Return to work - Employer and Worker Presentation - WorkCover ...

Returning to WorkandInjury ManagementBrad Parker – Assistant Director

Disclaimer• The information ("Information") prepared for this presentation has beenprepared and supplied in good faith on behalf of the Crown in Right ofTasmania ("the Crown") by the Department of Justice and WorkCoverTasmania ("the Board").• Although all due care and attention has been taken in preparing andcollating the information neither the Crown nor the Board gives awarranty either express or implied as to the accuracy or completeness ofthe Information or its relevance to any particular circumstances.• The Information may change or be varied due to facts or requirements ofdifferent areas of government or policy issues in existance but notknown or apparent to those preparing or collating the Information.• The Crown and the Board and their relevant employees and agentsaccept no liability (whether by reason of negligence or otherwise) to anyperson for any damage or loss whatsoever or howsoever arising orsuffered as a consequence of the use or reliance on the Information oradvice given on this website which is used or relied on at that person'sown risk absolutely.

What we will cover today• Health Benefits of Work• Injury Management• Important changes in the way you manageworkplace injuries• Medical certificates• Injury Management Process• Importance of alternative duties• Injury management systems and some take awayactions• Q & A session

Consequences of Being Off Work• Health Risk = smoking 10packs of cigarettes per dayBeing out ofwork forextendedperiods of time isbad for aperson’s health• Suicide in young men > 6months out of workincreased x 40• Suicide rate in generalincreased x 6 in longer-termworklessness• Health risk and lifeexpectancy greater thanmany “killer diseases”• Greater risk than mostdangerous jobs

Benefits of Work•Earlier this year the Australasian Faculty of Occupationaland Environmental Medicine released its Australian andNew Zealand Consensus Statement on the Health Benefitsof Work.•Some of the Consensus Statement’s fundamental principlesare:• work is generally good for health and wellbeing• long-term work absence have a negative impacton health and wellbeing• attempting to return to work after injury or illnessface a complex situation• good outcomes are more likely when peopleunderstand the health benefits of work, and areempowered to take responsibility for their ownsituationWorkCover hassigned up as asupporter of theConsensusStatement and itsrecommendations

Consequences of Being Off Work10.90.80.70.60.50.40.30.20.100 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400Days (t)Figure 1. Likelihood of return to work after various length of time off workThe longer someone spends away from work, theless likely they will ever return

Psychological and Social Impactson the WorkerPsychosocial{impacts ofwork absence• Depression• Erosion of skills• Decreased income andsocial status• Loss of social supportnetworks• Decreased confidence• Decreased sense of selfefficacy

What is Injury Management?Injury management encompasses thoseactivities which directly affect an injuredworker’s recovery, including themanagement of:• medical treatment• rehabilitation• returning to work• the relationships between those involved

July 2010 Amendments to the Act• The RTW & IMM provides a framework for improving andstreamlining the management of workplace injury andillness and aims to deliver better health and return to workoutcomes for injured workers• Amendments provided the necessary legislative frameworkto implement the Return to Work and Injury ManagementModel (RTW & IMM)

Principles of ModelThere are seven high-level principles underlyingthe model:1. Shared commitment2. Early intervention3. Focus on the injured worker and employer4. Transparent, cost efficient and effective5. Access to information and support6. High standard of injury management7. Timely, facilitated resolution of issues

Implementation of ModelImplementation of the model required…• July 2010 – Introduction of new legislativeprovisions• Introduction of new claim form and workersCompensation medical certificates• Development of GP education strategy• Educational and promotional material andactivities

July 2010 Key AmendmentsEmployer Injury ManagementProgramsA series of documented policies andprocedures that establish aco-ordinated and integrated processfor injury managementEmployers required to have an IMPin place and operate in accordancewith itIMP may be developed by the employeror alternatively the insurer’s IMP maybe usedIMPs aim to achieve a sharedcommitment to the injuryManagement process

Injury Management ProgramsConsultation will occur:• Developing and implementing workplace healthand safety system,• preparing and maintaining injury managementprograms,• developing an injury management policy andassociated processes• When regularly monitoring and evaluating theeffectiveness of workplace injury managementprograms against outcomes

July 2010 Key AmendmentsReturn to Work PlansA simple plan for co-ordinating andmanaging treatment, rehabilitationand return to workThe IMC must ensure that a RTWPlan is prepared where a workerIs likely to be incapacitated for more than5 working daysReducing the requirement for RTWPlans to be completed from 14 daysto 5 days ensures that RTW willcommence without delayInjury Management PlansA comprehensive planThe IMC to ensure that a IM Plan isprepared where the injured worker islikely to be incapacitated for morethan 28 daysThe introduction of two types ofplans ensures that considerationsand preparations for RTW areappropriate to the severity of theinjury

RTW Plans & IM PlansIM Plan – Moderate to high severityInjury SeverityINJURYOCCURSInjury Management PlanTreatmentRecovery LineRehabilitationPsychosocial FactorsLevel of Employer InvolvementReturn to Work PlanReturn to Work• Treatment – largeRehabilitation – moderateReturn to work - small• Employer involvement initially smallbut increases with time• Doctor involvement initially large butdecreases with timeRTW Plan – Low severity• Treatment – smallRehabilitation - moderateReturn to work - large• Employer involvement large andincreases with time• Doctor involvement small anddecreases with timeLevel of Doctor Involvement

July 2010 Amendments to the ActInjury Management Co-ordinatorAn IMC is a person responsible forco-ordinating and overseeing theentire injury management processEmployers who choose to developtheir IMP must appoint an IMCWhere the employer uses theirinsurer’s IMP the role will resideWith the insurerRole of IMC aims to streamline themanagement of workplace injuriesby improving co-ordination andproviding a central contact for allpartiesThe existing RehabilitationCo-ordinator role will remain but thetitle has been changed to ‘Returnto Work Co-ordinator to better reflectthe nature of the role andrelationship with the IMC

