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Supported Living Payment : Contents

Current medical assessment

If the client is getting a medical certificate from their own registered medical practitioner, nurse practitioner or psychologist, the certificate should be completed when the client attends an appointment with them. Sometimes a client may request a medical certificate without being seen.

Note a psychologist cannot complete a medical certificate for the person who is being cared for when assessing a client's eligibility to Supported Living Payment (caring for a person).

MSD may need to get more current information if either the:

  • time between the date the client was assessed and the date the certificate was completed is greater than 20 working days or
  • certificate is more than 20 working days old

MSD must consider:

  • the reason for the difference between the assessment date and the completion date of the medical certificate (e.g. the registered medical practitioner, nurse practitioner or psychologist may not be available to provide a more current assessment)
  • if MSD has information to signal that the impact of the client's impairment or disability is unlikely to have changed (e.g. the condition is one they have had since birth) and
  • all other health or disability information that MSD have available to decide the client's eligibility to Supported Living Payment

If it is unclear whether the information on the medical certificate is sufficiently up-to-date to decide the client's eligibility to Supported Living Payment, seek advice from the Regional Health Advisor or Regional Disability Advisor [no link find out why] . They may recommend the client needs further assessment by a designated health practitioner.

If there is likely to be any delay in deciding the client's eligibility for Supported Living Payment, MSD should consider another form of financial assistance in the interim.

This could include granting Jobseeker Support - health condition, injury or disability or some form of hardship assistance. MSD still needs to be satisfied that there is sufficient evidence before granting.

For more information see:

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A psychologist is a health practitioner who is registered under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 and with the New Zealand Psychologists Board. Psychologists are concerned with the study of behaviour.

Psychologists must be listed on the New Zealand Psychologists Board's Register and hold a current practising certificate.

Psychology is a broad field of practice and research which applies psychological principles to:

A medical practitioner is commonly referred to as a doctor. Medical practitioners are health practitioners who are registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand as practitioners of the profession of medicine and hold a current practising certificate.

All medical practitioners have a unique identifying number called a Health Practitioners Index number (HPI number).

Medical practitioners don't need to have completed their training in New Zealand but must be registered with the New Zealand ...

Nurse practitioners are health practitioners who are registered with the Nursing Council of New Zealand and hold a current annual practising certificate.

Nurse practitioners are expert or specialist nurses with advanced education, clinical training and experience. They have demonstrated clinical competence and have the legal authority to practice as independent healthcare providers.

All nurse practitioners have a unique identifying number called a Health Practitioners Index number (HPI number).

Some nurse practitioners have specialised ...