DVA's mental health claims backlog: a challenge that can be overcome

"Zed3 continues to deliver detailed and accurate assessments within a four-week turnaround period, a timeframe unheard of across too many Veterans Groups."

The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide handed down its interim report in August 2022 with a number of recommendations to improve outcomes for Veterans and Defence personnel. One significant recommendation was for the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) to eliminate the compensation claims backlog by 31 March 2024.

The backlog issue involves various hurdles, some outside of the control of the DVA, such as the intersection of complex legislative frameworks, an unexpected surge in new claims numbers and health and departmental workforce shortages.

The DVA reported 41,799 backlogged claims as of May 2022, with this number only slightly reduced to 41,597 claims by March 2023. This backlog has been accumulating for years across successive governments, so it would be reasonable to assume that the current workforce and processes are insufficient to meet the requirements of the task.

From our vast experience working with serving and ex-serving members, Zed3 Medical Group has become a trusted partner in providing mental health services to Defence personnel and veterans. This has given us a deep understanding and appreciation of the intricacies of Defence culture, and the DVA claims paperwork process, particularly when mental health conditions are involved.

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