Referral
waitlist
Please fill out the form provided here and attach the referral to be added to the waitlist.
Referrals may be submitted for children under 17 years of age. Please obtain consent from a parent or legal guardian before submitting this form.
New patient referrals will only be accepted through this referral link on the website when it is open.
Please be aware that we do not schedule appointments several months in advance. Only submit a referral if you need an appointment within the next eight weeks.
NEW PATIENTS:
Please do not call us at this time for new patient appointments. This takes away our staff's time for in-clinic duties just to turn calls away. We reserve the right to refuse service if our staff is subjected to any form of abuse or threats, as this impacts not only their wellbeing but also the quality of care we provide to our current patients.
We understand the frustration that comes with not being able to secure an appointment. We encourage parents to remain persistent in their efforts to obtain one.
Please follow the instructions below carefully if you wish to initiate this process.
1 REFERRALS
Typically, appointments are available only with a referral from your general practitioner (GP).
These referrals should be directed to our clinic or practitioners, clearly stating the purpose of the referral.
The referral cannot be accepted if it is:
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addressed to another practice/ doctor
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not within our services provided
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illegible or in non-PDF format
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not from a GP or relevant specialist
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from nurse practitioner
At this point, we can only accept referrals via our automated submission form located above, which will place you on a waitlist. Unfortunately, any referrals sent through email or fax will not be acknowledged or processed, as we are currently at capacity. If your GP has submitted a referral on your behalf, please do not consider this as an acceptance of your referral. Submission of referrals also does not guarantee an appointment for the reasons mentioned earlier.
2 WAITLISTED
If your submission is successful, we kindly ask that you refrain from calling us while your referral is being reviewed. Once you reach the top of the waitlist, you will receive three calls to arrange your initial appointment. If we are unable to connect with you, we will leave a voice message for you to return our call or email us. To be fair to others in the queue, if we do not receive a response within 12 weeks, your referral will be discarded. Referral need to be submitted again, if you'd like to request the appointment.
3 APPOINTMENT OFFERED
Upon accepting an appointment, you agree to our clinic's appointment and cancellation policies. Once confirmed, you will receive an appointment letter and an information sheet with additional instructions sent to your email. Please ensure you have received this; if it’s not in your inbox, check your junk mail folder. If you still haven’t received it, kindly inform us right away.
4 CANCELLATION POLICY
If you wish to cancel your appointment, please ring us at least 48 hours prior to your appointment day.
Failure to do so will incur a $200 (Non-Attendance Fee) which is not claimable to Medicare.
To reschedule appointments within 48 hours we will need a deposit of $250 which is non-refundable and non-transferrable. This is to ensure the appointments are prioritized for those who require it urgently.
These policies are in place to make sure families who need the assessments can get the help they need, we appreciate your understanding and patience in our process.
Existing patients who are undergoing active care with us can make an appointment over the phone with reception team or book through HotDoc here. Please note cancellation and rescheduling policies still apply.
For more policies and clinic info please go to our FAQ page .
Why only a paediatrician (or psychiatrist) can formally diagnose ASD
In Australia, Autism is a medical diagnosis, not just an educational or functional one.
That means only a medical specialist — usually a paediatrician or child psychiatrist — can formally diagnose it.
Psychologists, speech pathologists, OTs, etc.:
· can assess to provide the specialist with more information, only if the specialist request it.
· can offer support for a diagnosis base on the thorough assessment.
· can recommend ASD
…but they cannot legally confirm it on their own.
Why the paediatrician can’t “just sign off”
This is the part that confuses families the most.
A paediatrician:
· Is medically and legally responsible for the diagnosis
· Must be able to defend that diagnosis if Medicare, NDIS, schools, or regulators question it
· Risks serious professional consequences if they diagnose without adequate evidence
So they can’t just rely on someone else’s report, they must do their own investigation.
Why they have to do their own investigation
Before confirming ASD, a paediatrician must personally:
· Take a full developmental and medical history
· Rule out other medical, neurological, genetic, or psychosocial causes
· Make sure the child meets DSM-5 criteria, not just “looks autistic”
· Be confident the diagnosis is accurate and appropriate long-term
That’s why they often:
· Ask extra questions you feel were already answered
· Request additional questionnaires
· Do their own observations
· Request information from other stakeholders
· Sometimes delay or decline confirmation
Why some paediatricians refuse to confirm at all
This usually happens when:
· The evidence is borderline or inconsistent
· The child is very young and the situation can be better explained by developmental delay.
· The presentation is complex (trauma, ADHD, anxiety, language disorder, etc.)
· They feel more assessment is needed before committing
· It’s rarely about doubting parents — it’s about responsibility.
The frustrating reality
For families, it feels like:
Paying twice
Repeating everything
For doctors, it’s about:
Legal accountability
Medicare compliance
Professional standards