The GP referral and the work capacity certificate
A GP visit is the practical first step for most claims: a mental health assessment, a work capacity certificate, and a referral to a mental health professional if needed.
WorkCover Queensland's own guidance frames the first step plainly: "First steps, see your GP." A GP can do a mental health assessment and discuss treatment options, provide a work capacity certificate (needed if you plan to make a WorkCover claim), and refer you to a mental health professional for further treatment if you need it.
Why the certificate matters beyond the claim form
The work capacity certificate is not just paperwork for lodging a claim. It is also the document that supports access to early treatment funding while the claim is assessed, described in the early treatment guide on this site. Without it, both the claim itself and early access to funded treatment stall at the first step.
After the referral
Once a claim is accepted, WorkCover Queensland's guidance states treatment reasonable and necessary for the accepted injury is generally covered, so long as WorkCover accepts it as reasonable and necessary. The treating psychologist then reports to the insurer's case manager, and ongoing sessions are approved on that basis rather than as a single upfront allocation, though this site has not found an official source describing the session-by-session mechanics in detail.