Edition No.101
This edition was issued on 10 August 2026
Welcome
As avid readers of the Personal Commission News are aware, our motor accidents medical dispute list has been under pressure for some time. Read below to learn what we are seeing and what tribunal users can do to assist.
Following the recent changes to workers compensation legislation, the Commission will soon update several more of its forms in the Pathway Portal to collect required information for relevant disputes. Other work to implement the amendments is continuing and we will provide further information in future editions.
Practitioners are reminded of the requirements for applying for a matter to be expedited.
We would also like to remind tribunal users of the venues that the Commission uses to conduct its dispute resolution services.
As part of our focus on safety and security, visitors to the Commission are asked to take note of our procedures for evacuations, which apply to all people on our premises during an emergency.
Finally, we reflect on one of our former medical referees, Dr Eric Goulston, as we continue to acknowledge 100 years of workers compensation in New South Wales.
Regards,
Judge Phillips
President
Motor accidents medical assessments
The Commission continues to experience large numbers of motor accidents filings requiring medical assessments, putting pressure on the medical list.
Motor accidents filings have increased in July. There were approximately 540 disputes received last month, an 8% increase when compared to July last year. This was driven by a substantial increase in treatment and care disputes, which were 39% higher than July last year, and 52% higher than June 2026.
More than 700 motor accidents medical assessments have been scheduled for August, and September is on track to see appointments in excess of 600.
The Commission’s Medical Services team is contacting all motor accidents medical dispute claimants to encourage their attendance at appointments and to address any concerns or answer any questions they may have about the process.
Practitioners are also asked to ensure their clients attend their appointments as scheduled. If for any reason a claimant cannot attend, the sooner the Commission is informed, the sooner that appointment can be allocated to another claimant. A high rate of attendance is one of the ways the Commission can keep the list moving and reduce waiting times.
While the Commission is regularly conducting large numbers of medical assessments, the clearance rate has decreased. This is because more matters are being filed than can be finalised each month.
However, analysis shows that almost 80% of all motor accidents medical disputes currently on hand relate to 2026 filings. Approximately 19% were filed in 2025 and just over 1% were filed in prior years. Just under half of these older matters are the subject of a medical review panel. This demonstrates that the medical list is moving well but does remain under pressure.
Updated forms to support workers compensation reform
Updates will soon be made to the following forms in the Pathway Portal to collect additional information required in response to recent changes to workers compensation legislation:
- Form 1: Application for an Expedited Assessment
- Form 1B: Reply to Application for Expedited Assessment
- Form 7: Application for Assessment by a Medical Assessor
- Form 7A: Response to Application for a Medical Assessment
- Form 10: Application to Appeal against a Decision of a Medical Assessor
- Form 10A: Notice of Opposition to Appeal Against Decision of a Medical Assessor
This follows the updates made to Form 2 and Form 2A in July.
Information will be sent to all Pathway users and published on the Commission’s website once the second tranche of updated forms are available.
Work to implement the changes to workers compensation are ongoing and the Commission will continue to communicate these changes to you.
Read how the Commission is operationalising changes to workers compensation legislation
Applications for a matter to be expedited
The Commission reminds tribunal users that requests pursuant to rule 75 of the Personal Injury Commission Rules 2021 for an application to be expedited must:
- contain the reasons why the application should be expedited, including any relevant evidence such as a statement from the worker and copies of recent financial records
- notify the other party of the request
- be made via the submissions/correspondence function in Pathway or via help@pi.nsw.gov.au
The Commission will communicate the outcome of the request to the parties as soon as practicable, usually within seven days of receipt.
Accessing the Commission’s venues
The Commission delivers its dispute resolution events across NSW through a combination of in-person, virtual and hybrid venues. This approach promotes access for injured people and tribunal users, particularly those within regional and rural areas, while helping to reduce process trauma, time, and cost.
The Commission’s venues include the hearing rooms at 1 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, which are equipped with the necessary technology to allow for in-person or virtual attendance. Members’ chambers can also operate as virtual hearing rooms. The Commission also uses Local Court facilities for in-person hearings in regional and rural locations where appropriate to do so.
The Commission also continues to conduct wholly virtual dispute resolution events through Microsoft Teams, allowing participants to attend regardless of their location, so long as suitable technology and internet bandwidth are available.
As part of the Commission’s hybrid venue model, the Dubbo site at the Service NSW Centre provides a private, sound-proofed room with modern technology. This enables injured claimants, workers, witnesses, legal representatives and other tribunal users within the region to attend Commission dispute resolution events virtually or in hybrid format without needing to travel significant distances. It also ensures a safe and secure facility, both from a cyber and physical security standpoint.
The Commission’s preference is for dispute resolution events to occur in person. This allows for the participants to be physically present with the decision-maker and assists in facilitating the proceedings. However, the Commission will continue to offer a mix of venues to support its dispute resolution events in accordance with its statutory purpose.
Safety and security during evacuations at the Commission
From time to time, the Commission may need to undertake an emergency evacuation of its premises at 1 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst. This may occur as part of an emergency response or when an alarm is activated.
When an evacuation is required, all tribunal users must leave the building promptly and follow the directions of Commission staff, decision-makers, and emergency wardens. This helps to ensure everyone can exit safely and that emergency procedures can be carried out effectively.
Importantly, tribunal users should not re-enter the Commission’s premises until they are advised it is safe to do so. We appreciate your cooperation and assistance in keeping our hearing and office environments safe for everyone.
More information on security at the Commission
Reflecting on the service of Dr Eric Goulston
Dr Eric Goulston was the Chief Medical Officer of the first Workers Compensation Commission from 1974 to 1980. He was in charge of the then Medical Branch of the Commission under the Chairman, Judge Christian Langsworth.
Dr Goulston won the exhibition in medicine at the University of Sydney in 1928. He did postgraduate work in surgery in the United Kingdom, working his passage to London as the ship’s doctor. His service in World War II was memorable. He enlisted as a surgeon in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force 2/5th Australian General Hospital serving in the Middle East, Greece and Crete. Upon his return to Australia, he was posted to Papua New Guinea and was present at the ceremony when Lord Mountbatten received the Japanese surrender in Singapore in 1945.
His real adventure took place in Abyssinia, modern day Eritrea and Ethiopia, which led to a lifetime of involvement in medicine in that country. He was the sole medical officer to a force of 500 tribesmen who liberated the town of Gondar from their Italian occupiers, being personally awarded the Gondar Cross by the last Emperor, Haile Selassie. When his career in Australian public hospitals ended, he became the inaugural professor of surgery at the Haile Selassie University in Addis Ababa. He spent three years operating and teaching students at this university.
Dr Goulston was a highly skilled surgeon and pioneered different types of surgery, teaching large numbers of medical students at the University of Sydney. He died in 2006 aged 100.
The contributions made by Dr Goulston and others to workers compensation over the past 100 years will be included in the centenary publication to be released later this year.
Legislative reform
Keep up to date with how the Commission is operationalising the latest legislative changes on our new webpage.
Fact sheets and checklists
Preparing for a medical assessment? Our fact sheets outline what to expect and include checklists to support you every step of the way.
Have a question about the Personal Injury Commission?
If you have a question you would like to ask about the Commission, please email us at communications@pi.nsw.gov.au
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