There are a variety of ways we can support you during your dealings with Medical Panels. We offer these services as part of our commitment to providing you with a high quality service that is timely, fair, impartial, consistent, professional and efficient.
Help with your referral
We can:
- tell you the types of referrals that we deal with
- explain the Medical Panels' referral and/or Panel hearing process
- facilitate and change Panel hearings to a time that's suitable for you
- ensure suitable support is in place (e.g. interpreters)
We cannot:
- give you advice or recommend how to get the outcome you want
- have discussions about the type or quality of the doctors on your Panel
- tell you what a Medical Panel means for your claim
- tell you how likely you are to be successful based on the outcome of your Medical Panel opinion
Contact us for help and more information.
Services for people with a disability
Accessibility
Consultations are mainly conducted at Level 6, North Tower, 485 La Trobe Street, Melbourne. This venue has full disability access for entry from La Trobe Street and a disabled toilet on the sixth floor. A nurse on duty will also be able to help if required.
Contact us for help and more information.
Support for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
We can arrange an Auslan interpreter, or other interpreter, if you require this service.
Contact us for help and more information.
Other disabilities
There are other supportive arrangements that can be put in place for people who need assistance due to physical or mental conditions (including minors).
Contact us for help and more information.
Arrangements for children
We have dedicated facilities and special arrangements for children who attend Medical Panels as the claimant. However, if you're coming to a Medical Panel hearing for yourself, we recommend you arrange care for your children.
Contact us for help and more information.
Interpreting services
If you need an interpreter at Medical Panels, please contact us and we'll arrange one at no cost to you.
If you're a referrer and believe that a worker or claimant may need an interpreter, please let us know the language and dialect (if applicable) so that we may contact the person.
We do not usually allow a relative or a friend to act as an interpreter at Medical Panel hearings.
Contact us for help and more information.
Telephone interpreting service
To access phone interpreting services, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 or visit https://www.tisnational.gov.au(opens in a new window) for more information
Security
Medical Panels has a number of security measures to ensure that people who enter our premises feel safe. For example:
- We have a security officer present throughout the day.
- We have duress alarms in all consulting rooms (when a Panel Member presses the alarm, the security officer on duty is called to the room immediately).
- We may have additional security arrangements in place if a person has acted aggressively in previous Medical Panel consultations.
All weapons (including firearms and knives) are prohibited.
Support services
We understand that a Panel hearing may be stressful and at times difficult. The following confidential support services can be contacted should you require assistance:
Lifeline - 24/7 support
13 11 14
www.lifeline.org.au(opens in a new window)
Beyond Blue – 24/7 support
1300 224 636
www.beyondblue.org.au(opens in a new window)
Headspace – 24/7 support
1800 650 890
headspace.org.au/online-and-phone-support(opens in a new window)
Suicide Line - 24/7 support
1300 651 251
suicideline.org.au/phone-and-online-counselling(opens in a new window)
13YARN – 24/7 support
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Crisis Support
13 92 76
13yarn.org.au(opens in a new window)
Updated