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Workers Compensation Psychologist for Healthcare Workers in NSW

Is there a list of SIRA-approved psychologists for healthcare workers in NSW?

There is no separate healthcare-sector provider register. Any SIRA-registered psychologist can treat a nurse, midwife, paramedic, or allied health worker under the NSW workers compensation scheme. What matters is that the psychologist holds a current SIRA provider number and can bill your insurer (icare or Treasury Managed Fund) directly.

The listings include SIRA-approved registered psychologists who accept workers compensation clients, including those offering telehealth appointments. For healthcare workers managing rotating rosters or night shifts, the telehealth filter is worth using first: sessions are not tied to a practice location, and booking around a 12-hour shift pattern is far more realistic with video than in person.

Which workers compensation scheme covers you?

Healthcare is one of the few sectors where the answer is not always icare. Your employer type determines which scheme and insurer you deal with, though the psychology referral steps are similar across all of them.

A SIRA-approved psychologist who works with workers compensation clients will generally accept both icare and TMF referrals. Confirm your scheme before lodging your claim; your union is often the fastest starting point if you are unsure.

Which situation are you in?

What to look for in a psychologist for a healthcare workers comp claim

The icare/SIRA scheme has specific billing requirements, treatment reporting obligations under the AHTR framework, and return-to-work planning processes that differ from private practice and Medicare. Not every psychologist has experience navigating them. When searching, ask these questions directly before booking:

1. Do you have a current SIRA provider number? This is non-negotiable. Without it, the psychologist cannot bill icare or TMF directly and you would be paying out of pocket and claiming reimbursement. Confirm before you book.
2. Can you bill icare (or TMF) directly? Direct billing means the psychologist invoices the insurer; you pay nothing for approved sessions. Ask this explicitly: some practices prefer upfront payment and reimbursement, which adds friction.
3. Have you treated healthcare workers presenting with PTSD or vicarious trauma under workers comp? Trauma from critical incidents, cumulative exposure to patient distress, and burnout progressing to depressive or anxiety disorders are common presentations in healthcare. A psychologist who regularly works with workers compensation clients in healthcare will understand both the clinical presentation and the claim process.
4. Can you offer telehealth? Given 12-hour shifts, rotating rosters, and post-shift fatigue, in-person-only practices are often impractical. Telehealth sessions attract the same SIRA gazetted rates as in-person sessions.
5. Are you comfortable with the AHTR process? The AHTR (Allied Health Treatment Request) is how ongoing funded sessions are approved. The psychologist submits it after your initial assessment. Confirm they understand the process and will write required clinical progress reports to the insurer.

Why telehealth suits healthcare workers

Healthcare work creates specific practical barriers to in-person psychology that telehealth removes:

• Rotating and night shifts: A standard clinic operates 9am to 5pm. A psychologist who offers 7am, 8pm, or weekend telehealth slots can fit around a rotating roster in a way no fixed-location practice can.
• Post-shift fatigue: After a 12-hour clinical shift, the energy required to drive to a practice and sit in a waiting room adds enough friction that appointments get cancelled. A telehealth session from home right after the shift removes the travel load.
• Facility location: Healthcare workers are sometimes placed at facilities far from their home suburb. A telehealth psychologist relationship is not tied to a single geography, so it continues regardless of where you are placed.
• Privacy: Some healthcare workers are reluctant to be seen entering a psychology practice in their own community or hospital precinct. Telehealth from home removes the visibility concern.
• Continuity during stressful periods: During high-acuity periods where overtime or roster changes are common, telehealth sessions are easier to maintain without long gaps in treatment.

Telehealth psychology under workers compensation uses billing items PSY301 (initial 60-minute consultation) and PSY302 (subsequent 60-minute consultations). The same rates apply as for in-person sessions. Source: SIRA 2026 Psychology and Counselling Fees and Practice Requirements (effective 1 February 2026).

Session costs: what SIRA pays in 2026

For insurer-approved claims under NSW workers compensation, psychology session fees are set by SIRA's gazetted schedule. As at 1 February 2026 (following the 2026 indexation increase):

For an approved claim, the insurer pays the psychologist directly and you pay nothing. There is no out-of-pocket for approved sessions. If a psychologist charges above the SIRA schedule rate, they must bill you the difference; this is uncommon for practitioners experienced with workers compensation. Source: SIRA 2026 Psychology and Counselling Fees and Practice Requirements.

There is no fixed session cap under workers compensation, unlike Medicare's 10-session limit. Sessions continue as long as your treating psychologist submits AHTR renewals approved by the insurer as reasonably necessary for recovery.

The 2026 reform: what changes for healthcare workers

From 1 July 2026, the NSW workers compensation scheme introduced changes affecting weekly income payments for primary psychological injuries:

• 130-week cap on weekly payments: Weekly income payments for primary psychological injuries are capped at 130 weeks from the date of injury. This cap does not affect funding for psychology treatment sessions, which continues under the AHTR model.
• Extended payments for high-impairment claims: Workers assessed at 25% or more Whole Person Impairment (WPI) for injuries notified from 1 July 2026 may continue weekly payments beyond 130 weeks.
• Lump-sum threshold unchanged: The threshold to access lump-sum compensation for psychological injury remains at 15% WPI. This was not changed by the 2026 reform.

For most healthcare workers currently in treatment, the immediate practical change is limited: the psychology session funding model is unchanged. The reform primarily affects income replacement payments for claims extending beyond two and a half years. Source: Personal Injury Commission NSW, Workers Compensation Changes to Commence 1 July 2026.

For a full breakdown, see the 2026 reform guide.

Frequently asked questions

This guide provides general educational information about the NSW workers compensation scheme. It is not legal, insurance, or clinical advice. SIRA rates are current as at 1 February 2026 (source: SIRA 2026 Psychology and Counselling Fees and Practice Requirements). Reform information sourced from the Personal Injury Commission NSW (pi.nsw.gov.au). Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW). Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment Act 2025 (NSW), assented 11 February 2026. Refer to icare NSW and SIRA NSW for current guidance.