How the CTP psychology referral and approval process works in NSW
Step by step: from notifying the insurer to getting funded psychology sessions under a NSW motor accident (CTP) claim, in plain language.
Getting psychology funded under a NSW motor accident claim follows a defined sequence. You notify the insurer, see your GP, find a SIRA-experienced psychologist, attend an initial session, and your psychologist submits a treatment request to the insurer. When that request is approved, the insurer typically pays the psychologist directly, so your out-of-pocket cost for approved sessions is usually nil. You do not have to wait for the whole claim to be decided before psychological support can begin; sessions can often start within days of the accident, whether you are based in Sydney's CBD and Eastern Suburbs or looking for telehealth sessions across NSW.
Where are you in the process?
| Your situation | What to focus on now | See also |
|---|---|---|
| Accident just happened, no claim lodged yet | Notify the insurer as soon as possible and see your GP | Claim timeline guide |
| Claim lodged, looking for a psychologist | Find a SIRA-experienced psychologist and confirm they accept CTP clients | Browse by NSW region |
| Psychologist found, first session not yet booked | Ask about the initial assessment session and whether early intervention covers it | First appointment guide |
| Waiting for a response on the treatment request | Follow up after 10 working days from submission; request reasons if declined | Cost guide |
| Treatment approved, sessions underway | Confirm out-of-pocket cost for each approved session and what the approval covers | Cost guide |
| More than 52 weeks since the accident | Discuss injury category and continuing entitlement with your psychologist | MAII scheme guide |
Step 1: notify the insurer and lodge your claim
The CTP insurer of the at-fault vehicle is responsible for funding your treatment. To start a claim, notify that insurer. Notifying within 28 days of the accident means weekly income payments, if you are eligible, can be backdated to the day after the accident. The outer deadline for lodging statutory benefits is generally 3 months, but earlier is always better.
If the at-fault vehicle was unregistered or cannot be identified, for example in a hit-and-run, you can claim on the Nominal Defendant instead. The same early-notification advice applies. See the claim timeline guide for the key dates and how to identify the right insurer.
Step 2: see your GP
Seeing your GP soon after the accident serves two purposes. Clinically, your GP can assess both your physical health and your psychological state, and start documenting how the accident has affected you. Administratively, that documentation supports your claim file. A GP can also recommend a psychologist and help you decide whether a Mental Health Treatment Plan under Medicare is a useful interim option while your CTP claim is progressing.
You do not need a GP referral to contact a psychologist directly, and the two steps can happen in parallel. But an early GP visit tends to strengthen your claim file and is a good first step.
Step 3: find a SIRA-experienced psychologist
Not every psychologist accepts motor accident (CTP) clients. When you make contact, confirm two things upfront: that they accept CTP clients, and that they can submit the treatment request paperwork to your insurer directly. Confirming this before you book avoids out-of-pocket billing surprises later.
Motor Accident Psychology NSW lists SIRA-experienced psychologists across NSW, from Parramatta and Western Sydney to Illawarra and regional NSW and Sydney's North Shore and Northern Beaches. Because practitioner contact details are not published directly, use the Find a psychologist form to tell us what you need.
Step 4: the initial session and the Allied Health Treatment Request
Under the scheme, a psychologist can generally conduct an initial assessment session without the insurer's prior approval. This early intervention provision is designed so you are not left waiting while paperwork catches up. Confirm with the psychologist whether they have notified your insurer about the early intervention option for your claim.
After the initial session, if your psychologist recommends ongoing treatment, they prepare an Allied Health Treatment Request (AHTR) and submit it to your insurer. The AHTR sets out your current presentation, how it links to the accident, what treatment is proposed, and why it is reasonable and necessary. It is prepared by your psychologist; you do not fill it out yourself. See the first appointment guide for what to bring and what actually happens in that initial session.
Once the AHTR is received, the insurer has 10 working days to respond in writing. The response is an approval, a partial approval (fewer sessions or a different treatment type), or a decline with reasons.
If the treatment request is approved
For treatment the insurer has approved, it typically pays the psychologist directly, so your out-of-pocket cost for approved sessions is usually nil. Before your second session, confirm with the psychologist that approval is in place and what it covers: the number of sessions, the session type, and whether telehealth is included. See the cost guide for the full picture, since CTP does not have a published fee schedule the way workers compensation does.
If the request is declined or partly approved
A decline is not the end of your claim. Insurers most often decline treatment requests because the AHTR does not yet establish a clear enough link between your current symptoms and the accident, or because the insurer wants to see progress from an initial block of sessions before approving more. Ask for the decision in writing and the reasons, then give your psychologist the chance to provide clearer documentation.
You can ask the insurer for an internal review, generally within 28 days of receiving the decision. If that does not resolve it, the Personal Injury Commission handles CTP motor accident treatment disputes through a merit review process. See the disputed treatment guide for the step-by-step path from a decline to a formal review, including what free help is available.
This directory and your claim
Motor Accident Psychology NSW is an independent information resource and directory. It is not SIRA, not an insurer, and it does not make clinical or funding decisions. What it can do is explain the scheme plainly and, when you are ready, help you find a SIRA-experienced psychologist in NSW, whether you are in South West Sydney or anywhere else in the state.
This guide is general information, not legal, medical, or crisis advice. If you are struggling right now, you do not have to wait: Lifeline is on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue is on 1300 22 4636, 13YARN (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) is on 13 92 76, and in an emergency call 000.
Sources
State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA): "Providing allied health services in the NSW CTP schemes: FAQs" (https://www.sira.nsw.gov.au/resources-library/motor-accident-resources/publications/for-professionals/allied-health-providers-in-nsw-ctp-schemes-faqs), on the Allied Health Treatment Request, the 10 working day insurer response window, and early intervention; SIRA Motor Accident Guidelines: CTP Care (https://www.sira.nsw.gov.au/resources-library/motor-accident-resources/publications/for-professionals/motor-accident-guidelines-ctp-care), on treatment and care provisions; SIRA "A guide for people injured in a motor accident in NSW" (https://www.sira.nsw.gov.au/resources-library/motor-accident-resources/publications/injury-advice-centre/guide-for-people-injured-in-motor-accidents-in-nsw), on lodging timeframes and the Nominal Defendant; Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (NSW), the governing legislation. The process and timeframes are administered by SIRA and can change; confirm current steps with your insurer or SIRA's CTP Assist service.