Frequently Asked Questions

Bookings/ Appointment FAQ’s

  • Online Bookings:

    • Sarah (Continence Physiotherapy)is currently accepting online bookings

    • Please contact us via email if you have any questions or the booking you want is not available.

    • You will receive a confirmation email with more information once you have made an online booking. Please check your JUNK folder in case the email has redirected there. Contact us at admin@barwonkids.au if you do not receive this email.

    • If you wish to go on a waitlist for Developmental Therapy or Occupational Therapy, please complete the online form on the “Contact” page or email us with your details and someone will be in contact with you shortly.

    Phone:

    • We have very limited admin support, so unfortunately we have limited capacity to receive calls while we are attending to other clients.

    • Please send your enquiry via email and we will call or email back as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

    Online Form or Email:

    • We prefer that any booking or general enquiries are sent via email or the online form in the “Contact Us” section above.

    • We will endeavor to respond to you as soon as possible.

  • Please let us know if you have previously seen any of the therapists at a different location. This will allow us to collect your clinical notes ahead of time with your consent.

    If you are booking online:

    • Book for an ‘Initial Appointment’ if you haven’t been seen for over 12 months.

    • Book for a ‘Review/Follow up’ if you have been seen previously less than 12 months ago at a different location.

    • If you’re unsure, book an ‘Initial Appoitnment’ (60mins).

  • For private clients:

    • A 50% fee will be charged for all cancellations within 24 hours of your appointment. 

    • The full fee will be charged for all missed appointments. 

    • This fee must be paid prior to rescheduling.

    For NDIS-funded clients:

    “Short notice cancellations” as defined by the NDIA, are all cancellations with less than 7 days notice.

    The service agreement between the participants and the provider (Physiotherapist) will outline this policy and be agreed upon before commencing treatment.

    Any reduced or waived fee will be at the discretion of your Physiotherapist.

  • Our clinic is at 306A Pakington St, Newtown, VIC, 3220.

    We share this space with an Osteopathy & Acupuncturist partnership called Health Balance.

    We don’t have a receptionist, so please take a seat in the waiting area and we will be with you as soon as possible.

  • The clinic has disability access and plenty of on-street parking available nearby.

    Keep in mind, we are directly across from Chilwell Primary School, so pick up & drop off times may be extra busy.

  • Sarah (Continence Physiotherapy) is accepting new clients, with a waitlist that varies according to current demand.

    Please see the online booking system to get an idea of waiting periods or contact us via email if you would like to discuss anything further.

    For any enquiries related to Developmental Therapy and Occupational Therapy appointments and waitlists, please contact us via the online forms or via email for any enquiries related to Developmental Therapy and Occupational Therapy appointments and waitlists.

  • Continence Physiotherapy

    An initial assessment will take 60-90 minutes and a follow-up review is typically 45 minutes (unless otherwise specified).

    These times include non-face-to-face services like administration tasks (as needed).

    Community visits and telehealth appointments are also available.

    Developmental Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapy:

    Initial appointments will run for 60 minutes (face to face), with up to 30mins of non-face-to-face services as needed.

    Review/follow up appointments will typically run for 50mins (face to face), with 10 mins non-face-to-face time.

  • Initial visits are typically completed in our clinic, subsequent appointments can be held at home, daycare, kinder, school, in the community, or at our clinic.

    This will be discussed throughout our time together and planned well in advance to give all parties ample notice.

    A home visit safety checklist will be completed prior to visiting your house, this is protocol and is designed to keep everyone safe.

    Schools and other private venues will be contacted with your consent to arrange an appropriate day and time to visit.

    Home or community visits cannot bo booked online, as there may be variable times for travel. Please discuss this with your therapist or contact us via email at admin@barwonkids.au to arrange this type of appointment.

Payments FAQ’s

  • Fees will vary depending on the therapist and services provided.

    Please see the “Prices” tab at the top of the page for a detailed breakdown of the price guide.

  • Yes! We accept all NDIS funded children (self, plan and NDIA managed).

    Please complete all relevant information when you submit the patient intake form.

  • If your child has had a health condition for more than 6 months (e.g. constipation), they may be eligible for a Medicare rebate for Physiotherapy services.

    A GP Chronic Condition Management Plan (GPCCMP) helps to coordinate health care for patients with chronic or terminal medical conditions.

    From July 1, 2025 the Medicare rebate is $61.80 per session.

    Your GP determines whether you are eligible for a care plan and Medicare rebates are available for a maximum of 5 appointments per patient each calendar year.

    If you wish to claim a Medicare rebate, you MUST proivide us with supporting documentation at the time of your appointment. This should include the page that allocates the 5 sessions to allied health (e.g. Physiotherapy) or we will not be able to process your rebate.

    Please note- this cannot be used in conjunction with any other forms of government funding (e.g. NDIS).

  • If your child is listed on your private health fund, you may be able to claim a portion of the appointment. This will depend on your level of cover and your individual health fund.

    We recommend contacting your health fund for more information.

    Please note- you will be required to pay in full on the day of your child’s appointment, as we do not have HICAPS. You can then submit a claim to your health fund for reimbursement if appropriate.

Continence FAQs

  • During your appointment, your Physiotherapist will take a detailed history including questions about your child’s bladder and bowel function. In order to develop the most appropriate treatment program for your child, the following assessments may be suggested by your Physiotherapist: 

    • Observing your child’s general posture, flexibility, spine, and tummy areas 

    • Palpating (lightly pressing) the tummy or external pelvic muscles  

    • Completing diaries or questionnaires  

    • Realtime ultrasound 

    • Uroflowmetry (flow meter in the toilet when urinating) 

    While these assessment tools can be very useful, sometimes they can seem daunting to your child, especially in a new environment. Each assessment should not cause any discomfort to your child and we will strive to make their experience as positive as possible. I have included more information on the assessment tools below. 

    It can be useful to discuss these ahead of time with your child, but as always, we don’t have to complete any of these if your child is not comfortable.

    For more information, please visit the 'Continence Clinic’ page under Services at the top of the page.

  • Treatment timeframes can vary considerably between children, but regular review is often required to deliver optimal care and provide ongoing support.

    The frequency of follow-up reviews will depend on your child’s specific progress and goals, which will be discussed by your Physiotherapist during your appointment. 

  • Our Physiotherapists are able to prepare a number of different reports depending on your needs and these will incur a fee for completion.

    Please notify your Physiotherapist if you require a specific report and this can be prepared after your child’s consultation.

    Please note that a comprehensive or NDIS plan reassessment report will typically be billed at 3-4 hours and a shorter progress report will be billed at 1-2 hours. This will depend on the time allocated to prepare the report and will be discussed with you prior to completion.

    Please see pricing guide under the ‘Prices” tab at the top of the page.