What we do
Medical Panels provide expert panels of specialist doctors who come together to resolve medical questions if there is disagreement or uncertainty under the workers' compensation and personal injury legislation.
Each Medical Panel is independent and functions as a tribunal that provides final and legally binding answers to referred questions.
Our history
Medical Panels have been part of the dispute resolution process in Victoria since the early 1990s. During this time Medical Panels has served the valuable purpose of providing fair and cost-effective resolution of medical disputes.
The Director of Medical Panels is Ms Sharon Lewis.
Our purpose statement
Providing impartial, evidence-informed medical opinions for all Victorians. Our knowledge, care and expertise help injured workers and claimants get on with their lives.
Panel members
There are 223 Panel members. From the List, the Convenor and Deputy Convenor/s are also appointed.
The Convenor and Deputy Convenors
The Convenor, Associate Professor Peter Gibbons and Deputy Convenors, Associate Professor David Ernest, Dr Sandra Hacker AO and Dr Judith Hammond, are appointed until 31 December 2025. They are all Panel Members as well.
The Convenor is responsible for:
- convening an appropriate Medical Panel once a valid referral is received
- providing the Medical Panel with referral documents
- recommending appropriate medical practitioners to the Minister for appointment to the list of Panel Members
- providing advice to the Minister in relation to matters relating to the Medical Panels
Key data 2023/24FY
Operating budget: $23.8M (approximately)
Total referrals: 4,454
Appointments: 5,083
Finalised Opinions and Reasons documents: 4,161
Our environment
Medical Panels operates from dedicated premises that include fully equipped medical consulting suites and the administration office.
More information
Convenor's Directions – Medical Panel hearings
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Convenor's Directions - WorkCover
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Convenor's Directions - Wrongs Act
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Conflict of interest policy
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Feedback/complaints
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Freedom of Information Act statement
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Protocols for the provision of information to the Medical Panels
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Current Panel Members
- Dr Rose Acher, Rehabilitation medicine
- Dr Steven Adlard, Psychiatry
- Dr Jennifer Alexander, General Practice
- Dr Jane Anderson, Anaesthesia
- Dr Alan Andrews, General Practice
- Assoc Prof Carolyn Arnold, Pain medicine
- Dr Rani Axtens, Rheumatology
- Dr Andrew Beischer, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Andrea Bendrups, Rheumatology, General medicine
- Dr Anita Boecksteiner, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Catherine Bones, Occupational and environmental medicine
- Dr John Bourke, Orthopaedic surgery (inactive)
- Assoc Prof Caroline Brand, Rheumatology
- Prof Robert Briggs, Otolaryngology
- Prof Anne Buist, Psychiatry
- Dr Matthew Campbell, Otolaryngology
- Assoc Prof Susan Carden, Ophthalmology
- Dr Roynon Carey, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Ian Carlisle AO, Plastic surgery
- Assoc Prof George Chalkiadis, Anaesthesia, Pain medicine
- Assoc Prof Paul Champion de Crespigny, General medicine, Nephrology
- Dr Daniela Chan, Endocrinology, Geriatic medicine
- Dr Patrick Chow Huat Chan, Neurosurgery
- Dr Robert Chazan, Psychiatry, Child Psychiatry
- Dr Yvonne Chow, Plastic surgery
- Dr Zarrar Chowdary, Psychiatry
- Dr John Churchill, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Sabina Ciciriello, Rheumatology
- Dr Juliet Clayton, Neurosurgery
- Dr Tanya Clifton, Psychiatry
- Dr John Colman, Gastroenterology and hepatology
- Assoc Prof Deborah Colville, Ophthalmology
- Dr Laura Cooney, Psychiatry
- Assoc Prof Vincent Cousins, Otolaryngology (inactive)
- Dr John Cronin, Psychiatry
- Assoc Prof Gary Crosthwaite, General surgery
- Dr Roderick Cunningham, Orthopaedic surgery
- Assoc Prof Eli Dabscheck, Respiratory and Sleep Medicine
- Prof Gavin Davis, Neurosurgery
- Dr Palmyra De Banks, General Practice
- Dr David de la Harpe, Orthopaedic surgery
- Prof Justin Denholm, Infectious diseases
- Assoc Prof Anouk Dev, Gastroenterology and hepatology
- Dr Dhayanthi Devasagayam, Psychiatry
- Prof Peter Disler, Rehabilitation medicine
- Dr Peter Dohrmann, Neurosurgery (inactive)
- Dr Stephen Doig, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Craig Donohue, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Jennifer Downes-Brydon, General Practice
- Dr Armin Drnda, Neurosurgery
- Dr Anthony Dunin, Orthopaedic surgery (inactive)
- Dr Renu Eapen, Urology
- Dr Odette Edelstein, Psychiatry
- Dr William Edwards, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Charlotte Elder, Obstetrics and gynaecology
- Dr Keith Elsner, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Michal Epstein, Psychiatry
- Assoc Prof David Ernest, Intensive care medicine, General medicine
- Dr Cecilia Etulain, Psychiatry
- Dr Mark Faragher, Neurology
- Dr Marie Feletar, Rheumatology
- Dr Jennifer Flynn, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Julian Freidin, Psychiatry
- Dr Rekha Ganeshalingam, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Peter Gard, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Margaret Garde, General Practice
- Dr Karen Gaunson, Psychiatry, Child Psychiatry
- Dr Juliette Gentle, Orthopaedic surgery
- Assoc Prof Peter Gibbons, Musculoskeletal medicine
- Dr Margaret Gibson, Occupational and environmental medicine
- Dr Remy Glowinski, Psychiatry
- Assoc Prof Miron Goldwasser, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr John Griffiths, Orthopaedic surgery (inactive)
- Dr Garry Grossbard, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Emma Guymer, Rheumatology
- Dr Graeme Habersberger, Cardiology
- Dr Sandra Hacker AO, Psychiatry
- Dr Caroline Hall, General Practice (inactive)
- Assoc Prof Peter Hamblin, Endocrinology
- Dr Judith Hammond, General Practice
- Dr Dennis Handrinos, Psychiatry
- Dr Barbara Hannon, Rehabilitation medicine
- Assoc Prof Andrew Hardidge, Orthopaedic surgery
- Assoc Prof Laurence Harewood, Urology (inactive)
- Dr Samantha Hargreaves, Obstetrics and gynaecology
- Dr Jennifer Harmer, Rheumatology
- Dr John Harris, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Jonathan Harrrison, General medicine, Gastroenterology and hepatology
- Dr Brendan Hayman, Psychiatry
- Dr Michael Hayman, Neurology (Paediatric)
- Assoc Prof Alexander Holmes, Psychiatry
- Dr Susanne Homolka, Occupational and environmental medicine
- Dr Jeremy Horton, Dermatology
- Dr Robert Howells, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Ryan Hoy, Respiratory and Sleep medicine
- Dr Robin Hunter, Rehabilitation medicine
- Prof David Hunter-Smith, Plastic surgery
- Dr Andrew Jakobovits, Gastroenterology and hepatology
- Dr Kym Jansen, Obstetrics and gynaecology
- Dr Peter Jasek, General Practice
- Dr Samari Jayarajah, Psychiatry
- Dr Steven Jensen, Pain medicine, Musculoskeletal medicine
- Dr Sachin Jindal, Psychiatry
- Dr Rondhir Jithoo , Neurosurgery
- Dr Jennifer Johns, Cardiology
- Dr Ian Jones, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Celina Kaiser, Vascular surgery
- Dr Kevin Kane, Otolaryngology
- Dr Roy Karna, Musculoskeletal medicine, Rheumatology
- Dr Bhadrakant Kavar, Neurosurgery
- Assoc Prof Abdul Khalid, Psychiatry
- Dr John G King, Psychiatry
- Prof John O King, Neurology
- Dr Paul King, Respiratory and Sleep Medicine
- Dr Dianne Kirby, Psychiatry, Addiction medicine
- Dr Diana Korevaar, Psychiatry
- Dr Anna Korin, Emergency medicine
- Dr Eli Kotler, Psychiatry
- Dr Christine Kotsios, Psychiatry
- Dr David Kotzman, Occupational and environmental medicine, Public health medicine
- Assoc Prof John Laidlaw, Neurosurgery
- Dr Jacqueline Laing, General Practice
- Dr Christine Hoai-Huong Le, Rheumatology
- Assoc Prof Jeffrey Lefkovits, Cardiology
- Assoc Prof Kwok Cheung Michael Leung, Plastic surgery
- Dr Daniel Lewis, Rheumatology
- Dr Lyn-li Lim, Infectious diseases
- Dr Lyn-May Lim, Psychiatry
- Prof Geoffrey Littlejohn, Rheumatology
- Dr Madalena Liu, Urology
- Dr Virginia Loftus, Psychiatry, Child Psychiatry
