How do I make a referral?
The most efficient way to submit your referral is via our online referral form. You may also call our office on 03 9885 2533, if you need to discuss. More information can be found on our referral information page.

Who can make a referral?
Referrals can be made by support coordinators, a treating professional, a family member, clients themselves or anyone involved in care.

Do you accept private referrals?
We accept referrals for those who wish to privately fund their services, please see our private rates here. We endeavour to keep our rates as low as possible while still maintaining our high level of service.

What information do I need to submit a referral?

For NDIS referrals:

• NDIS plan or NDIS goals
• NDIS plan manager details (if relevant)
• NDIS Support coordinator details (if relevant)
• Funding available
• Relevant medical reports

For TAC referrals:

• TAC claim number
• TAC claim manager details
• Relevant medical reports

What services do you offer?
We offer neuro Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech Pathology.

What are the average wait times?
Our wait times vary based on the type of therapy required and the client’s geographic location. Our friendly intake team is always here to help and discuss your needs and wait times. To view our wait times, please visit our current availability page or call us on 03 9885 2533 to discuss further. 

What type of clients do you take?
We treat adults (over 16 years of age) with neurological conditions who require Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and/or Speech Pathology services.

What is a neurological condition?
Neurological conditions affect the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Some neurological conditions are acquired and others are present at birth. See a list of the neurological conditions we treat here.

Why do you only offer therapy for neurological diagnoses?
As a provider, we focus on the areas our team are experienced in and passionate about, and this produces the best outcomes for the people we support.

Are there any neurological diagnoses you don’t treat?
We do not have expertise with certain neurodevelopmental disorders such as Intellectual Disability (ID), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) therefore we typically would not accept referrals for these conditions as the primary diagnosis.

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How can I fund my treatment?
Independent Rehabilitation Services works with a number of funding organisations and bodies that subsidise allied health services. These include:

• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
• Transport Accident Commission (TAC)
• WorkSafe Victoria
• Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan (formerly Enhanced Primary Care)
• Privately funded

What is the cost of service?

NDIS:
NDIS funded therapy is in line with the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. The cost for all services (Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech Pathology) is $193.99 per hour for therapy and travel.

TAC / WorkSafe Victoria:
TAC and WorkSafe funded therapy costs are agreed upon with the relevant Insurance Body Scheme.

Private:
If an external funding body is not involved in your care, cost for treatment will fall under our private rates. Please see our current private rates here.

Can I claim through my private health fund?
Some private health funds offer a rebate for allied health services. Every health fund and level of cover is different so please contact your fund to find out what out of pocket expenses you may incur. You are responsible for reimbursement through your health fund.

Can I claim through medicare?
If you have been referred by your GP under a Chronic Disease Management Plan (formerly known as Enhanced Primary Care), you are eligible for a small Medicare rebate. You are responsible for reimbursement through Medicare.

How can I pay my invoice?
Invoices for our services will be mailed/emailed to the person nominated. We accept payment via EFT and credit card.

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Where do you travel to?
We travel across Greater Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula – see our service areas here. Please call 03 9885 2533 or email help@independent-rehab.com.au, if you have any queries.

Is there a cost for travel?
Time taken for the therapist to attend home and community appointments will be billed at the hourly rate relevant to the funding body, and in line with the funding body guidelines. Please contact us on 03 9885 2533 for information on your specific funding body and the travel rate.

You can choose whether to have therapy sessions in your home, remotely via telehealth or at our practice in Carnegie. If clinicians are travelling to your home, we attempt to reduce travel costs by allocating a clinician with clients in the same geographic area.

Why do you come to my home?
Independent Rehabilitation Services believes that the best rehabilitation / independence goals are achieved at home practising the skills you need in your own environment and community. For more information see our Community Rehabilitation page. If you would rather visit us, some appointments are also available in our treatment rooms in Carnegie.

What if I am outside your service area?
If you live outside our service area but would still like treatment, we can offer telehealth appointments where suitable.

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How long will treatment take?
Every client and treatment program is different. Once you have been referred to us, a clinician will complete an initial assessment and will then make recommendations as to how many treatment sessions they believe will be required to achieve your goals. The clinician will discuss these ongoing recommendations with you and your significant others to develop a treatment plan. This can be reviewed, modified or ceased by you at any stage in your rehabilitation process.

I am in urgent need of treatment, do I have to wait to be seen?
We understand there are certain circumstances that require urgent attention. Therefore, we aim to prioritise clients with urgent needs, including:

• Urgent swallow assessment
• Falls assessment (where there is a falls risk)
• Recent hospital discharge 
• Risk of re-injury

If you have an urgent referral, please contact our intake team to discuss and we can provide a more accurate timeframe. 

How soon can you see me?
There may be times when we have a wait list for services. If this is the case, you will be notified at the time of referral and the options will be explained to you. View our current availability on our website to get an idea of the wait times.

Why do I need 2 hours for a simple assessment?
We allow up to 2 hours for an assessment for the identification of complex issues, liaison with external stakeholders and report writing all of which is seen as a duty of care to our clients.

Can I choose my own clinician?
Specific clinicians can be requested at the time of referral or during treatment. Every effort will be made to allocate that clinician to you, however there may be times when this is not possible, usually due to geographic location and capacity. In this circumstance, another clinician will be allocated to you. All our staff are highly experienced and competent in the area of neurological and general rehabilitation.

What does neuro mean and why do I need an expert in the area?
Neuro is short for neurological and refers to anything to do with the nervous system which includes the brain, spinal cord or other nerves. Neurological rehabilitation can be complex and clinicians working in this area usually have many years experience or have undertaken further study. Independent Rehabilitation Services prides itself in having staff with expertise in the area of neurological rehabilitation to better serve the clients they see.

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Why do I have to have a driving assessment?
There are many different reasons why you may have been asked to have an Occupational Therapy Driving Assessment. After an accident or illness or as we age, the skills we need to drive safely may be compromised. Vic Roads, on behalf of your GP, healthcare professional, friend or family member may request you undertake a driving assessment to determine if any medical condition(s) and/or disabilities impact your fitness to drive.

What does a driving assessment involve?
Once you receive a letter from VicRoads requesting a driving assessment, we can arrange an Occupational Therapist Driving Assessor to complete a formal driving assessment.

A driving assessment has two stages, completed over separate days – an off-road and on-road assessment in a dual-control vehicle with a driving instructor (up to 1 hour for each session).

An Occupational Therapist Driving Assessor will assess your ability to drive safely; including your physical ability, understanding of safe driving, judgement, reaction time and abiding with road laws. Their recommendations are sent to VicRoads who make the final decision regarding driving capability.

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How is my privacy protected?
We are committed to protecting the privacy of your personal and health information and ensuring information is kept securely and complies with relevant regulations and guidelines, please read our privacy policy here.

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How long have you been doing neurological therapy for?
Independent Rehabilitation Services (IRS) was founded in 1999 by Physiotherapist, Kate Phillips. Since the beginning, our team of highly experienced Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Speech Pathologists have been working with adults with neurological conditions in our clients homes across Greater Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula.

How experienced are you with NDIS?
We are a registered service provider with NDIS and have experience working with the scheme since 2016, when it launched in Victoria.

How experienced are you with TAC?
We have been working with TAC since we were founded in 1999.

How do I find out more about IRS?
You can read our blog, join our mailing list, or follow us on Instagram or Facebook.

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Ready to make a referral?
It’s easy via our online referral form.