The Dietitians at Coffs Coast Nutrition focus on treating the whole person, rather than simply the symptoms. We take time to listen to what you have to say, in order to find the cause of your ill-health and provide safe, effective solutions.    

If you want to be healthier and improve your energy levels or sporting performance or find out what foods are contributing to IBS symptoms or inflammation or lose / gain weight, you will benefit from our individualized approach and specialised advice.

Our Dietitians believe there is no one way of eating that suits everyone. We will tailor advice to you and take any relevant food intolerances or medical conditions into account. 

We will work with you to set realistic and achievable goals which will enable you to reach your desired weight and/or better-manage a medical condition.  

The key difference between an ‘Accredited Practising Dietitian’ and a ‘Nutritionist’ is that, an ‘Accredited Practising Dietitian’ has undertaken additional studies in medical nutrition therapy, dietetics and food service management. 

Our Dietitians have at least 4-6 years of university study in biochemistry, physiology, nutrition, dietetics and medical nutrition therapy, and are Accredited Nutritionists AND Accredited Practising Dietitians.

Our Accredited Practising Dietitians are regarded as nutrition experts because we have the medical knowledge, understanding and clinical training to assess a person’s diet and lifestyle. This enables us to provide Medical Nutrition Therapy for a range of conditions including irritable bowel syndrome, food intolerances, coeliac disease, inflammatory conditions, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, weight management (both overweight and underweight) and much more. 

Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) is the only national credential recognized by the Australian government, Medicare, the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) and most private health funds as the standard for nutritional services in Australia. This is why only an Accredited Practising Dietitian will be able to offer a rebate under Medicare or DVA, for nutrition consultations. 

Nutritionists who are inadequately qualified cannot register with either Medicare or DVA. Some Nutritionists have no formal training in nutrition or may only have completed a very basic diploma or certificate, so be very cautious if your Nutritionist does not state his or her qualifications.   

All Accredited Practising Dietitians are also nutritionists, however not all nutritionists are sufficiently qualified to call themselves Accredited Practising Dietitians.

Yes, we offer nutrition assessments and advice via telehealth (phone and Zoom) as well as face-to-face. Telehealth appointments have been very popular because they are so convenient for our clients and are always on time. You will receive exactly the same personalised advice, regardless of whether you opt for phone, Zoom or face-to-face appointments.    

No, a referral is not essential, unless you wish to be seen under DVA or Workers Comp or would like to receive a Medicare rebate. NDIS recipients will need to provide prior written approval.

A referral is not required if you wish to claim through your private health fund. The dietitians at Coffs Coast Nutrition are accredited with all major health funds, however you should check with your health fund to see if they provide rebates for dietitian or nutrition appointments. 

Coffs Coast Nutrition does NOT routinely bulk bill initial consultations, however if you have a valid Medicare referral and GP Chronic Condition Management Plan (GPCCMP) from your GP, you may be entitled to a rebate of $63.40 per appointment (maximum of 5 Medicare rebates to allied health professionals per calendar year). 

All local medical centres have been advised that, unfortunately, we are not in a position to bulk bill initial consultations. This is because the Medicare rebate covers an appointment time of 20 minutes, however initial appointments at Coffs Coast Nutrition can be up to 75 minutes. This allows time for a thorough nutritional and lifestyle assessment, followed by individualised advice. It also ensures that you have the opportunity to ask questions. In addition, we provide a personalised appointment summary and other resources after the appointment which can take up to several hours to prepare in some cases. Extra time is also required to write a report to your referring GP after your first and your last appointment under your Medicare referral. 

If you have a valid Medicare referral and GP Chronic Condition Management Plan (GPCCMP) from your GP, you may be eligible for a Medicare rebate of $63.40. Please note that not all referrals from GPs are Medicare referrals. To find out if you are eligible, you will need to speak with your GP as Medicare rebates are only available for certain conditions and circumstances. Your referral will need to state that it is a Medicare referral in order for you to be eligible for a Medicare rebate of $63.40.

You will be required to pay for the initial nutrition consultation, however we can process your Medicare rebate on your behalf after your appointment, so that it goes into the bank account that you have registered with Medicare. Medicare do not allow allied health practitioners to simply charge the gap fee. 

