Medical reviews

The Ministry of Social Development requires clients on Jobseeker Support (health condition, injury or disability) to have their medical eligibility reviewed regularly.

The date of a client's medical review is generally based on the expiry of the medical coverage period their health practitioner has recorded in their current medical certificate.

When a client is applying for (or transfers to) Jobseeker Support with part-time or deferred work obligations (granted on the ground of health condition, injury or disability) they will need to provide a current medical certificate with their medical coverage.

Before the end of the medical coverage period, a client must provide a current medical certificate with a new medical coverage period to continue getting Jobseeker Support.

The client may no longer qualify for Jobseeker Support (health condition, injury or disability) from the date their medical coverage in their medical certificate expires.

Clients are notified before their expiry date telling them, if they are still unable to work full-time, they must see their health practitioner.

Clients who are still unable to work, need to provide another medical certificate to keep getting Jobseeker Support with part-time or deferred work obligations on the ground of a health condition, injury or a disability.

For more information see:

• Client does not make contact or provide current medical certificate
• Client makes contact and confirms they are available for full-time employment

There are situations when a maximum medical review period is applied for clients with specific health conditions, including a:   

• pregnant client who is over 26 weeks pregnant or
• client who is donating a kidney or liver tissue

The medical certificate coverage for these exceptions is either the duration specified by a health practitioner or the maximum review period for these specific health conditions, whichever is the lesser.

For more information see:

Medical certificates need to be current to help you determine or review your client's benefit entitlement or capacity to work part-time.

The medical certificate must include:

• a diagnosis
• the impact of the condition on your client's ability to work
• the likely duration of that effect and
• any other information the Ministry requires

For more information see:

• Medical certificates

There may be situations where a client is unable to provide a current medical certificate in time.

If a client has a good and sufficient reason for the delay, you could consider applying a discretionary medical expiry extension, allowing a client more time to get a current medical certificate. For more information see:

If the information about the client's medical coverage is unclear, ie the information is conflicting or ambiguous, you should refer to your Regional Health Advisor or Regional Disability Advisor for advice. For more information see:

• Regional Health Advisor or Regional Disability Advisor [no link find out why] process

In some circumstances you may need to refer your client to a designated health practitioner for another assessment.

If the health practitioner indicates on the certificate that a second opinion is appropriate you can require your client to be assessed by a designated health practitioner.

The health practitioner may indicate that a medical specialist or a hospital doctor or some other person is best placed to provide the information for your client. When the certificate indicates 'other', refer to your Regional Health Advisor or Regional Disability Advisor [no link find out why] for advice.