Private DVA-related psychiatric report
An independent psychiatric opinion for a DVA matter where the report is privately funded rather than DVA-requested. Prepared with DVA psychiatric-report requirements in mind where relevant.
Independent Medico-Legal Reporting
Private Veteran & ADF Psychiatric Reports
Independent psychiatric reports for veterans and former ADF members where a privately funded opinion is required
Our FRANZCP-qualified psychiatrists prepare thorough, evidence-based psychiatric reports for Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA), Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC/MSBS), and review matters. Assessments are available Australia-wide via telehealth or in person in Brisbane. Where appropriate, we may also accept referrals for selected privately funded psychiatric reports.
- Veteran-focused psychiatric reporting
- Independent clinical opinion
- Telehealth Australia-wide
- DVA, ADF and CSC-related report experience
- Reporting kept separate from treatment
Who we assist
Who this service may be suitable for
March Ahead may be able to provide privately funded psychiatric assessments and reports for:
- Veterans who need an independent psychiatric report and do not have a DVA-issued request or TRN for it
- Former ADF members with CSC or MSBS invalidity matters, including retrospective invalidity considerations
- Veterans seeking clarification, review or a supplementary psychiatric opinion regarding existing evidence
- Lawyers, advocates and authorised representatives assisting a veteran with a DVA, CSC or review matter
- Family members assisting a veteran to arrange independent psychiatric evidence
Acceptance of privately funded referrals is considered on a case-by-case basis and will depend on the nature of the request, the available information, the psychiatrist's expertise, and any actual or potential conflict of interest.
If you are uncertain which pathway applies, please contact our team before booking. Where DVA has formally requested the assessment, we may direct you to the DVA-requested pathway so that you do not pay privately for a report that may be funded by DVA.
Serving those who have served Common situations
When a privately funded report may be useful
- You are preparing a DVA claim and want an independent psychiatric opinion on diagnosis or the relationship between a condition and service
- Existing psychiatric evidence needs clarification, updating or a supplementary opinion for a review or appeal
- Incapacity for work is in question and independent psychiatric evidence about work capacity is needed
- Permanent impairment or functional impact questions arise and an independent clinical opinion is sought
- You are considering Special Rate Disability Pension (SRDP) related processes and psychiatric evidence about work capacity and rehabilitation prospects is relevant
- You are pursuing a CSC or MSBS invalidity matter, including retrospective invalidity, and clinical reasoning about incapacity for civilian employment is required
- Questions arise during ADF medical transition about psychiatric conditions and their documentation
- A complex mental health history means source documents need careful, structured psychiatric review
A privately funded report does not replace decisions made by DVA, CSC, tribunals or courts. It provides independent clinical evidence those decision-makers can consider.
Careful document review FRANZCPFellowship-qualified psychiatrists
Australia-wideSecure telehealth assessments
BrisbaneIn-person availability
IndependentNo commissions, no outcome promises
Scope of opinion
What the report can address
Depending on the referral question and available evidence, an independent psychiatric report can address:
- Diagnosis, using DSM-5 or DSM-5-TR terminology where appropriate
- Clinical history, including service-related history as documented and reported
- Symptom severity and current mental state
- Functional impact on daily life, relationships and self-care
- Occupational capacity, including capacity for civilian employment
- Treatment history, engagement and response
- Prognosis and realistic expectations of improvement
- Consistency between reported history and available source records
- Psychometric testing where clinically appropriate
- The limitations of the available evidence, stated plainly
Our psychiatrists report what the clinical evidence supports. Where the evidence is limited or does not support a conclusion, the report says so.
