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What is a SIRA-approved psychologist?
Quick answer: A SIRA-approved psychologist is a registered psychologist recognised by the NSW State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) to provide psychological treatment funded under the Workers Compensation (WorkCover) and CTP schemes. If your treatment is being funded through one of these schemes, it is generally provided by a SIRA-approved provider.
When you start looking for psychological treatment after a workplace or motor vehicle injury in NSW, you'll quickly come across the term "SIRA-approved." It sounds bureaucratic, but the idea behind it is simple, and worth understanding before you choose a provider.
Who SIRA is
SIRA stands for the State Insurance Regulatory Authority. It is the NSW government body that oversees the state's personal injury schemes, including Workers Compensation (commonly called WorkCover) and the Compulsory Third Party (CTP) motor accidents scheme. SIRA sets the rules, standards, and fee structures that treating providers work within when their services are funded under those schemes.
What "SIRA-approved" means for a psychologist
A SIRA-approved psychologist is a registered psychologist who is recognised to provide treatment under these schemes and who works within SIRA's framework, including its approval processes, reporting standards, and fee schedule. In practical terms, it means the psychologist is set up to treat people whose sessions are funded through a WorkCover or CTP claim, and understands the documentation and approval steps those schemes involve.
This is separate from, and in addition to, the psychologist's core registration with AHPRA (the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency), which is what allows them to practise as a psychologist in the first place.
Why it matters when you're choosing a provider
If your treatment is being funded under WorkCover or CTP, seeing a SIRA-approved provider means the funding, approvals, and reporting fit neatly within the scheme, which usually makes the process smoother for you. A provider who works in this space day to day also tends to understand the system you're navigating, which can make a real difference when recovery is tangled up with claim uncertainty and paperwork.
You still generally have the right to choose your own psychologist from among approved providers.
Frequently asked questions
A SIRA-approved psychologist is a registered psychologist recognised by the NSW State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) to provide psychological treatment funded under the NSW Workers Compensation and CTP schemes. SIRA sets the framework and fee structure these providers work within.
For treatment to be funded under the Workers Compensation or CTP schemes in NSW, it is generally provided by a SIRA-approved provider working within the scheme's framework. Your GP and the provider's practice can confirm the arrangements.
Yes. Revamp Psychology is led by Matt Semsar, a Registered Psychologist (AHPRA: PSY0002620326) and SIRA-approved provider (No. 24705), providing treatment under the NSW Workers Compensation and CTP schemes by telehealth across NSW.
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This page is general information for people in NSW and is not personal or clinical advice. Eligibility and funding depend on your individual claim and insurer approval. Please speak with your treating doctor about your situation.