For patients · June 2026
Psychiatrist, psychologist, or GP: who do you actually need?
Three different mental health roles, three different jobs. A plain-language guide to who does what and how to choose the right starting point.
Adults 17 and over
A psychiatric second opinion, with the plan sent to your GP.
If a previous diagnosis doesn't seem to fit, treatment hasn't helped the way you expected, or nobody has reached a diagnosis yet, a fresh assessment with one of our psychiatrists can help you and your GP decide what to do next.
Who it's for
When a second opinion makes sense
Asking for another view is a normal part of good care. These are the situations where adults and their GPs most often ask us for one.
- A diagnosis you were given doesn't seem to match what you're living with
- Treatment has been given a fair go but hasn't helped the way you and your doctors expected
- You have seen more than one practitioner and nobody has reached a clear diagnosis
- Your GP would like a specialist view before changing the plan
- Several things seem to be going on at once and it is hard to tell them apart
Second opinions here are clinical, for your own care. We don't provide medico-legal or court assessments, and we're not a crisis service. If you're acutely unwell, please contact your GP, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or call 000 in an emergency.
How it works
From referral to a written plan
Most people are seen within 3–4 weeks of a complete referral. You'll know what happens at each step before it happens.
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Referral
Your GP or Nurse Practitioner sends a referral addressed to The Psychiatrist at Outcome Health. We acknowledge it within 48 hours.
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Intake with our nurse practitioner
You first see one of our Mental Health Nurse Practitioners for a 60 to 90 minute consultation. They take your history and gather what the psychiatrist needs.
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Assessment
A consultation of about 60 min with one of our psychiatrists, who looks at your history, your earlier reports and how things are for you now.
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Report to your GP
The psychiatrist writes to your GP with their diagnostic view and a management plan, and talks the findings through with you.
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Next steps
Your GP takes the plan forward with you. If ongoing specialist care would help, we can talk about that with you and your GP.
Getting a referral
Ask your GP or Nurse Practitioner for a referral addressed to ‘The Psychiatrist at Outcome Health’. They can send it by HealthLink (Outcomeh), by fax on 03 8822 4977, or by email. Our referral guide for GPs sets out what to include.
Before you come
What to bring to the assessment
The more of your history the psychiatrist can see, the more useful their view will be. Bring what you have, and don't worry if some of it is missing.
- Previous psychiatric or psychology reports and letters, including any earlier diagnosis
- Hospital discharge summaries, if you've been admitted for your mental health
- A list of the medicines you take now and the ones you've tried before, with doses if you know them and what happened
- A few notes of your own about what has been hardest, and the questions you'd most like answered
Please bring these papers to the appointment, or ask your GP to send them with the referral. Don't send reports or clinical details through the website enquiry form.
Your current care
You can keep seeing the people who already treat you
A second opinion doesn't mean leaving your GP, psychologist or current psychiatrist. Our psychiatrist gives an independent view of your history and how you are now, and your treating team can weigh it alongside everything they already know about you.
The report goes to your GP, who stays at the centre of your care. If you'd like it shared with anyone else who treats you, we'll arrange that with your agreement.
Fees
What a second opinion costs
Most second opinions are a one-off assessment, with the plan handed back to your GP. If you and your GP expect you'll need ongoing care with our psychiatrist, the initial consultation for ongoing care is the usual starting point. We'll confirm which applies when we call you.
Item Service Duration Fee Out of pocket
A1
One-off psychiatrist assessment & GP plan Medicare item 291. The usual route for a second opinion, with the plan going to your GP.
Approx 60 min
$1,000
~$530
A2
Initial psychiatrist consultation, ongoing care Medicare item 296. For when you and your GP expect ongoing care with our psychiatrist.
More than 45 min
$800
~$530
- Payment is required in advance for all appointments.
- Medicare rebates are estimates only and depend on referral type, eligibility, consultation duration, the item actually billed and the psychiatrist’s clinical judgement.
- The Medicare Safety Net, DVA arrangements, third-party funding, payment processing fees and cancellation fees are not included in the gap estimates.
Questions
Common questions about second opinions
Do I need a referral for a second opinion?
To claim the Medicare rebate you need a current referral from your GP or a participating Nurse Practitioner, addressed to The Psychiatrist at Outcome Health. If you don't have one yet, you can still send us an enquiry and we'll explain what your GP needs to include.
Who receives the report?
The written report and plan go to your GP, because they referred you and they'll carry the plan forward with you. The psychiatrist also talks the findings through with you. If you'd like the report shared with a psychologist or psychiatrist you already see, let us know and we'll arrange it with your agreement.
What if the psychiatrist agrees with my original diagnosis?
That is a useful answer too. You'll know your diagnosis has been looked at again from the beginning, and the report can still suggest changes to the plan for your GP to consider.
Can a second opinion be done by telehealth?
Your first appointment is preferably in person at our clinic in Blackburn, because a full assessment is easier face to face. If you go on to have follow-up reviews with us, those can be by telehealth across Victoria.
Resources
Worth reading before you book.
All resources 
How we work · June 2026
What happens in your first psychiatry appointment
Before you ever walk into a psychiatry appointment, you should know exactly what to expect. Here's the structure of a first appointment with us: what we'll ask, what you'll leave with, and how long it takes.
Conditions we treat · June 2026
Anxiety, depression, or both: when specialist input helps
Most adults who experience one will experience the other. Here is a plain-language look at what your GP can manage, what changes when a psychiatrist is involved, and how to know when it is worth asking for a referral.
Related pages
If you're a GP, our page for referrers has everything you need to send a referral. You can also call us on (03) 8822 8444, Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm AEST.