Clear boundaries
What this service does not do
To keep expectations clear and our reporting independent:
- We do not guarantee any DVA, CSC, tribunal or legal outcome
- We do not provide legal advice
- We do not provide financial advice, including advice about electing SRDP or superannuation benefits
- We do not provide emergency or crisis care
- We do not alter, add to or reinterpret source records to suit a desired outcome
- The psychiatrist who prepares an independent report does not also provide that person's ongoing treatment. Reporting and clinical care remain separate pathways
A clear, respectful process
Our process
- 01
Enquiry and suitability check
Contact our team. We confirm the type of report needed, who is requesting it, and whether the private pathway or the DVA-requested pathway applies.
- 02
Documents and booking
You or your representative provide the relevant records. We confirm what is needed and arrange a suitable appointment promptly.
- 03
Psychiatric assessment
By telehealth Australia-wide, or in person in Brisbane. Psychometric testing is included where clinically appropriate.
- 04
Report preparation and quality review
The psychiatrist prepares the report against the referral question and applicable standards. Every report is reviewed for completeness, clarity and compliance before release.
- 05
Delivery
The report is provided to you or your nominated representative in accordance with your consent and the terms of engagement.
Telehealth Australia-wide Eight report pathways
Report types
Each report is prepared against its own framework and referral question.
DVA initial liability psychiatric opinion
Independent opinion on diagnosis and the relationship between a psychiatric condition and service, to assist initial liability questions.
Permanent impairment and functional impact opinion
Clinical opinion on impairment-related and functional impact questions where an independent psychiatric view is sought.
Incapacity-for-work report
Independent psychiatric evidence about capacity for work and the effect of psychiatric conditions on employment.
SRDP psychiatric capacity report
Psychiatric evidence relevant to work capacity and rehabilitation prospects in SRDP-related processes. We do not advise on whether to elect SRDP.
CSC / MSBS invalidity and retrospective invalidity report
Clinical reasoning to assist CSC invalidity matters, which turn on incapacity for civilian employment. Classification decisions (Class A, B or C) are made by CSC delegates, not by the psychiatrist.
Review and appeal psychiatric report
Independent reports to assist matters before the Veterans' Review Board or the Administrative Review Tribunal, where appropriate.
Source-document review and supplementary opinion
Structured review of existing psychiatric reports and records, with a supplementary independent opinion where indicated.
Ethical, independent, veteran-centred
Why March Ahead
- A dedicated veteran psychiatry service with an established independent reporting pathway, separate from clinical treatment
- FRANZCP psychiatrists experienced in veteran and ADF psychiatric assessment
- Structured document review and validated psychometric testing where clinically appropriate
- Reports prepared to RANZCP professional standards, and with DVA psychiatric-report requirements in mind where relevant
- Telehealth Australia-wide, in person in Brisbane
- Prompt appointment availability
- Complete independence. We accept no referral commissions, we are independent of advocacy groups and claims agents, and we make no outcome promises
Transparent by design
Funding and fees
The reports on this page are privately funded. Fees depend on the type of report, the referral question, the volume of documents to be reviewed, and clinical complexity. Our team will confirm the fee before you commit to an appointment.
March Ahead does not charge veterans privately for assessments that DVA has requested and funds. If DVA has requested your assessment and issued a TRN, a different funding pathway applies and there may be no out-of-pocket cost. See Independent Psychiatric Assessments or contact us and we will confirm the correct pathway.
Contact us for suitability and fee informationBegin with a conversation
Enquire about a private report
Tell us briefly what you need. Our team will confirm suitability, the correct funding pathway, the documents required and the fee before anything is booked. Lawyers and advocates are welcome to enquire on behalf of a client.
Prefer to talk it through? Call +61 7 3435 1513 or email intake@marchahead.com.au.
Independent. Careful. Veteran-centred.
Request a private veteran psychiatric report appointment
Our team will confirm suitability, the correct funding pathway, documents required and fees before anything is booked.
Straight answers
Frequently asked questions
What is a privately funded veteran psychiatric report?+
It is an independent psychiatric report prepared by a March Ahead psychiatrist where you, or your legal representative, fund the report rather than DVA. It provides an independent clinical opinion for use in DVA, CSC or review matters.
