Metcalfe and Secretary, Department of Social Services (Social services second review)

In *Metcalfe and Secretary, Department of Social Services (Social services second review)*, Senior Member Belinda Pola of the Tribunal considered an application for a disability support pension. The applicant sought to establish that their condition was fully diagnosed, fully treated, and fully stabilised to qualify for the pension.

The central legal issue before the Tribunal was whether the applicant's mental health condition had been fully diagnosed in accordance with the requirements of the Social Security (Tables for the Assessment of Work-related Impairment for Disability Support Pension) Determination 2011. This determination specifies that a diagnosis of a mental health condition must be made by an appropriately qualified medical practitioner, such as a psychiatrist, with supporting evidence from a clinical psychologist if the diagnosis is not made by a psychiatrist.

The Tribunal reasoned that the applicant had not provided evidence of a diagnosis made by a psychiatrist or supporting evidence from a clinical psychologist. Consequently, the Tribunal found that the applicant's mental health condition was not fully diagnosed, meaning an impairment rating could not be assigned under section 94(1)(b) of the Act. As a result, the Tribunal determined that it was unnecessary to consider whether the applicant met the requirements of section 94(1)(c) of the Act. The decision under review was affirmed.