| AMA Edition | Format1 | Substituted/removed | Authorisation of the guide | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 5th Edition | Modifier 1 | NSW Workers compensation guidelines for the evaluation of permanent impairment – 4th edition (Guidelines), modify several Chapters in AMA5. Removed: Chapter 18 Pain. Substituted:
| s376 , Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 |
| Vic | 4th Edition | Designator 2 | Removed: Chapter 15 Pain. Substituted:
| ss 54 , 61 , 64 , 66 and s68 , Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 |
| Qld | 5th Edition | Modifier 1 | The Guidelines for Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (the Queensland Guide) is Queensland’s guide for assessing permanent impairment. It is predominantly based on AMA5. Note that:
| Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Regulation 2014 |
| WA | 5th Edition | Modifier 1 | The WorkCover WA Guidelines are based on the Safe Work Australia template National Guidelines. Removed: Chapter 18 AMA5 regarding assessment of pain is excluded. Substituted:
| s146R , Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981 WorkCover WA may issue directions with respect to the evaluation of degree of impairment:
|
| SA | 5th Edition | Modifier 1 | Vision assessments based on AMA4. Evaluation of permanent impairment due to hearing loss adopts the methodology indicated in these guides (Chapter 9) with some reference to AMA5, but uses National Acoustic Laboratory (NAL) tables from the NAL report No 118, ‘Improved procedure for determining percentage loss of hearing’, January 1988. Pain (chapter 18, AMA5) and Mental and Behavioural Disorders (chapter 14, AMA5) are omitted as the Act excludes entitlement for psychiatric impairment (Refer to Impairment Assessment Guidelines ). | The Impairment Assessment Guidelines are published in the South Australian Government Gazette under s22(4) of the Return to Work Act 2014, |
| Tas | 4th Edition | Modifier 1 | Guidelines for the Assessment of Permanent Impairment modify several chapters in AMA4. Removed: Chapter 15 Pain. Substituted:
| Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 — s72(1)(a) |
| NT | 5th Edition | Modifier 1 | The NT Guidelines for the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (V1.1) is based on the Safe Work Australia template National Guidelines. The NT Guidelines modify several Chapters in AMA5. Removed:
Substituted:
Variation:
| Return to Work Act 1986 — s70 , |
| ACT | 5th Edition | Stand-alone (authorised by the Regs) | The ACT has approved:
Workers Compensation (Medical Guidelines) Approval 2010 (No 1) | Reg 5(1)(b) of the Workers’ Compensation Regulation 2002 allows the Minister to approve medical guidelines, |
| C’wealth Comcare2 | 5th Edition | Stand-alone | The Guide to the Assessment of the Degree of Permanent Impairment is a stand-alone document that was prepared for the Comcare scheme predominantly based on AMA5 but with modifications and some substitution. Substituted:
The Guide does provide for an assessment to be made with direct reference to AMA5 if an employee’s impairment cannot be assessed in accordance with the provision of Part 1 of the Guide, with exceptions. An assessment is not to be made using the American Medical Association’s Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment for:
| Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 An ‘approved guide’ is defined by s4 of the SRC Act as meaning:
Authority for the Guide rests in subsections 28(1) , 28(2) and 28(3) of the SRC Act. |
| C’wealth Seacare | 5th Edition | Stand-alone | The Guide to the Assessment of the Degree of Permanent Impairment is a stand-alone document that was prepared for the Comcare scheme predominantly based on AMA5 but with modifications and some substitution. Substituted:
The Guide does provide for an assessment to be made with direct reference to AMA5 in the event that an employee’s impairment cannot be assessed in accordance with the provision of Part 1 of the Guide, with exceptions. An assessment is not to be made using the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment for:
| Seafarers’ Rehabilitation and Compensation Act (1992) An ‘approved guide’ is defined by s3 of the Seafarers Act as meaning:
Authority for the Guide rests in subsections 42(1) , 42(2) and 42(3) of the Seafarers Act |
| C’wealth DVA | MRCA — N/A DRCA — 5th edition
| MRCA — N/A DRCA — designator
| MRCA — Permanent impairment is not assessed under the AMA DRCA — The Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims)—Guide to the Assessment of the Degree of Permanent Impairment 2023 (DRCA Guide) is the new standalone guide for the assessment of the degree of permanent impairment for defence force members, following expiry of Part 1 and Part 2 of the Comcare administered Guide to the Assessment of the Degree of Permanent Impairment – Edition 2.1 on 1 April 2023. The AMA Guides are to be used on a very restricted basis for assessments of permanent impairment for Defence personnel, and then only in consultation with, or under the direction of, an approved medical provider. A common case of use of the AMA Guides is for fingers or toes in place of Table 9.4.
| MRCA — Impairment points of a person means the points worked out for the person using the guide determined under s67 — ( s5 ) The Commission may determine, in writing, a guide setting out:
DRCA — An ‘approved guide’ is defined by s4 as:
Authority for the Guide rests in 28(1) , 28(2) and 28(3) of the DRCA. |
| New Zealand | 4th Edition | Designator 2 Modifier 1 | AMA4 ACC User Handbook — this takes precedence over the AMA4 | Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation (Lump Sum and Independence Allowance) Regulations 2002 Assessment tool for assessing eligibility for lump sum payments and independence allowance Assessment of a person’s whole-person impairment, for the purposes of determining the person’s eligibility to receive lump sum compensation or an independence allowance, must be carried out by an assessor using the assessment tool prescribed by subclause (2). 1. The assessment tool comprises:
|
1 Modifier refers to an edition of the AMA Guide that is attached with additional instructions for assessors and which acts to modify the AMA Guides or chapters. Schemes applying this modified approach publish separate guidelines to clarify the key points of divergence for doctors. The authority for these documents is contained in the legislation or its associated regulations. Designator refers to an edition of the AMA Guide which is designated by legislation as the Guide to be followed. Depending on the particular scheme, the designated Guide may also be a modifier (see above).'
2 Unlike other schemes, Comcare amalgamates modifications to AMA5 (as noted in this table) in a stand-alone document known as the Guide to the Assessment of the Degree of Permanent Impairment. Section 28 of the SRC Act is also unique in that it does not designate the use of AMA produced guidelines for assessment purposes.