20.1 Background

The following guidelines have been developed for the use of DVA staff involved in the payment and approval of treatments for DVA clients. The exception to this is the How Do you Access Treatment, Information for DVA Clients. These writings at Section 21 have been written for inclusion, if delegates feel it necessary, with the letter to the DVA client notifying them that liability has been accepted. Delegates may issue these writings if clients need any information on medical treatment. These guidelines were developed in order to introduce some consistency in the processes underlying the approval of treatment for DVA clients. It was envisaged that this would ensure that clients received treatment that was clinically appropriate for conditions for which liability had been accepted under the SRCA.

The guidelines were developed incorporating frameworks that currently exist within DVA, DVA, Comcare, Work Cover, Compulsory Third Party insurers and the health community. References to published clinical trials, literature searches and benchmarks in current clinical practice were also utilised.

From late - September 2012, a Treatment Authority letter will be issued to clients setting out a specified authority for treatment of the accepted conditions.  Treatment Expectations will be available for providers which set out DVA's expectations for an appropriate level of service. These pre-treatment guides will remove the need for clients and providers to seek prior approval for the majority of primary care and allied health services.