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

This matter concerned an application for a Disability Support Pension (DSP) by the applicant, Mr. Wright, against the Secretary of the Department of Social Services. The core dispute revolved around whether Mr. Wright's medical conditions met the criteria for receiving a DSP, specifically whether his impairments attracted 20 or more points under the relevant Impairment Tables and whether his conditions were fully diagnosed, treated, and stabilised. The decision under review was affirmed.

The legal issues before the Tribunal were whether the applicant had a physical, intellectual, or psychiatric impairment, whether these impairments attracted 20 or more points under the Impairment Tables, and whether he had a continuing inability to work. Central to these questions was the requirement that any conditions considered for the Impairment Tables must be fully diagnosed, fully treated, and fully stabilised.

The Tribunal found that while the applicant's mental health and alcohol dependence conditions were fully diagnosed, they were not fully treated or stabilised during the relevant period, meaning they could not be considered permanent for the purposes of assigning impairment points. Similarly, the applicant's obesity was not found to be fully diagnosed, treated, or stabilised. Consequently, the Tribunal concluded that the applicant's impairments did not attract 20 or more points under the Impairment Tables, and therefore, the decision to refuse the DSP was affirmed.