WaitWell

You're in the
right place.

Navigating referrals and waitlists is hard. WaitWell is here to support your family from the moment you need help.

Get support now ↗
12–18
the average number of months families wait for paediatric allied health services in Australia
0
the number of hours of structured clinical support most families receive during that entire wait
$400–600
the average out-of-pocket cost of a single speech pathology assessment in Australia

Support that doesn't wait for the waitlist to end.

When a child is referred for speech pathology or occupational therapy, families enter a period of uncertainty that can last well over a year.

  • They don't know what to do in the meantime
  • They don't know if their concerns are serious
  • They're not sure they're on the right list

WaitWell connects families with clinicians sooner. Practical, personalised guidance while you wait.


See how it works →
Currently serving

Speech pathology waitlists in far north Queensland and the Northern Territory, through Well Balanced Care.

Coming soon

Occupational therapy, psychology, and behaviour support across all Australian PHN regions.

Supported by

The University of Sydney PERIscope Commercialisation Award.

Ready to get started?

Fill in a short form and a clinician will have your report ready within one business day.

Get support now ↗

How it works

Support from
day one.

Share a little about your family. A clinician reviews what you've shared and prepares your personalised report and activity recommendations. That's it.

Four steps

1

Getting started

Tell us about your family

Share a little about your child and your family on this website. You can come to WaitWell in any number of ways: through a referral, a PHN gateway, or simply by finding us yourself. The process starts the same way regardless.

2

Tell us what you know

Share what you know

This takes around 15 minutes. Share information in whatever way feels right:

  • Short written responses
  • Voice recordings or video clips
  • Existing reports, referral letters, or other documents

Everything you share is reviewed by a qualified clinician with deep experience in paediatric allied health before your recommendations are prepared.

3

Personalised to your child

Your recommendations

Your clinician prepares a personalised set of practical strategies for you to use at home while you wait. Every recommendation is structured around your child's specific concerns, your family's routines, and the services available in your area.

Written in plain language. Designed to be useful straight away.

Premium option: Add a 15-minute callback with your reviewing clinician to walk through the recommendations together. Available within one business day.

4

Yours to keep

Your clinical report

You receive a concise clinical summary alongside your recommendations. It's yours to keep and share as you choose. Take it to your treating clinician before your first appointment, share it with your child's school, or keep it for your own records.

What families can expect

Clinician-led throughout

Every piece of information you share is reviewed and every recommendation prepared by a qualified allied health professional.

One session

The WaitWell process is a single interaction. Share what you know, receive your report. No ongoing commitment.

Tailored to your child

Built from what you've told us, not a generic template with a name at the top.

Private and secure

Your information is handled in line with Australian privacy law and never shared without your consent.

Yours to keep

Your report belongs to you. Share it with whoever you choose, whenever you choose.

Evidence-based

Recommendations grounded in current clinical literature, reviewed and updated regularly.

Ready to get started?

Share what you know and receive your report within one business day.

Get support now ↗
Our vision
Families should be supported from the moment they need help, not just when they reach the top of a waitlist.
A waiting room

Built for families who are already waiting.

WaitWell helps families connect with clinicians sooner, offering guidance and practical support while they navigate long waitlists. The platform is designed to help parents and carers access timely, tailored information from qualified professionals, to understand their concerns and feel more supported during periods of uncertainty.

Built by rural health professionals and experts with backgrounds in social innovation, health service design, and regional community development, WaitWell works alongside existing clinics and providers. The goal is simple: make support feel more accessible, responsive, and human, for families who need answers sooner.

Why we built this

  • Support does not always need to begin with a full assessment or ongoing therapy plan. In many cases, clinician-led input during the wait helps families make sense of what is happening, reduce unnecessary worry, and identify more urgent needs.
  • Families in rural and remote Australia face the longest waits, and have the fewest alternative support options. WaitWell was built specifically with them in mind.
  • The waiting period is not wasted time. With the right guidance, it can be used to build understanding, try practical strategies, and arrive at the first appointment better prepared.
  • Right now WaitWell supports families waiting for speech pathology and communication services, with occupational therapy and other allied health disciplines planned for development in 2027.

Our team

EJ
Dr Ed Johnson
Founder

Social entrepreneur with degrees in linguistic anthropology and speech pathology. Worked in rural and remote Australia for 10 years before completing his PhD at the University of Sydney. Co-founded Umbo, which has saved NDIS participants over $33 million in direct service costs.

LW
Professor Lee Wallace
Advisor

Bio to be added.

SD
Dr Scott Davis
Advisor

Bio to be added.

JM
Mr Jonathan Murphy
MD Community Partnerships and Operations

Bio to be added.

What we stand for

Equity of access

WaitWell is designed to be accessible to families regardless of where they live or how they found us. Funding models vary, and we are working to make sure no family is left without support simply because of their circumstances.

Clinical quality and safety

Every recommendation is reviewed by a qualified allied health professional. Technology supports the process; clinicians make the judgements. Always.

Human-centred design

Built for parents under pressure. No jargon, no front-loaded paperwork, no clinical burden placed on families who are already stretched.

Evidence-based practice

Recommendations are grounded in current peer-reviewed clinical literature and updated regularly.

Get support now

Tell us about
your family.

Fill in the form below and a clinician will have your personalised report ready within one business day.

What happens next

  • A clinician reviews your intake and prepares your personalised recommendations and clinical report
  • Your report is ready within one business day
  • It is yours to keep and share with whoever you choose
  • A premium callback with the reviewing clinician is available if you'd like to talk it through

About your child

What brings you here

No clinical language needed. Just describe what you're seeing day to day.

Communication and daily life

Rate each area based on what you observe day to day. No clinical knowledge needed.

1 = No concern5 = Significant concern
How your child communicates
Understanding and following along
Communication across different situations

Think about how your child communicates in different places and with different people.

Communication partners
Daily routines

Other services and supports

Optional but helpful for your clinician.

Your details

Supporting documents

Optional. Upload any relevant reports, letters, or other files.

Click or drag files here
PDF, Word, images, video. Up to 5 MB per file.

Your information is private and handled in line with Australian privacy law. It will only be shared with others only with your consent.

Thank you. We'll be in touch soon.

A clinician is reviewing your intake and will have your report ready within one business day.

In the meantime, feel free to read more about how WaitWell works.