Allied health treatment cycle
The treatment cycle aims to improve the quality of care for our clients by supporting better coordination and communication between general practitioners (GPs), allied health providers and clients.
The allied health treatment cycle
Under treatment cycle arrangements referrals to allied health services are valid for up to 12 sessions of treatment or 1 year, whichever ends first. Clients can have as many treatment cycles as their GP decides are clinically necessary. These arrangements ensure the health care is the most appropriate for our client’s needs.
The GP will refer our client to the allied health provider or providers who can help our client achieve their goals.
Our client and the allied health provider will create a Patient Care Plan. They will discuss our client’s health goals, and how they will reach these goals.
Towards the end of the treatment cycle, the allied health provider will write an end of cycle report based on our client’s outcomes. They will recommend whether our client needs another treatment cycle or not.
At the end of the treatment cycle the GP will review the end of cycle report with our client.
Sometimes our client will need more treatment or a different type of treatment. In that case the treatment cycle can start again.
Services covered by the treatment cycle
Allied health services covered by the treatment cycle are:
- chiropractic
- clinical psychology
- diabetes education
- dietetics
- exercise physiology
- neuropsychology
- occupational therapy
- occupational therapy (mental health)
- orthotic services
- osteopathy
- physiotherapy
- podiatry
- psychology
- social work
- social work (mental health)
- speech pathology
Exceptions to the treatment cycle
Treatments
Some allied health treatments are not included in the treatment cycle:
- dental services
- optical services
- hearing services
- counselling services with Open Arms - Veterans & Families Counselling
- therapies that have other treatment limits
TPI clients
The treatment cycle does not apply to clients who have a Totally and Permanently Incapacitated (TPI) Veteran Gold Card for:
- exercise physiology
- physiotherapy
You can identify a TPI Veteran Gold Card by the letters TPI printed on the front of the card.
At Risk clients
Clients who need additional care may be eligible for tailored arrangements. See At Risk Client Framework.
Providers who can refer clients for allied health treatments
These health care providers can refer our clients for an initial treatment cycle:
- general practitioners (GPs)
- medical specialists
- hospital discharge planners
- other health care professionals as part of a hospital discharge
Our client's usual general practitioner needs to make any referrals after that.
Veterans will need to make an appointment with their GP for any more referrals after the initial referral.
At Risk Client Framework
Some clients may benefit from a more tailored referral arrangement specific to their needs. This is done through the At Risk Client Framework:
Who is covered
A client may benefit from the At Risk Client Framework if they have all or some of the following factors:
- complex psychosocial factors
- severe health needs
- severe functional impairment
Length of arrangements
Under the framework, clients can have tailored arrangements for 3, 6 or 12 months. The GP could also refer our client to the Coordinated Veterans' Care (CVC) Program.
Completing the form and approval
For tailored arrangements the GP needs to complete an At Risk Client Assessment Form and send a copy of the form to treatment.cycle [at] dva.gov.au (treatment[dot]cycle[at]dva[dot]gov[dot]au).
The form needs to explain why the extra treatment would improve our client’s quality of care.
Our client's GP must send us a copy of the form. We do not need to approve the request.
GPs must review our client at the end of their tailored arrangement. If a further tailored arrangement is required, the GP needs to submit a new assessment form.
Information for different provider groups
You can go to for more specific information: