ACC is defending a new proposal which would slash its number of medical advisory staff.

The new proposal is to designed to provide quicker advice about a person's claim and recovery.

The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists say they're gobsmacked by the plan, which would cut 20 percent of crucial staff.

But ACC's Mike Tully says the proposal actually offers an overall increase in staff, just a different make up of health professionals.

"The reality is that a doctor isn't always the best expert to offer the opinion that is going to help a client's recovery. So sometimes it might be a psychologist or one of the other health experts, such as a physio."

Tully says the frontline staff are made up of doctors, psychology advisors and other allied health services such as physiotherapists.

"We believe the new model will result in the best advice being provided according to the needs of the client's situation."