An approved medical specialist (AMS) plays an important role in the Western Australian workers’ compensation scheme. An AMS assesses an injured worker’s degree of permanent whole of person impairment (PWPI) caused by workplace injuries. These assessments determine access to certain workers’ compensation entitlements by injured workers.
WorkCover WA may designate a person as an AMS if the person is a registered medical practitioner who WorkCover WA considers to be sufficiently trained in the use of WorkCover WA Guidelines and satisfies WorkCover WA’s eligibility criteria.
How to become an approved medical specialistSee below to find out how to become designated as an approved medical specialist (AMS) operating within the Western Australian workers’ compensation and injury management scheme or to see if there are any upcoming dates scheduled for training in the use of the WorkCover WA Guidelines.
Register of approved medical specialistsRegister of approved medical specialists (WorkCover WA Online)
An up-to-date register of WorkCover WA approved medical specialists (AMS).
Forms
Publications
- Form AMS 1: Request for Assessment by AMS of Degree of Permanent Impairment (Word – 50kb)
This form is used when requesting an Approved Medical Specialist to assess the degree of your permanent impairment.
- Form AMS 2: Requirement for Worker to Attend before an Approved Medical Specialist (Word – 50kb)
This form indicates a requirement to attend an impairment assessment. There are penalties if a worker fails to attend as required.
- Form AMS 3: Requirement to Produce Relevant Documents or Information for an Impairment Assessment (Word – 50kb)
This form is used when an approved medical specialist requires a worker, employer or employer’s insurer to produce relevant documents and information to assist in the impairment assessment. The worker, employer or employer’s insurer must provide relevant documents or information to the approved medical specialist.
- Form AMS 4: Requirement to Consent to Another Party to Produce Relevant Documents or Information for an Impairment Assessment (Word – 50kb)
This form is used by an approved medical specialist when they require consent from the worker, employer or employer’s insurer, for another party to provide relevant documents or information required for the impairment assessment.
- Form AMS 4A: Requirement to Produce Information for an Impairment Assessment (Word – 50kb)
This form is used after an impairment assessment examination, when additional information is required from the worker.
- Form AMS 5: Report on Evaluation of Degree of Permanent Impairment (Word – 130kb)
The approved medical specialist is to produce a detailed Form AMS 5 and forward a copy to both the worker and employer alongside a Form AMS 6.
- Form AMS 6: Certificate of Degree of Permanent Impairment (Word – 50kb)
The approved medical specialist must forward this certificate alongside the Form AMS 5.
- Form AMS 6A: PIRs Rating (Word – 47kb)
Form AMS 5 and 6 may have the PIRs Rating Form attached when a psychological injury is being assessed.
- Form AMS 7: Report on Workers Condition Not Stabilised (Word – 50kb)
The approved medical specialist uses this form when the worker has been assessed, but their injury has not stabilised to the extent required by the Act and the WorkCover WA Guides for the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. The approved medical specialist is to forward this report to both the worker and the employer alongside Form AMS 8.
- Form AMS 8: Certificate Where Workers Condition Not Stabilised (Word – 50kb)
The approved medical specialist is to forward this certificate to both the worker and the employer alongside Form AMS 7.
- Notice about special evaluations – on or after 12 October 2020 (PDF – 580kb)
- WorkCover WA Guidelines for the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, fourth edition (PDF 652KB)
This guide is used by Approved Medical Specialists when evaluating the degree of an injured worker’s permanent impairment.
- WorkCover WA Guidance Notes for Approved Medical Specialists Procedures for the permanent impairment assessment process (PDF – 1MB)
Outlines the methodology, process and terminology of the impairment assessment process.
- Fact Sheet: Assessment of Permanent Injuries before and after 14 November 2005 (PDF – 2MB)
Provides guidance in determining the process to be followed when requesting or undertaking a disability or impairment assessment.