July 2010 Key AmendmentsWorkplace Rehabilitation Providersto be accredited by WorkCoverAccreditation system for WRP has beenestablishedTo ensure the delivery of consistentand high quality workplacerehabilitation services

Where does the RTWC role fit?NewRole

July 2010 Key AmendmentsEarly InterventionEnsures that injuries are reportedEarly, so that treatment andManagement of the injury canCommence as soon as possibleEmployers to notify insurer of an injuryWithin 3 working daysEmployer to provide worker with a‘notice of right to claim’ within 14 daysEmployers to notify insurer of a claimWithin 3 working daysAll injury management provisions toApply even if there is a dispute aboutliabilityEarly intervention has been shownto improve the likelihood of RTWand reduces the time required todo so

July 2010 Key AmendmentsWorkers to nominate PrimaryTreating Medical PractitionerAccreditation system for PTMP has beenestablishedTo ensure the delivery of consistentand high quality medical services

July 2010 Key AmendmentsA Primary Treating MedicalPractitioner is the MedicalPractitioner (usually the injuredworker’s general practitioner)chosen by the injured worker toparticipate in the injurymanagement processCentral role and responsibilities ofPrimary Treating Medical PractitionervalidatedBy clearly defining the role of thePTMP, expectations can be clearlyseti.e. PTMP working with andcollaborating with other key parties,in particular the employer

New WorkersCompensationMedicalCertificatesInitialCertificate

New WorkersCompensationMedicalCertificatesContinuing/FinalCertificate

The Injury Management ProcessWORKERDOCTOREMPLOYER• Seeks treatment• Notifies employerof injury ASAP• Issues medicalcertificate• Encouraged to contactthe employer• Must operate in accordanceWith approved IMP• Takes steps to preventreoccurrence• Notifies insurer of injury withinworking 3 days• Keeps in touch with worker

The Injury Management ProcessEMPLOYERWORKEREMPLOYER• Supports worker• Provides injuredworker with a ‘right toclaim’ notice• Completes claim form• Gives claim form andmedical certificate toemployer• Notifies insurer of claimwithin 3 working days• Keeps in touchwith injured worker

The Injury Management ProcessEMPLOYERWORKER• Insurer or employer to assign an IMC• Employer to appoint a RTWC (>50 workers)• Provide worker with list of duties and position statementfor next Doctor’s appointment• Keep employer up to date onprogress• To be involved in RTW planning• To actively participate in injurymanagement and RTW process• RTW Plan to be developed• Keep worker involved and up to date i.e. where possibleinvite to meetings and training, send out newsletters etc.

The Injury Management ProcessEMPLOYERWORKER• Plan for the worker’s RTW• Provide a supportive workenvironment for the worker to return to• Communicate with supervisors andcolleagues• Support the worker in their returnto work• To be involved in identificationof suitable duties• To work within the restrictionsprovided by the doctor• To inform employer of anyissues or concerns asap

Alternative DutiesIt is expected that employers will:• Assist inidentifying timelyand suitable andmeaning duties

How Can Employers AssistInjured Workers?• Help create a supportive workplace environment – optimistic workers areless likely to experience frequency or intensity of injury• Encourage worker to be an active participant in return to work• Reinforce the benefit of work and the risks of being out of work• Encourage the injured worker to seek advice and explanation about theirhealth condition - leave them confident about self management• Work with the worker to identify suitable duties• Regularly communicate with the worker and encourage the worker tofollow up with you as appropriate• Ensure that the worker has sufficient information• Be available to workers to discuss any issues

How Injured Workers CanInfluence RTW Outcomes• Be an active participant in return to work• Stay positive• Seek advice and explanation about your injury so that you can beconfident about self management• Work with employer to identify suitable duties• Suggest ways tasks can be modified to accommodate restrictions• Work within restrictions provided by doctor - don’t risk re-injury• Regularly communicate with employer, especially when away fromwork – hand deliver medical certificate• Ensure that any issues or concerns are raised immediately

Look for opportunities to improveyour RTW System• Do your RTWCs need further training• Training of line managers and supervisors in injury management and communication.• The development of a system for obtaining regular feedback from workers with an injury,such as routine surveys• Undertaking a group process to identify a list of modified duties for injured workers.• Development of the organisation’s policies and procedures• Improved incident investigation.• Better systems of early reporting and communication• Specialist or external support for complex cases• The provision of ergonomic advice - improved relationships with health care providers• Prepare a written list of available modified duties• Improved communication channels for people returning to work – eg a weekly catch-up,and access to senior staff if there are problems• Regular reporting and feedback on the injury management system.• Regular meetings between the RTW coordinator, relevant supervisors, HR and claimsstaff• The development of a tick box list of essential functions of particular jobs for treatingdoctors to complete• This list should be available on the company website so that employees can take it totheir doctors

Further ResourcesWorkCover Tasmania Publicationshttp://www.workcover.tas.gov.au/resources• The Role of the Return to Work Co-ordinator• The Role of the Primary Treating Medical Practitioner• The Role of the Injury Management Co-ordinator• Injury Management: Making it Work• Register of Alternative Duties• Register of Training Providers• Injury Management Program Guidelines• Injury Management Policy Guidelines• Return to Work and Injury Management Plan Guidelines• Return to Work – Consensus Statement, on the Benefits of WorkTo Register with WorkCover as an IMC or RTWC go toWorkCover’s website

Questions?

Thank you for your participationBrad Parker – Assistant Director