you of the steps I will make to resolve your complaint.

• If you are not satisfied with my response you can lodge a complaint with the Australian Information Commission by phone on 1300 363 992 or online at https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints/scription