Advisers helping to establish the National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS) have created new working groups.

The scheme covers four accident injury classes: motor vehicle; medical; workplace; and general – in the home or community.

The NIIS Advisory Group says it has set up a sub-group to work on the latter stream because developing an NIIS for general accidents and criminal injury is a “significant task”.

The group has also backed states’ work agreeing minimum benchmarks for the scheme’s motor vehicle stream.

And it supports the establishment of two medical misadventure working groups to give expert advice to the Government on appropriate definitions for medical accidents and technical matters such as data and funding.

The working groups are “critical to the development of minimum benchmarks for medical treatment injury”, the advisory group says.

National policy body Safe Work Australia will develop consistent, minimum benchmarks for workplace accidents that result in a long-term need for support.

The advisory group has also welcomed the passage of legislation for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

The NIIS aims to cover the lifetime care and support needs of all people who experience a catastrophic injury.