Dr Hamilton does not accept referrals for medico-legal or court reports,  or 3rd party assessments  such as insurance or work cover claims.  All patients  must be aged 17 years or over. 

Your first appointment is the beginning........

Dr Hamilton requests that your referral from your General Practitioner is  sent prior to making the initial consultation. This is an important step, as it helps ensure that your needs do fall within the areas of her expertise.  In the event that her capacity for further new patients has been exceeded, then you will be offered a waitlisted appointment, or advised to return to your referring General Practitioner for further assistance.

The initial appointment is the  foundation upon which a  thorough assessment of your needs can begin, and it may well require an additional  appointment, depending upon the complexity of your situation.   The initial session is typically 45 minutes and you may wish to have a support person or family member included in the session.  Please mention this request prior to the session.   Working together, the aim is to establish a supportive and trusting  environment,  and to develop a comprehensive assessment and then a management plan.  This may also include further  assessment of your physical health, as required, although usually the referring General Practitioner provides this background information in the referral. 

A psychiatrist must listen carefully,   explore the patient's  current concerns,  and the context of their life experiences, both past and
present,  and clarify their previous mental health history and treatments.  It is a collaborative approach that will lead to a diagnosis
and understanding of your mental health concerns,  and then form anindividualized plan of management.

Dr Hamilton is experienced in recommending treatments  that incorporate evidence- based best practice. This may involve prescription  medications, their benefits and possible side-effects,  and a realistic expectation of what you could expect.  The introduction of escripts,  sent directly to your mobile phone, allows  same day  dispensing from your local pharmacy. If preferred,  a paper script can be posted to your home, although allowance for delays in postal mail  need to be  considered. Treatment often requires a form of " talk therapy",  and this can help to develop a positive treatment experience.   Other forms of therapy commonly needed  may   include individual psychotherapy,  cognitive behaviour therapy, or enhancing problem-solving skills, to name a few.

If ongoing treatment is appropriate, further  appointments can be scheduled either during the consultation or at a later date by communicating via email (preferred), or by phone (with voicemail ). Please allow up to 48 hours for a response.