Telehealth Care provided by our Sunnyside Experts

At Sunnyside we provide specialised mental health care with psychiatrists, psychologist and counselling via telehealth, using different platforms to better suit our clientele. Telehealth options may be particularly useful for clinical reviews, when face-to-face interaction may not be feasible.

In addition, at Sunnyside we also offer specialised mental health care to those living in rural and remote areas of Australia, to enable comprehensive and affordable access to Medicare-rebatable psychological and psychiatric services.

Access specialized care with a Clinical Psychologist at Sunnyside with Telehealth

New Medicare item numbers (The Telehealth Access to Psychological Services measure) commenced on 1 November 2017 and are available to consumers living in rural, remote and very remote Australia. Services under this measure are available to patients with an assessed mental disorder who would benefit from a structured approach to the management of their treatment needs. People who might otherwise have not been able to take up mental health therapy services because of where they live will have access to services from their home location via video conference.

Client suitability for a telehealth service

A referral letter from your GP, with relevant clinical information and a rationale for the use of Telehealth, is a key requirement for your booking with one of our experts for a Telehealth consultation.   

Please note that not all individuals may benefit from telehealth care. At Sunnyside we do not provide telehealth care to individuals experiencing an acute decompensation of mental state, exposure to significant risks to self or others or experiencing psychosis.

Improving the quality of telehealth-based interviews

Please check your computer set up and do a trial call prior to a telehealth interview. At Sunnyside we favour the use of Skype. If you prefer using an alternative telehealth platform, please communicate in advance, in order to confirm alternative arrangements can be made as per your preference and convenience. Telehealth consultations are preferred over telephone-based interviews; interview via Facetime can also be organised.

Please ensure you are in a private and suitable area for a telehealth consultation – a telehealth consultation is still a form of clinical interview! We strongly suggest you do not attend telehealth consultations from cafes, restaurants, or venues in which other individuals are present, including meetings, classrooms, or conferences. If you decide to attend a telehealth consultation inside your car, make your you’re the only one in the car. Consultations will not be conducted if you are driving any vehicle. You must be fully available to participate in and concentrate on the telehealth interview for your own benefit.

Prior to your telehealth appointment

Please check your computer set up and do a trial call prior to a telehealth interview. At Sunnyside we utilise several teleconference platforms, including Skype, Teams and Zoom. If you prefer using an alternative telehealth platform, please communicate in advance, in order to confirm alternative arrangements can be made as per your preference and convenience.