Scheduling & Attendance Policy

Introduction

This policy explains how appointments are scheduled, confirmed, rescheduled, and cancelled at Mind-Care. 

Our goal is to provide consistent and reliable care while ensuring fair access to appointments for all clients. 

This policy applies to all services delivered in person and via telehealth. 

Booking Appointments

Appointments can be booked by contacting our administrative team. 

Appointments may be arranged: 

• By phone 
• By email 
• Through our administrative team, following a referral or appointment request 

Clients may also book ongoing appointments as recommended by their clinician. 

Appointment Reminders

We send SMS and/or email reminders before appointments. 

These reminders are provided as a courtesy. 

Clients remain responsible for attending appointments and cancelling within the required notice period, even if a reminder is not received.  

Arriving for Your Appointment

Please aim to arrive or log in a few minutes before your scheduled appointment time. 

If you arrive late: 

• Your appointment will still end at the scheduled time 
• The clinician may not be able to proceed if there is insufficient time remaining 

Late arrivals may be treated as a missed appointment where the session cannot proceed.  

Cancelling or Rescheduling Appointments

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please contact our administrative team. 

Our required notice period is: 

• Two business days’ notice 

Business days do not include weekends or public holidays. 

Appointments can be cancelled or rescheduled by: 

• Calling our administrative team 
• Responding to an SMS appointment confirmation
• Sending an email 

Messages received outside business hours are considered received at the start of the next business day.  

Cancellation Fees

Cancellation fees may apply when: 

• Less than two business days’ notice is provided 
• An appointment is missed (non-attendance) 
• A client arrives too late for the appointment to proceed 

Cancellation fees may include: 

Private or Medicare clients 

• A 50% cancellation fee 

NDIS and third-party funded clients 

• A 100% cancellation fee 

These arrangements align with funding requirements and service agreements. For more information on fees and billing, please see our Fees & Billing Policy.

Telehealth Appointments

Telehealth appointments follow the same scheduling and cancellation rules as in-person appointments. 

Clients attending telehealth sessions are responsible for: 

• Ensuring they are in a private environment 
• Having a stable internet connection 
• Being ready to begin at the scheduled appointment time 

Payment must be completed before telehealth appointments begin.  

Multiple Bookings and High-Demand Services

Clients may book multiple appointments in advance when recommended by their clinician. 

However, if multiple late cancellations occur, future bookings may be limited until attendance stabilises. 

For clinicians with high demand, additional scheduling limits may apply to ensure fair access to appointments.  

Clinician Availability

If your clinician becomes unavailable due to illness or unexpected circumstances, our team will contact you to reschedule your appointment or offer an alternative time. 

No fees apply when an appointment is cancelled by the clinician. 

Communication with Our Service

We communicate with clients through SMS, email and phone. 

These communications may include: 

• Appointment reminders 
• Scheduling updates 
• Forms and administrative documents 
• Payment links or invoices 

Clinicians do not provide therapy, advice or clinical support via SMS or email. These channels are used for administrative purposes only.  

After-Hours Communication

Messages sent outside business hours are not monitored. 

Messages received after hours, on weekends or on public holidays will be responded to on the next business day.  

If you require urgent or crisis support, please contact emergency services on 000 or a crisis support line such as one of the following: 

• Lifeline: 13 11 14  
• Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 
• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 (For young people aged 5 to 25) 
• 13 YARN: 13 92 76 (National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support) 

Agreement to This Policy

By booking an appointment with Mind-Care, you agree to the terms outlined in this Scheduling & Attendance Policy. 

Updated March 2026