In brief

A permanent impairment assessor is a registered medical practitioner recognised as a specialist with qualifications, training and experience relevant to the specific body system or systems being assessed.

To provide services within the NSW workers compensation system, you must be a trained assessor of permanent impairment for each body system you intend to assess and be listed for each body system on the SIRA workers compensation website. You may be one of the worker’s treating specialists or you may be engaged on behalf of the worker, employer or insurer for the purposes of assessing the level of permanent impairment.

A permanent impairment assessment is used to measure how much permanent change has happened to the worker’s body because of their injury.

In assessing permanent impairment, the assessor must determine:

• whether the worker's condition has resulted in impairment
• whether the condition has reached maximum medical improvement
• whether the impairment is permanent
• the degree of permanent impairment that results from the injury
• the proportion of permanent impairment due to any previous injury, pre-existing condition or abnormality.

How do I become a permanent impairment assessor?

In order to become a permanent impairment assessor you are required to:

• meet certain eligibility criteria
• satisfactorily complete training in the evaluation of permanent impairment, and
• submit an application and be listed on the website.

Becoming an assessor of permanent impairment explains the process and requirements to become listed as an assessor of permanent impairment. Applicants may apply to be listed using the assessor of permanent impairment application.

You can use our online search tool to find a permanent assessor (or to see who's listed).

Training in the evaluation of permanent impairment

Australian Medical Association (AMA) Victoria’s education business unit, AMA Training has partnered with AMA NSW to provide training in the evaluation of permanent impairment in the NSW workers compensation system.

For more information on the course, refer to our Training and workshops page.

To register, contact AMA Training on (03) 9280 8722 or email amatraining@amavic.com.au.

Publications you might need

These documents also provide additional information:

• Guidelines for the evaluation of permanent impairment (effective 1 April 2016)
• Clarification to interpret and apply 'Table 4.2 - Modifiers for DRE categories following surgery'
• Summary of changes to permanent impairment guidelines
• Workers compensation guidelines
• Workers compensation guide for medical practitioners
• Workers compensation medical dispute assessment guidelines 2019

Fees and invoicing

The 2020 Medical Examinations and Report Fees Order, and  2020 Medical Examinations and Reports No.2 (effective 17 April 2020) set out the rates payable to assessors of permanent impairment. Find other Fees Orders in our Resource library.