Review into the treatment of women at the Australian Defence Force ...

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Chapter 10: Minimising Risk, Managing Incidents and Ensuring the Safety of the Workplace – Recommendations 22-31The Audit encourages ADFA to continue to monitor gender differences to develop a more preciseunderstanding of female injuries and the relevant risk factors. A strategic management response mustthen be developed by executive, management and physical training (PT) staff, to ensure these issuesare regularly monitored and effectively addressed.Improve injury and health managementADFA has implemented a number of steps to improve health and injury management.The Audit has been advised that a full time rehabilitation post has been established to facilitate a moreactive and faster injury recovery programs. 15 The injury brief provided to the Audit comments that thephysical and rehabilitation programs now reflect the latest concepts and methods, including individualremedial training and a ‘state of the art’ rehabilitation program. 16 The Audit has been advised that therehabilitation training program is based on an overseas model and has suitably qualified instructors.This represents significant improvement to the injury and health management at ADFA compared toprevious years. As one undergraduate noted:Last year the rehab program…didn’t have a lot of substance to it, there wasn’t really anythingthere. 17The improvements to the rehabilitation program were recognised by other undergraduates, whocommonly commented on the positive aspects of the program:As far as the management has gone, it’s much better this year. The rehab program has reallyimproved. I spent a fair bit of time in rehab in my first year and it was pointless and it was lousyand I wasn’t well managed at all. And this year they’ve all got programs, they’ve got to sign ineach day, they’re actually doing more during hours than most of the fit people at the Academy…it’s actually really improved. 18I know that the guys running the rehab…have really picked up that ball and run with it thisyear. Last year it was pretty much people would rock up to PT if you were on a chit or on arestriction…and do whatever you can do, whereas now they’ve… probably got about ten folderson the desk, from ankles, lower leg, hip injuries, back injuries, all the different sorts of injuries thatcadets come in with and they have programs set out in there for each of them that are injuredand run those programs under supervision on a weekly basis. So every time that div rocks up forPT those on restrictions go up and find their relevant folder, sign in, read through what they’vegot to do and then do it under supervision of the PTI’s. 19These comments from undergraduates and staff demonstrate the positive impact of improvements tohealth and injury management.Other examples of measures taken to address the intent of this Recommendation include:• A communications strategy in which potential recruits are better informed of the fitnessrequirements prior to arriving at ADFA. This is in response to research which indicates thatlow fitness levels are linked with injury. 20• The ‘ADF Active’ iPhone application is also intended to assist men and women increase theiroverall fitness levels and to help them pass the ADF’s fitness tests. 21 This may have a positiveeffect on injury rates.120
• A proposal to conduct research to determine the relationship between running techniqueand the incidence of Chronic Exertional Leg Pain (currently awaiting ethics approval). Thisis pertinent in light of the injuries analysis which found that female undergraduates suffera higher number of gradual onset injuries than male undergraduates. 22Comparable residential settingsPart b) of the Recommendation required ADFA to promote health and wellbeing with reference to bestpractice in comparable residential settings. The documents provided to the Audit state that ADFA hasanalysed the RMC Physical Conditioning Optimisation Review and that amendments to the ADFAremedial training process and rehabilitation program reflect the findings of the RMC Review. 23 The Audithas been provided with examples to this effect. 24The Audit notes that ADFA has taken steps to apply successful methods from comparable settings,namely RMC Duntroon, and this is encouraged. However, the injury brief received from the RIT onlydiscusses RMC Duntroon as a comparable setting, 25 while other documents provided to the Audit referto other settings, such as RAAF Officer Training School and HMAS Creswell, which could be analysed.The Audit has not received any evidence that these other settings have been examined. 26StigmaThe Audit has been advised that the approach to eliminating stigma is threefold, involving the removalof physical signs of medical restrictions, 27 the education of undergraduates 28 and through the improvedrehabilitation program. 29 This represents a comprehensive approach to a pervasive problem.The removal of the physical signs, such as vests, track suits and sashes, 30 is an important step towardseliminating stigma. These articles of clothing create a further barrier between undergraduates onmedical restrictions and other undergraduates by making the difference more visible. The removal ofthese signs is supported by the Audit.The documents provided to the Audit indicate that stigma is also being addressed ‘through E&D,leadership, and Instructional Programs.’ 31 As noted in these documents, ‘the unacceptability ofstigmatising…has been emphasised’ during undergraduate training. 32 This approach is importantin supplementing the removal of physical signs, and in creating a lasting impact on the wayundergraduates view injured undergraduates. 33The Audit was advised by the RIT that:the Rehabilitation Training Program seems to be returning injured cadets faster to normalactivities. It is expected that less time on the sidelines and improvements to injury managementwill contribute to a reduction in the stigma associated with medical restrictions. 34The Audit encourages the continued use of data to ensure that these expectations and perceptions areevidence based.In respect of the improvements to injury management the Audit heard the following:I think one of the benefits of the management of it now is that those that aren’t on restrictions seethose on restrictions still working. So it’s not like they’re turning up to PT for example with theirchit and then just going away and walking on the treadmill watching TV for forty minutes. They’reactually doing a supervised activity under the PTI. That sort of management goes a long way ingetting rid of stigma in terms of, if you’re on a chit, you still won’t get an easy pass, you’ve stillAudit Report: Review into the Treatment of Women at the Australian Defence Force Academy • 2013 • 121
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Review into the Treatmentof Women a
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Audit Report:Review into the Treatm
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ContentsA Message from the Commissi
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A Message from the CommissionerADFA
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Chapter 1:Audit ApproachThe Report
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Chapter 1: Audit ApproachThe Audit
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Chapter 2: Summary of Audit Finding
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Chapter 3: MethodologyQuantitative
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