A dispute occurs when you disagree with the Lifetime Support Authority’s (LSA’s) assessment of your Treatment, Care and Support needs as set out in your Discharge Plan or MyPlan.

If you disagree with an assessment, you should first discuss it directly with your Service Planner.

You can also:

  • request a reassessment in writing
  • apply for a review by the Expert Review Panel (ERP).

A dispute concerning your Treatment, Care and Support services can be made by you, or someone acting on your behalf, after you’ve received your Discharge Plan or MyPlan from the LSA.

If you don’t agree with the whole or a part of your Discharge Plan or MyPlan, the first step is to discuss it with your Service Planner.

If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, or if you’ve tried this and are not satisfied with the result, you can email or write to the LSA’s Governance & Legal Team to ask for a reassessment.

You can also lodge a request for a reassessment online through the LSA Website.

In your letter or email to the LSA requesting a reassessment, you must state that you disagree with the assessment and explain why. Decisions about Treatment, Care and Support services are made based on the ‘necessary and reasonable’ criteria as outlined in the LSS Rules, and it is recommended you consider the LSS Rules in preparing your request.

A LSA assessor who was not involved in the original decision will be appointed to do the reassessment. They will review all of the information provided for the original assessment and follow the same procedures to reassess your Treatment, Care and Support needs. You will be given the opportunity to explain why you do not agree with the original decision.

Once the reassessment has been completed (which should occur within 28 days of lodging your dispute), the assessor will make a decision about the dispute. They will provide you with written reasons for their decision within 14 days of their assessment, and the person who conducted the reassessment will contact you to discuss it.

An application to the ERP can be made at the following times:

  • If you are unsatisfied with the outcome of the reassessment you can submit an application for a review by the ERP within 28 days of receiving the LSA’s Certificate of assessment
  • If you are unsatisfied with the whole or part of your Discharge Plan or MyPlan you can submit an application for a review by the ERP within 28 days of receiving your Discharge Plan or MyPlan.

If a reassessment is underway, once you submit an application to the ERP, any reassessment that is already underway will cease.

To find out more about lodging a dispute with the ERP, contact the LSA’s Review Officer on 1300 880 849.

The ERP will include up to three experts from the health, medical and/or disability sectors who have significant experience in working with people with severe injuries.

The members are independent from the LSA and are chosen by a Convenor, who is appointed by the Minister. Your treating health practitioners cannot be involved in a review of an assessment or decision made.

The ERP process is governed by the ‘ERP Guidelines’ issued by the Minister and available on the LSA website.

The LSA provides administrative support services to the ERP and may contact you on their behalf.

The time it takes the ERP to resolve a dispute about Treatment, Care and Support needs will vary, and will depend on access to relevant information in a timely manner, or the completion of assessments. The ERP may take time to come to a resolution and ensure the right decision is made.

The ERP will provide you with its decision in writing and will outline the reasons for their decision.

This decision is final, and the LSA is required to comply with the ERP decision.

For more information, please contact your Service Planner  or the Lifetime Support Authority.