Practising Psychologist Alerts

October 2019

Psychologists frequently face dilemmas around multiple relationships when providing individual counselling to clients known to each other.Standard C.3 of the APS Code of Ethics advises psychologists to “refrain from engaging in multiple relationships that may:impair their...

August 2019

Referred clients who do not attendPsychologists may receive a referral for a client, and perhaps even have the client make an initial appointment but not attend. Is the psychologist required to store the referral and should they communicate back to the referrer?The psychologist should advise the...

June 2019

The APS recently sought to clarify whether a chronic mental health condition alone is an eligible diagnosis for access to the Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Medicare items. According to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) a patient is eligible for access to the CDM items if they have at least...

April 2019

On 1 July Medicare’s Shared Debt Recovery Scheme (SDRS) will commence. What does this mean? From that date the Department of Health (Medicare) will be able to not only hold individuals responsible for debts incurred as a result of incorrect Medicare (MBS) claiming, but will also be able to...

February 2019

Since approved by the APS Board in September, 2018, the revised ethical guidelines on working with young people have become one of the most frequently recommended resources to members by the APS Professional Advisory Service.Working with children of separated parents, particularly when the...

December 2018

Christmas is traditionally a time of gift-giving and it is not uncommon for a client to want to offer their treating psychologist a present. The conclusion of treatment is also a time when clients may wish to express their gratitude in the form of a gift. While there are no clear rules about...

October 2018

Psychologists will be aware that they may be liable to repay the Government any Medicare funds that have been fraudulently, incorrectly or inappropriately claimed, even if the erroneous claims were made inadvertently.The Health Insurance Act 1973 has recently been amended to enhance the...

August 2018

As part of the Government response to the Commonwealth Redress Scheme for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse, an online directory to assist survivors in locating suitable health professionals to deliver trauma-informed psychological support became available on the 1 July, 2018...

June 2018

The legal requirements of each state and territory determine when client psychology records can be destroyed or deleted. In general, for psychologists in private practice, records can be destroyed seven years after the last occasion on which a health service was provided to the individual; or if...