Do you work with medical aids?

We are not contracted to medical aids, so payments are settled by card or cash at the time of the appointment, and you will receive an invoice with all the details to try to claim back a portion. Medical aids generally only pay a 15min GP benefit, and our sessions are 60mins, which is why we are not contracted in to them.

Can I use my medical aid PMBs for my sessions with your doctors?
As we are mental health GPs, our sessions are not covered by PMBs. If your diagnosis qualifies for the 15 PMB sessions, we can use those for your weekly therapy sessions with a psychologist or counsellor, who one sees more often than our follow ups are needed. If you require an admission, your PMBs can also cover 21 days in hospital, if not used for therapy. 
 
Why are your rates higher than general GP rates?
Our appointments are much more extensive in terms of time spent with patients, so our rates are for 60min and 30min appointments, not 15min consults. We have all done much additional post-graduate training in mental health diagnosis and management, and our scope of knowledge and experience in the area we practice is extensive. Our practice area consists of practices charging R600-900 per 15 minute appointments, which would be a rate of up to R2700 per 60min sessions.  Our rates begin at R2050 per 60mins which includes a specialised service. 
 
Although all care has been taken to keep our rates low and similar to general GP rates per 15mins, we do still need to cover the ever increasing overheads of private practices in our area of Cape Town. We try to provide consistently accessible and efficient care to our patients through our team, and to maintain the quality of service, we do need to assign fees that can cover these costs.
What is the difference between a psychiatrist and a mental health GP?

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have the same initial degree as we do (MBChB) who have then done an additional 4 year post-graduate specialist programme in psychiatry after completing their medical degrees. Although we follow the same assessment and treatment guidelines, we do refer cases to our wonderful psychiatrist colleagues wherever necessary if they are out of our scope, and we help to facilitate these referrals. Over the years we have built relationships with many psychiatrists across Cape Town who offer us supervision and advice where needed, and offer us additional training through the various courses and conferences we attend.

Can you prescribe medication if needed?
Yes, we are able to prescribe all medications. 
 
Can you apply for chronic medication benefits?

Yes, depending on the diagnosis – medical aids don’t pay for chronic medication for all psychiatric conditions. We are able to advise patients individually on this during consults once a diagnosis is made.

How often will I need to follow up?
This is completely dependent on the patients condition and needs. Usually after the first 60min assessment appointment, we follow up after 2-4 weeks for 30mins depending on the complexity of the condition. Thereafter generally one or two monthly follow ups if we need to adjust or change management, and after that we only need to see patients once in 6 months. This is why we also advise using the PMB benefits for psychologists or counsellors, as they will generally see patients once a week, and can offer 15x 60min sessions under PMBs if the diagnosis is a PMB diagnosis. 
 
What if my doctor is too full to see me for an urgent follow up?

The beauty of working together as a like-minded team of mental health doctors, is that we are able to collaborate and provide urgent follow ups where needed, if your own doctor isn’t able to help you in the same week

What happens if I have an after hours emergency?

We are not emergency service providers, however there is psychiatric emergency care available without a referral letter at all government and private hospitals. The emergency hotlines in South Africa are:

Suicide Crisis Helpline (24/7) – 0800 567 567
CIPLA Mental Health Helpline (24/7) – 0800 456 789
Substance Abuse Helpline (24/7) – 0800 12 13 14
WhatsApp CIPLA Chat Line (8am-5pm) – 076 882 2775
WhatsApp Maybelline BraveTogether (8am-5pm) – 087 163 2030
SMS (24/7) – 31393