How is this different from a DVA-requested report?+
A DVA-requested report is initiated by DVA, usually with a Treatment Reference Number (TRN), and may involve no out-of-pocket cost. A privately funded report is one you or your representative arrange and pay for directly. The clinical standards are the same; the funding pathway and who requests the report differ.
Can I use the report for a DVA claim?+
Yes. You or your representative may submit an independent psychiatric report to DVA as part of a claim or review. DVA considers the report alongside all other evidence and makes its own decision.
Can March Ahead guarantee that DVA or CSC will accept the report?+
No. No provider can. Our psychiatrists prepare independent, clinically supported reports, and DVA, CSC, tribunals and courts make their own decisions on the evidence before them.
Does paying privately improve my chances?+
No. A privately funded report is not stronger evidence because it is privately funded. Its value lies in the independence and clinical quality of the opinion, not in who pays for it.
Can the same psychiatrist provide my treatment and my independent report?+
No. Independent reporting and ongoing treatment are separate pathways at March Ahead. A psychiatrist who prepares your independent report does not also provide your ongoing care.
Do I need a referral?+
No GP referral is required for an independent psychiatric report. Lawyers and advocates can refer directly, and veterans can contact us themselves. Ongoing clinical care is a separate pathway that does require a referral.
Can the assessment be done by telehealth?+
Yes. Assessments are available by secure video telehealth Australia-wide. In-person appointments are available in Brisbane.
What documents should I provide?+
Typically service records, previous psychiatric or psychological reports, treating-doctor records, relevant DVA or CSC correspondence, and any decision letters under review. Our team will confirm exactly what is needed during the suitability check.
Do you prepare reports for CSC or MSBS invalidity matters?+
Yes, including retrospective invalidity. These reports provide clinical reasoning about incapacity for civilian employment. The invalidity classification itself (Class A, B or C) is decided by CSC delegates, not by the psychiatrist.
What is the difference between DVA impairment and CSC invalidity classification?+
DVA permanent impairment assessment measures the impact of accepted conditions under DVA's framework. CSC invalidity classification concerns incapacity for civilian employment under superannuation legislation. They are different frameworks with different questions, and a report for one is not automatically suitable for the other.
Can the report comment on incapacity for work or support SRDP evidence?+
Yes. A report can address psychiatric work capacity, the effect of conditions on employment, and rehabilitation prospects where relevant to SRDP-related processes. March Ahead does not provide financial advice about electing SRDP or any benefit.
How long does it take?+
Appointments are generally available promptly. Report turnaround depends on the report type, document volume and complexity. Our team will give you an expected timeframe when your booking is confirmed.
What if my matter is urgent?+
Tell our team when you enquire. We will let you know realistically what is achievable. If you need urgent mental health support rather than a report, call 000 in an emergency, or contact Open Arms on 1800 011 046 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Related reading
From the March Ahead blog
- DVA Psychiatric Report Requirements: What Veterans Should Know
- DVA Psychiatric Assessment: Complete Guide for Veterans
- Veterans' Review Board Appeals and DVA
- Choosing an Independent Psychiatric Assessor for DVA Claims
Looking for ongoing psychiatric care instead? See our Clinical Services. For how video assessments work, see Telehealth Services.
Independent psychiatric reports provide clinical opinion only. March Ahead does not guarantee DVA, Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation, tribunal or legal outcomes, and does not provide legal or financial advice. Independent reporting and clinical treatment are separate pathways, delivered in line with DVA, Medicare and AHPRA guidelines. March Ahead is not an emergency service. If you or someone you care for needs urgent help, call 000 or present to your nearest emergency department.
- Lifeline Australia13 11 14
- Open Arms1800 011 046
- Suicide Call Back Service1300 659 467
- Safe Zone Support1800 142 072
- MensLine Australia1300 78 99 78
- Beyond Blue1300 22 4636
- 1800RESPECT1800 737 732