Mental Health Care Plans in Australia — What They Are and How to Get One

If you’ve been told to “get a mental health care plan”, this page explains what that actually means, where you can get one, and — honestly — what an online service like MyGPOnline can and cannot do for you. MyGPOnline is a private telehealth service, and a mental health care plan is a Medicare arrangement, so it pays to understand the difference before you book anything.

What is a mental health care plan?

A mental health care plan — formally a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan — is a structured plan a GP prepares during a Medicare-eligible consultation, usually with your regular GP. It sets out your goals and treatment options, and it is Medicare’s gateway to subsidised sessions with a psychologist. Because it is a Medicare arrangement, it cannot be issued through a fully private service — MyGPOnline does not prepare Medicare care plans, but its doctors can talk with you promptly and help you work out your next step.

If you are in crisis or at risk of harm, call 000, or Lifeline on 13 11 14 — available 24/7.

How do you get a mental health care plan?

1. Book a longer appointment with your regular GP — care plans need a proper assessment, so tell the reception it’s for a mental health care plan when you book.
2. The GP assesses you — usually including a short questionnaire about how you’ve been feeling — and discusses treatment options with you.
3. The plan is prepared and reviewed over time — it can include referral to a psychologist, and your GP reviews progress at follow-up appointments.

Don’t have a regular GP? MyGPOnline is part of Family Doctor, Australia’s largest 100% GP-owned medical group, with more than 100 clinics nationally. You can find a Family Doctor clinic near you and book a face-to-face (or clinic-based telehealth) appointment — that clinic pathway is the right place to ask about a mental health care plan.

Why can’t MyGPOnline issue a mental health care plan?

Because we’re honest about what a private service is. A GP Mental Health Treatment Plan is a Medicare item: it must be prepared in a Medicare-eligible consultation, and Medicare-rebated telehealth generally requires an established relationship with the practice. MyGPOnline consultations are fully private — no Medicare rebate applies — which is what lets anyone in Australia book quickly, with or without a Medicare card or a regular GP. The trade-off is that Medicare constructs like care plans and subsidised psychology sessions sit outside what we can provide, and we’d rather tell you that plainly than let you book the wrong appointment.

What a MyGPOnline mental health consultation can do — $90, 20 minutes

Sometimes the most valuable thing is simply talking to a doctor soon — not in three weeks. Our dedicated mental health telehealth consultations run for 20 minutes with an AHPRA-registered Australian GP, 7 days a week, for a flat $90 private fee. In that time the doctor will listen and assess your situation, and where clinically appropriate can:

• Give guidance and support — practical next steps for stress, low mood, anxiety, sleep problems or burnout.
• Write referral letters — for example to a psychologist or other mental health professional, where the doctor assesses a referral as appropriate.
• Issue a medical certificate if you’re too unwell for work or study — mental health is a legitimate reason for leave.
• Point you to the right ongoing pathway — including a care-plan conversation with a regular GP at a Family Doctor clinic.

Book a mental health telehealth consultation →

Which should I choose?

Choose your regular GP (or a clinic) if you want a Medicare care plan and access to Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions — that’s the clinic-backed pathway, and continuity with one GP genuinely helps mental health care. Choose MyGPOnline if you want to talk to a doctor promptly — today or this week, evenings and weekends included — for support, a referral letter where appropriate, or a certificate while you’re unwell. Many people sensibly use both: a prompt private telehealth conversation now, and a care plan with their regular GP for the longer term.

Frequently asked questions

Can MyGPOnline write me a mental health care plan?

No. A GP Mental Health Treatment Plan is a Medicare arrangement and MyGPOnline is a fully private service, so no Medicare rebate applies to our consultations and we cannot prepare Medicare care plans. Our doctors can assess you, support you and point you to the right care-plan pathway.

Can I get a mental health care plan by telehealth at all?

Some general practices offer Medicare-eligible telehealth consultations for care plans, usually where you have an existing relationship with the practice. Ask your regular GP, or contact a Family Doctor clinic near you about the options they offer.

Will the $90 consultation give me subsidised psychology sessions?

No. Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions require a Medicare care plan pathway through a Medicare-eligible consultation. The $90 MyGPOnline consultation is fully private. A doctor can still write a referral letter where clinically appropriate — but any psychology sessions you book privately are at the psychologist’s own fees.

Do I need a referral or a care plan to book a MyGPOnline consultation?

No. Anyone in Australia can book directly — no referral, no care plan and no Medicare card needed. Same-day appointments are usually available, 7 days a week.

What does a mental health care plan cost at a clinic?

Fees and billing arrangements vary between practices, so ask the clinic when you book. At MyGPOnline the only mental-health fee is the flat $90 for the 20-minute private consultation — all our fees are on the pricing page.

Part of Family Doctor — clinic-backed telehealth

MyGPOnline is the telehealth arm of Family Doctor, a network of more than 100 GP-owned clinics across Australia. Every consultation is with an AHPRA-registered doctor, and because the group runs real clinics, online care connects to in-person care — including the mental health care plan pathway described above. Related services: mental health telehealth, telehealth appointments, medical certificates.

This service is not for emergencies — in a medical emergency call 000. If you are in crisis or at risk of harm, call 000, or Lifeline on 13 11 14 — available 24/7. Reviewed by the Family Doctor clinical team. Last updated 25 July 2026.