If you have private health insurance as well as a Medicare referral from your GP, you will need to choose whether to claim a Medicare rebate of $63.40 or a rebate through your private health fund. You cannot claim both rebates at a single appointment, however you can alternate between claiming a Medicare rebate at one appointment and claiming through your private health fund at your next appointment.

If you have private health cover, check with your health fund to see what rebate they offer.  

If you are unsure whether your doctor has prepared a Medicare referral for you, or if you would like to know whether you are eligible for a Medicare referral, check with your doctor.

Please note: We do not bulk bill initial appointments under Medicare, however if you have a valid Medicare referral you may be able to claim a rebate of $63.40.

We see NDIS and Workers Comp recipients. If this is your first appointment, you will need to complete our ‘Appointment Enquiry’ form (at the bottom of this page) or phone 0477 275 299 and leave a voice message so that we can return your call. Review video / Zoom and phone appointments can be booked online.

Information required from NDIS recipients (in writing / via email)

Reason for appointment (so we can decide on the best dietitian for you to see)

Whether self-managed, plan-managed or agency managed.

Plan manager and/or support coordinator’s contact details (email and phone number)

NDIS participant number

Number of appointments required (if known)

Initial appointment length: 60, 75 or 90 minutes

Review appointment length: 30 or 45 or 60 minutes

Whether any reports are required and if so, how many

Information required by Workers Comp recipients (in writing / via email):

Reason for appointment (so we can decide on the best dietitian for you to see)

Full name and D.O.B.

Workers Comp claim number / participant number

Name and contact details (phone and email) of the case manager

Written confirmation that the Workers Comp organisation agrees to pay the cost of appointments and letting us know how many appointments they approve

Whether any reports are required and if so, how many

DVA: We will continue to support current DVA clients but will no longer be accepting referrals for new DVA clients.

Your first consultation can take up to 75 minutes (if you see Louise or Lauren) and up to 60 minutes (if you see Paul). This allows time for personalized treatment and support. Our Dietitians will collect information relating to your medical history, symptoms, stress levels, sleep, environmental factors, weight history (if relevant), diet and activity levels, as well as your goals and expectations. This enables us to provide individually tailored advice. 

We generally prefer to arrange a follow-up appointment 2 – 4 weeks after your initial appointment in order to review your progress, answer any questions you may have and keep you motivated. Some people prefer to attend on a weekly basis, while others would rather an appointment every 6 weeks or so, or you may simply want some basic information which can be obtained in a total of one or two sessions. We find that people get the best results if they have regular review with our dietitians as this allows time to ask questions and helps people to be accountable (even if they feel they know what to do), however the choice is yours. 

Yes, our health and wellness coaching services include a comprehensive assessment, plus sessions on areas such as stress management, nutrition and mood, sleep quality, mindful eating, healthy snacking and much more. We also offer one-on-one personal training.

Yes. Our personal trainer (Col) specializes in one-on-one personal training either in our studio gym or outdoors.

Yes, after hours dietitian appointments are available via video / Zoom and phone with Lauren Mason and Dr Paul Lewandowski.

Some after hours PT sessions may be available with our personal trainer, Col Williams.

Yes. Our Dietitians allocate up to 75 minutes for an initial appointment and 45 minutes for review appointments to enable you to have quality one-on-one time. We do not double book appointment slots. Clients are therefore kindly asked to keep appointments, unless an emergency occurs. We request at least 48 hours notice for all cancellations or rescheduling of appointments.

A fee of $60:00 will be charged for missed appointments or appointments that are cancelled or rescheduled with less than 48 hours notice. This applies to video / Zoom, phone and face-to-face appointments. The aim is not to make profits from cancellation fees, rather to make sure that those appointment times are kept available for others who need them, and in order to ensure that you respect your dietitian’s time.

It is understandable that in some circumstances, short notice may occasionally be unavoidable, and discretion will be exercised in such cases.

Fees are payable two business days prior to telehealth consults via credit card or bank transfer. Alternatively, we can store your credit card details and deduct payment the evening prior to your appointment. In this situation, card details will be encrypted and securely stored.

If you have an in-person appointment at Coffs Coast Nutrition, you will need to pay at the time of your appointment via credit card or EFTPOS.

Yes. Please enter via the tiled path situated to the right of the building. Look for the ‘Entrance’ sign.