Is this only available to Warragul Regional College students?

Yes. DiSS is a Victorian Government program tied to specific participating schools. It's only available to enrolled students at the school where the program runs.

Does my child need a referral to see the doctor at school?

No. Any student can make an appointment directly. A student the doctor assesses as a mature minor can consent to their own care. If the doctor decides a student is not a mature minor, they will seek a parent or carer's consent before treatment.

Will I be told what my child discussed?

Generally, no. If your child is assessed as a mature minor, their consultation is confidential in the same way an adult's would be, unless there's a serious safety concern.

Doctors in Secondary Schools

Q: Is there a cost?

No. The program is bulk billed through Medicare and funded by the Victorian Department of Education. There's no out-of-pocket cost to students or families.

Dr Sai Andey and Dr Divya Kachhela alternate Thursdays, 10am to 2pm, at Warragul Regional College, as part of the Victorian Government's Doctors in Secondary Schools (DiSS) program.

DiSS is funded by the Victorian Department of Education and delivered through Gippsland Primary Health Network. It gives students access to a GP and practice nurse on-site, at no cost. Any student can make an appointment, and consultations are bulk billed through Medicare.

Sai and Divya have both completed the University of Melbourne's adolescent health training, delivered as part of the DiSS program in partnership with the Royal Children's Hospital, headspace, and Sexual Health Victoria. Tahiad Hossain, our practice nurse, also supports the program.

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Adolescent Health

Puberty happens at a different pace for every young person, and the changes it brings, physical, emotional, and social, are a normal part of growing up. Our doctors are trained to talk through these changes directly with students, in a way that fits how they're ready to engage.

Adolescence is also a common time for young people to encounter alcohol, vaping, or other substances for the first time. Our doctors can talk through these openly and without judgement, and help identify support where it's needed.

Sexual health is part of general adolescent care. This includes contraception advice, STI testing, and general questions about sexual health and relationships. These conversations are handled the same way any other health matter is, factually, confidentially, and at the student's own pace.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is central to how the DiSS program works, and to adolescent healthcare generally. In Victoria, this isn't governed by a fixed age. Instead, doctors assess whether a young person is a “mature minor”, capable of understanding the treatment being discussed and its consequences. A young person assessed as a mature minor can consent to their own care and have that care kept confidential, in the same way an adult patient's care would be.

This doesn't apply if a doctor believes a student is at risk of serious harm, in which case the usual safeguarding obligations apply. Outside of that, what a student discusses with the doctor stays with the doctor.

Mental Health

Mental health is one of the most common reasons young people use the DiSS service. Our doctors can provide mental health support directly, and where appropriate, arrange a referral, including to headspace, one of the training partners in the DiSS program.

For students who need an ongoing mental health plan, this can also be arranged through a standard GP consultation, bulk billed the same way as any other Medicare-eligible appointment.

Frequently asked questions

The Doctors in Secondary School Team

Dr Sai Andey

MBBS, FRACGP. Bringing GP care to Warragul Regional College every Thursday.

Dr Divya Kachhela

MBBS. Supporting students at Warragul Regional College every Thursday.

Tahiad Hossain

Practice Nurse. Supports the program alongside our doctors.