30/4/05
Implementation of the Gallop Government's fairer and more balanced workers' compensation system reaches another milestone today, with new training for doctors wishing to become Approved Medical Specialists (AMS).
As well as being provided with $130million in additional benefits in the first year, injured workers in Western Australia will now be better off through being able to choose their own AMS in the process of assessing their workplace injury.
A total of 160 medical practitioners and specialists will take part in the inaugural course in the use of the guides, which have been adopted to provide greater certainty in evaluating the impairment suffered by injured workers in WA.
Consumer and Employment Protection Minister John Kobelke will open today's AMS training course, which is being held at the University of WA.
"The training for doctors will provide the basis for the new impairment assessment methodology, which ensures greater objectivity and transparency in how an injured worker's level of permanent impairment is determined," Mr Kobelke said.
"We have delivered new laws to more adequately compensate injured workers, assist them in returning to work sooner, remove inefficiencies which have plagued workers' compensation and reduce the cost burden on employers."
The Minister said impairment assessment was the foundation for an injured worker's choice either to remain in the statutory system, with access to new entitlements such as specialised retraining programs and additional medical expenses, or to pursue a common law case.
"For an injured worker to gain access to common law, under the new system, all he or she has to obtain is a certificate from an Approved Medical Specialist, which confirms a Whole Person Impairment of 15 per cent or more," he said.
"WA's impairment guides are based on similar guides, which are currently used in all other States that have common law access for workers' compensation.
"Under the new system, a worker will also be allowed to obtain more than one assessment and choose which one he or she wanted recorded for pursing legal action."
Mr Kobelke said doctors who undertook AMS training and met the basic criteria established by the WorkCover WA Authority would be eligible to undertake impairment assessments in the new workers' compensation system.
"I welcome the positive response to the new training by the medical profession, which shows a high level of commitment by doctors wanting to participate in the system," the Minister said.
"This is a positive start to the process of developing an assessment regime that provides injured workers with clear and consistent information as to their level of permanent impairment.
"For the credible performance of the system it is essential impairment assessments are undertaken so that injured workers do not have false expectations as to their eligibility to pursue certain statutory or common law actions."
"The Gallop Government is improving the quality of services to all Western Australians wherever they live and the new workers' compensation laws are helping to restore fairness, consistency and credibility to the system that assists injured workers.
"I am also committed to reviewing these reforms and, if needed, undertaking further improvements to deal with any issues that could arise as the new workers' compensation system begins full operation."
Minister's office: 9222 9211
