GPs are calling on tribunals to pay them for their time preparing medical reports for capacity decisions, guardianship applications, advance health directives and treatment consent cases.

RACGP WA Chair Dr Ramya Raman says the State Administrative Tribunal can require GPs to write reports for cases involving their patients, yet fails to compensate them despite having the means.

Capacity reports can take 2-3 hours, depending on the complexity of the patient and the tribunal’s request, says Dr Raman, who has been asked to provide two tribunal reports so far in 2026.

She said GPs were being asked to secure patient consent, then give insights into cognitive functioning, mental health conditions, past medical history and day-to-day functioning.