How do I get an Auslan interpreter for a GP appointment in Australia?

It depends on your age and NDIS status. If you have an NDIS plan, Auslan interpreting can be included as funding in your plan — ask your plan manager or support coordinator to arrange it through your preferred interpreting service. If you are 65 or over (50 or over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) and don't have an NDIS plan, free interpreting for GP and other health appointments is available through the National Sign Language Program (NSLP), delivered by Deaf Connect. If you are under 65 and don't have an NDIS plan, you generally need to apply for NDIS access to get funded Auslan interpreting, since the old National Auslan Interpreter Booking and Payment Service (NABS) no longer covers this group.

What is the National Sign Language Program (NSLP)?

The NSLP is an Australian Government program providing free Auslan interpreting and captioning for Deaf, Deafblind and hard of hearing people aged 65 and over (50 and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) who are not eligible for the NDIS. Since 1 July 2024 it covers health and medical appointments that attract a Medicare rebate, as well as aged care, social and professional settings. It's delivered by Deaf Connect, seven days a week including after-hours for emergencies.

What happened to NABS (National Auslan Interpreter Booking and Payment Service)?

Since 1 April 2021, Auslan users under 65 need an NDIS plan to get funded interpreting — NABS no longer covers this group. People 65 and over without an NDIS plan still get free interpreting, now mainly arranged through the National Sign Language Program (NSLP) via Deaf Connect rather than the original NABS service. If you've used NABS before and aren't sure which pathway applies to you now, Deaf Connect or the NDIS can confirm.

How can a Deaf or speech-impaired person call their GP practice to book an appointment?

Use the National Relay Service (NRS), a free 24-hour phone relay service for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment. A relay officer converts your typed text, captions or Auslan into speech for the practice receptionist, and their reply back into text or captions for you — using your practice's normal phone number, not a special line. Choose the channel that suits you (NRS Chat, NRS Captions, SMS Relay, Video Relay for Auslan, TTY or Voice Relay) through the NRS app or accesshub.gov.au, or call the NRS Helpdesk on 1800 555 660 (TTY: 1800 555 630, SMS: 0416 001 350) for help getting started.

Can a GP claim extra time on Medicare for a consultation that needs an interpreter?

Yes. The RACGP advises that the time needed to communicate effectively with a patient through an interpreter, including an Auslan interpreter, counts toward the total consultation length, and it's considered reasonable to claim a longer attendance item than might otherwise apply, for both face-to-face and telehealth consultations — provided the GP meets the requirements of that item's descriptor and records the reason in the notes.

Communication access at GP visits NEW

If you're Deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment, there are free, government-funded ways to get an Auslan interpreter at a GP appointment, and to call your practice yourself to book one. Which service applies to you depends mainly on your age and whether you have an NDIS plan.

📋 Sources: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing — National Sign Language Program (NSLP); Auslan interpreter booking flow chart for primary care providers (Feb 2025); Deaf Connect — How to book an interpreter (NSLP); NDIS — language & interpreting services; Healthdirect — the National Relay Service; RACGP — billing for consultations involving interpreters. Last checked 28 October 2026. Booking contact details (phone/SMS numbers, websites) belong to Deaf Connect and the NRS, not AskMyGP — confirm current details on their own pages before relying on them. This page is general information, not medical or legal advice.

Getting an Auslan interpreter — which pathway is yours?

Have an NDIS plan (any age)

Funded through your NDIS plan

Auslan interpreting can be included as funding in an NDIS plan. Ask your plan manager or support coordinator to arrange an interpreter for your GP visit through your preferred interpreting service — book via your plan, the same way you'd arrange any other NDIS-funded support.

65+ (or 50+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) · no NDIS plan

Free via the National Sign Language Program (NSLP)

A government program covering Deaf, Deafblind and hard of hearing older Australians who aren't NDIS participants. Since 1 July 2024 it covers health and medical appointments that attract a Medicare rebate — a standard GP visit qualifies. Delivered by Deaf Connect, 7 days a week, including after-hours for emergencies. No cost to you or the practice.

Book via Deaf Connect:
Online: bookings.deafconnect.org.au
Phone: 1300 773 803 · SMS only: 0476 857 251 · FaceTime: 0407 647 591
Have ready: your full name, the appointment date, start/finish time, location, and the type of appointment.

Under 65 · no NDIS plan

Apply for NDIS access

Since 1 April 2021, people under 65 need an NDIS plan to get funded Auslan interpreting — the old National Auslan Interpreter Booking and Payment Service (NABS) no longer covers this group directly. If you don't already have a plan, you'll need to apply for NDIS access first; once approved, Auslan interpreting can be funded the same way as the pathway above. ndis.gov.au has the access-request process, or Deaf Connect can point you in the right direction if you're unsure.

Still searching for "NABS"? That's the older, better-known name — it's effectively been split between the NDIS (under 65) and the NSLP (65+) since 2021, which is why it can be hard to find a single current contact for it.

Calling your GP practice yourself — the National Relay Service (NRS)

The NRS is a free, confidential 24-hour phone relay for anyone who is deaf, hard of hearing or has a speech impairment. A relay officer converts your side of the call — typed text, captions or Auslan — into speech for the person you're calling, and converts their reply back for you. You call your GP practice's normal phone number through the relay — there's no separate booking line for the practice to set up.

NRS Chat	Type your side; the relay officer speaks it for you. Good if you're deaf, can't hear well, or have difficulty using your voice.
NRS Captions	Speak with your own voice; the officer types the practice's replies back to you as captions.
SMS Relay	Send your side of the call as text messages from a mobile.
Video Relay	Sign in Auslan to the relay officer, who speaks to the practice for you.
TTY	For people using a teletypewriter phone — type and read, or speak and read.
Voice Relay	Speak and listen yourself; if something's unclear, the officer (trained in speech-impairment communication) repeats it.

Get started: pick a channel via the NRS app or accesshub.gov.au, or call the NRS Helpdesk for help setting up: 1800 555 660 · TTY: 1800 555 630 · SMS: 0416 001 350.
For a general (non-urgent) health question line via the NRS, Healthdirect can be reached on 1800 022 222. For a medical emergency, always call 000 (through the NRS if needed) rather than waiting on a routine channel.

A few practical tips for the visit itself

Mention your communication needs when you book, so the practice can allocate enough time and confirm whether your interpreter will attend in person or by video.
If no interpreter is available on short notice, you can still ask for whatever communication method works best for you, and ask for a written summary to take home afterwards.
Writing down your main concerns beforehand helps regardless of how you communicate — our Appointment Prep Sheet and GP-Ready Checklist are built for exactly this.
Planning a video consultation? Our telehealth readiness check tests your camera, microphone and connection beforehand — useful whether or not an interpreter is joining by video.
GPs can claim a longer Medicare item when extra time is needed to communicate through an interpreter, including Auslan, for both face-to-face and telehealth consultations — so there's no reason a practice should rush this.