No More 2712: What GPs Now Need to Do for Psychology Access (Better Access Changes Explained)

The removal of item 2712 hasn’t just changed how we bill mental health reviews —it has directly changed how patients access psychology under Better Access.

And this is where I’m seeing the most confusion (and risk).

First — what hasn’t changed

Let’s be clear:

✔ Patients still need a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) (e.g. 2715)✔ Patients still get:

• Up to 10 individual psychology sessions per calendar year✔ Patients still require:

• A review before accessing additional sessions

  
  

👉 The system still expects a clinical review before further referrals

📌 MBS backs this clearly:

“After a patient has used the allocated number of services… a review of the patient’s Mental Health Treatment Plan and a new referral must be obtained.”

What HAS changed

Previously:

You used 2712 as the formal “review trigger”

It was obvious:

“Do a 2712 → give more sessions”

Now:

There is no dedicated review item

Reviews must be done in a standard GP consult (23/36/44 etc.)

📌 MBS now states:

“GPs… are to use time-tiered professional (general attendance) items for the specific purpose of reviewing a Mental Health Treatment Plan.”

👉 And this is the key shift:

Access to further psychology sessions is now dependent on your clinical documentation — not a specific item number

So how do patients now access more psychology sessions?

Step 1: Initial plan (unchanged)

2715 or 2717

Refer for:

• Usually up to 6 sessions initially

Step 2: Review BEFORE more sessions

To provide further sessions (e.g. the remaining 4):

You must complete a structured review inside a standard consult

📌 And this isn’t optional — the MBS is explicit:

“The review… must include:– a review of the patient’s progress against the goals…– re-administration of the outcome measurement tool…– modification of the documented Mental Health Treatment Plan if required.”

This consult must include:

✔ Review of progress against goals

✔ Outcome measure (e.g. K10 / DASS) where appropriate

✔ Assessment of response to treatment

✔ Consideration of ongoing need for psychology

✔ Update to the plan

✔ Documentation of decision to continue treatment

👉 THEN you can provide a new referral

The biggest misconception right now

“I can just write another referral because they’ve used their sessions”

🚫 Incorrect

Without a documented review:

• The referral is not compliant

• You cannot justify:

  • Additional sessions

  • Ongoing Better Access use

    
    

📌 Again — straight from the MBS:

“A review… and a new referral must be obtained from the referring practitioner for further treatment.”

Why this matters more than most GPs realise

The MBS has also made it clear that:

“A Mental Health Treatment Plan does not expire… A new plan should not be prepared unless clinically required.”

👉 Which means:

• You are not meant to just redo plans

• You are expected to review, update, and continue care properly