- Dr David Love, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Peter Lowthian, General medicine and Rheumatology
- Assoc Prof Bernard Lyons, Otolaryngology
- Dr Kirstie MacGill, Plastic surgery
- Assoc Prof Heather Mack, Ophthalmology
- Dr Sara MacKenzie, Emergency medicine
- Dr Phoebe-Anne Mainland, Anaesthesia
- Dr John Malios, General Practice
- Dr Emmanuel Manolas, Cardiology
- Dr Katherine Martin, General surgery
- Dr Peter McCombe, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Paul McCrory, Neurology
- Dr Keith McCullough, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Iain McLean, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Roderick McRae, Anaesthesia, Intensive care medicine
- Dr Sara Mgaieth, General medicine, Gastroenterology and hepatology
- Dr Maree Micallef, Rheumatology
- Dr Sallyann Middleton, General Practice
- Dr Robert Millar, General surgery (inactive)
- Dr Peter Millington, Psychiatry
- Dr Craig Mills, Orthopaedic surgery
- Prof Wayne Morrison, Plastic surgery
- Dr Ann Mullins, General Practice
- Dr Maninder Mundae, Rheumatology
- Dr David Murphy, Rehabilitation medicine
- Assoc Prof Michael Murphy, Neurosurgery
- Dr Jacquelyn Nash, Pain medicine, Anaesthesia
- Dr Ilana Nayman, Psychiatry
- Assoc Prof Rosemary Nixon, Dermatology, Occupational and environmental medicine
- Prof Richard O'Brien, Endocrinology
- Dr Christine Olesch, Rehabilitation medicine
- Dr Olivia Ong, Rehabilitation medicine
- Dr Jack Owczarek, General Practice
- Dr Mark Patrick, Rheumatology
- Dr Travis Perera, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Yi-Lee Phang, General Practice, Occupational and environmental medicine
- Dr Robert Pianta, Orthopaedic surgery
- Assoc Prof Marinis Pirpiris, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Majid Rahgozar, Occupational and environmental medicine
- Dr Sharmila Ramessur Chandran, Nephrology
- Dr Helen Rhode, General Practice
- Prof Michael Richards, Infectious diseases (inactive)
- Assoc Prof Martin Richardson, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Sophia Shuk Yui Richardson, Oral and maxillofacial surgery
- Dr Susan Robertson, Dermatology
- Dr Joseph Robin, Orthopaedic surgery (inactive)
- Dr Myron Rogers, Neurosurgery
- Dr Marie Rostek, Plastic surgery
- Prof Leanne Rowe AM, General Practice
- Assoc Prof Abraham Rubinfeld, Respiratory and Sleep Medicine
- Dr Noel Russell, Otolaryngology
- Dr John Salmon, Orthopaedic surgery (inactive)
- Dr Sudeep Saraf, Psychiatry, Medical administration
- Prof Max Schwarz AM, Medical oncology, Palliative medicine
- Dr Susan Shedda, General surgery
- Dr Anthony Sheehan, Psychiatry
- Dr Robert Shields, Psychiatry
- Prof Malcolm Sim, Occupational and environmental medicine
- Dr Carolyn Simms, Psychiatry
- Dr Kevin Ho Siu AM, Neurosurgery
- Prof Andrew Sizeland, Otolaryngology
- Dr John Skelley, Orthopaedic surgery
- Assoc Prof Raymond Snyder, Medical oncology
- Dr Gary Speck AM, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Catherine Stark, Neurology
- Assoc Prof Richard Stark, Neurology
- Dr Richard Stawell, Ophthalmology
- Prof Cassandra Szoeke, Neurology, General medicine
- Dr Gregory Taggart, Gastroenterology and hepatology
- Dr Matthew Tagkalidis, Psychiatry
- Dr Ash Takyar, Psychiatry
- Dr Sven Jean Tan, Nephrology
- Dr Hana Thompson, General Practice, Palliative medicine
- Dr Richard Travers, Rheumatology, General medicine
- Dr Maria Triglia, Psychiatry
- Dr (Jennifer) Jane Trinca, Anaesthesia, Pain medicine
- Prof Stephen Trumble, General Practice
- Assoc Prof Val Usatoff, General surgery
- Assoc Prof Sharon Van Doornum, Rheumatology
- Dr Anita Vinton, Neurology
- Dr Laurie Warfe, General Practice
- Dr Roger Westh, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Peter Wilde, Orthopaedic surgery
- Dr Nicholas Wilsmore, Respiratory and Sleep medicine
- Dr Frances Wise, Rehabilitation medicine
- Prof Anita Wluka, Rheumatology
- Dr Mary Wong, General Practice
- Dr Olivia Wing-En Wong, Psychiatry
- Dr Melinda Man Ling Wong, Rheumatology
- Dr Dominic Wei Hsiung Yong, Occupational and environmental medicine
- Dr Sotiria Zergiotis, Psychiatry
- Dr Celia Zubrinich, Immunology and allergy
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