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If your patient is claiming the Disability Support Pension,
they have to provide a medical report.
This needs to be filled out by a qualified medical practitioner.
I'm here to give you some tips on how to do it.
If your patient has a terminal medical condition,
then you will need to complete questions two and three
on page three of the medical report.
For cancer, provide details on the staging and grading.
Indicate the prognosis for all conditions.
This makes sure your patient will not need to attend
a face-to-face assessment.
Before you get started on condition one, here's some useful terminology.
A temporary condition is a medical condition
likely to prevent your patient from working, training or studying
for less than the next two years.
A permanent medical condition
doesn't mean that the condition
will persist indefinitely or
that it is necessarily terminal
or incurable.
For DSP purposes,
it is a condition with a functional
impact persisting
for longer than two years.
Only conditions that are fully diagnosed, treated and stabilised
will be considered for DSP eligibility.
The condition with the most significant functional impact
should be listed as condition one.
To determine whether a medical condition is fully diagnosed,
the diagnostic information and evidence in your report is vital.
There have recently been legislative changes to the diagnostic requirements
for mental health conditions, hearing and visual conditions.
For mental health conditions,
the diagnosis needs to have been confirmed
by a clinical psychologist or a psychiatrist.
For hearing or function of the ear,
the diagnosis has to be confirmed by an ear, nose and throat/ENT specialist,
or an audiologist.
For a visual condition,
the diagnosis needs to have been confirmed by an ophthalmologist.
When completing the sections on treatment and current symptoms,
include information on -
what treatment has been undertaken,
how effective it has been
and its duration and expected outcome.
Whether the past treatment has been effective.
whether future treatment is planned
in the next two years.
And if there will be a significant improvement in the condition
as a result of current or future treatment.
Provide full details of the impact on ability to function,
duration of impact and prognosis.
The medical report form only allows for two significant conditions.
If your patient has more than this,
complete the same level of detail by copying pages four, five and six,
and adding them to the medical report as an attachment.
Question six is only for conditions with minimal or limited functional impact
on your patient's functioning.
It is useful to add here conditions that are generally well managed.
Don't forget to ensure your contact details are clear
in case we need to contact you.
Your patient may bring the form with them to their appointment,
or you can print it from the Department of Human Services website.
An online version can be accessed
through the Health Professionals Online system
for registered medical practitioners.
Providing the patient's complete medical information
will reduce the need for someone to contact you
for further information or clarification.
For more information, check out the other videos
made by the Department of Human Services for people with disability.