Workers compensation bulletin - issue 61

Have your say: SIRA frameworks for non-treating health practitioners

Stakeholders have more time to comment on SIRA's proposed frameworks for non-treating health practitioners.

SIRA is developing frameworks for the:

• appointment of authorised health practitioners (AHPs) in the NSW CTP scheme
• approval of injury management consultants (IMCs) in the NSW workers compensation system.

AHPs provide medicolegal evidence in relation to motor accident injuries in court and dispute resolution proceedings. AHPs were introduced to the 2017 CTP scheme to encourage joint medicolegal examinations with the aim to minimise disputation and reduce claim resolution times.

IMCs are registered medical practitioners experienced in occupational injury and workplace-based rehabilitation. They primarily assist the various stakeholders involved in a worker’s claim to progress a worker’s recovery at/return to work with the goal of optimising the worker’s health and work outcomes.

Submissions now close on Friday 12 April 2019.

SIRA has aligned the proposed frameworks where possible and set clear standards, expectations and processes to emphasise a uniform approach to non-treating health practitioners providing services to people injured in a motor accident or at work in NSW.

SIRA  released the following documents for consultation on 28 February 2019:

• Proposed authorised health practitioner appointment and regulatory framework
• Proposed injury management consultant approval and regulatory framework
• Injury management consultant approval framework – summary of changes

You may choose to provide feedback on one or more of the consultation documents, depending on your interests.

Submissions and any questions about the frameworks can be sent via email to [email protected] or posted to Locked Bag 2906, Lisarow, NSW 2252.

Further details are available on the SIRA consultation page at https://www.sira.nsw.gov.au/consultations