Medical assessment tribunals
What are medical assessment tribunals?
Medical assessment tribunals are set up to provide independent,
expert medical decisions about injury and impairment sustained by
Queensland workers. The tribunals are made up from an independent
panel of specialist doctors. Doctors may apply to be on the panel
but are only appointed to the panel if they can demonstrate a high
level of knowledge, expertise and experience.
A referral to the medical assessment tribunals may be required
if there are conflicting medical opinions in relation to whether
employment has been a significant contributing factor to the injury
of whether there is an ongoing incapacity for work as a result of a
work injury.
The medical assessment tribunals may also be required to assess
any degree of permanent impairment resulting from an injury. This
includes the degree of permanent impairment resulting from
disfigurement associated with an injury.
Only an insurer can make a referral to a medical assessment
tribunal. The insurer should inform the worker that a matter is to
be referred to a medical assessment tribunal before sending the
referral paperwork to Q-COMP for processing.
Q-COMP's Tribunal Secretariat is responsible for coordinating
appointments and providing administrative support to the medical
assessment tribunals. A Q-COMP officer will contact the worker,
usually within a week or two of receiving the referral, to set up
an appointment. The majority of appointments take place within six
to eight weeks of receipt of the referral.
Where are they held?
Medical assessment tribunals are held at Q-COMP which is located
at 347 Ann Street Brisbane on the corner of Ann and Wharf Streets.
We are accessible by public transport and are approximately 200
metres from Central train station.
Who's on the medical assessment tribunal
panel?
A worker attending a medical assessment tribunal will be seen by
between three and five specialist doctors depending on the nature
of their injury. The tribunal members will be specialists in the
relevant field of medicine and independent of the insurer. The
Tribunal Secretariat will make every effort to ensure that the
doctors on the tribunal have no prior association with the
worker.
The role of the Tribunal Secretriat:
The Tribunal Secretariat's main roles are to:
- schedule medical assessment tribunals
- confirm appointments with workers
- process relevant paperwork
- provide administrative support to the doctors.
The secretariat staff help insurers, workers and their
representatives through the medical assessment tribunal process
with the aim to provide accurate, timely and relevant information
to all parties and a caring and understanding service to
workers.