COMPARATIVE TABLE OF PSYCHIATRIC IMPAIRMENT RATINGS - NSW WORKERS COMPENSATION

	15-20% WPI	21-30%	31% +
Self-care and personal hygiene	Class 2 Mild impairment: Able to live independently; looks after self adequately, although may look unkempt occasionally; sometimes misses a meal or relies on take-away food.	Class 3 - Moderate impairment: Can't live independently without regular support. Needs prompting to shower daily and wear clean clothes. Does not prepare own meals, frequently misses meals. Family member or community nurse visits (or should visit) 2-3 times per week to ensure minimum level of hygiene and nutrition.	Class 4 Severe impairment: Needs supervised residential care. If unsupervised, may accidentally or purposefully hurt self.
Social and recreational activities	Class 3- Moderate impairment: Rarely goes out to such events, and mostly when prompted by family or close friend. Will not go out without a support person. Not actively involved, remains quiet and withdrawn.	Class 3- Moderate impairment: Rarely goes out to such events, and mostly when prompted by family or close friend. Will not go out without a support person. Not actively involved, remains quiet and withdrawn.	Class 4 Severe impairment: Never leaves place of residence. Tolerates the company of family member or close friend, but will go to a different room or garden when others come to visit family or flat mate.
Travel	Class 3 Moderate impairment Cannot travel away from own residence without support person. Problems may be due to excessive anxiety or cognitive impairment.	Class 3 Moderate impairment Cannot travel away from own residence without support person. Problems may be due to excessive anxiety or cognitive impairment.	Class 4 Severe impairment: Finds it extremely uncomfortable to leave own residence even with trusted person.
Social functioning	Class 2 Mild impairment: Existing relationships strained. Tension and arguments with partner or close family member loss of some friendships.	Class 3 Moderate impairment:  Previously established relationships severely strained, evidenced by periods of separation or domestic violence. Spouse, relatives or community services looking after children.	Class 4 Severe impairment: Unable to form or sustain long term relationships. Pre-existing relationships ended (eg lost partner, close friends). Unable to care for dependants (eg own children, elderly parent).
Concentration, persistence and pace	Class 2 Mild impairment:  Can undertake a basic retraining course, or a standard course at a slower pace. Can focus on intellectually demanding tasks for periods of up to 30 minutes, then feels fatigued or develops headache.	Class 3 Moderate impairment:  Unable to read more than newspaper articles. Finds it difficult to follow complex instructions (eg operating manuals, building plans), make significant repairs to motor vehicle, type long documents, follow a pattern for making clothes, tapestry or knitting.	Class 4 Severe impairment:  Can only read a few lines before losing concentration. Difficulties following simple instructions. Concentration deficits obvious even during brief concentration.  Unable to live alone, or needs regular assistance from relatives or community services.
Employability	Class 4 Severe impairment: Cannot work more than one or two days at a time, less than 20 hours per fortnight. Pace is reduced, attendance is erratic.	Class 5 - Totally impaired: Cannot work at all.	Class 5 - Totally impaired: Cannot work at all.
	Median class 3, score WPI 17%	Median class 3, score 20 WPI 26%	Median class 4, score 25 WPI 57%

 Reference: Psychiatric Impairment Rating Scale