1. 11 Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Long Duration Claims and Delays in Return to Work 31 October 2013 Chris White A/Chief Executive Officer, WorkCover WA

2. 22 Outline Introduction Overview of WA workers’ compensation scheme Employer’s obligations Imperatives for return to work

3. 3 About Workers’ Compensation in WA Legislation: Workers Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981 No-Fault system Privately underwritten

4. 44 Key objectives of the WA workers’ compensation scheme Equitable and accessible workers’ compensation system for all stakeholders Reduce social and economic burden of having a work related injury or disease Return injured workers to suitable and sustainable employment as soon as is practicable

5. 55 Differentiated regulation Communications & Education Advisory Services Customer Assistance Unit Standards & Monitoring (service providers) Compliance Services (employers) InformationAdviceAssistanceMonitoringEnforcement Advice & Assistance Unit

6. 66 Communications and Education Targeted education programs - e. g. insurance brokers education code of practice Information sessions –Legislative obligations –Rights and responsibilities of key parties –Injury management –Return to work –Contractors and sub-contractors –Conciliation and Arbitration Services –WorkCover WA’s role and responsibilities Presentations available on request

7. 77 Advice and Assistance Advisory Services Trained, friendly staff Private rooms for private conversations Phone 1300 794 744 Email postmaster@workcover.wa.gov.au Customer Assistance Guidance to parties relating to claim issues Can help resolve issues between parties if all agreeable Assist parties to complete legislative requirements for Conciliation and Arbitration Services (CAS) applications

8. 88 Approved service providers Approval and monitoring of: Insurers (5 year approval)8 Self-Insurers (annual review of approval)27 Workplace Rehabilitation Providers (3 year approval)31 Approved Medical Specialists (indefinite)212 Registered Agents (annual registration)207 Audiometric Officers (annual review of approval)547 Audiologists (subject to Audiological Society Australia membership)92 ENT Specialists (indefinite)5

9. 99 Legal obligations for employers Workers’ compensation insurance policy Must cover ALL workers (including contractors & sub-contractors)  Claim Form & Medical Certificate to insurer within 5 days If submitted through an insurance broker, the broker must forward immediately  Make payments to injured worker  Implement an injury management system Not complicated - templates are available on the WorkCover WA website  Prepare and implement a return to work program Employers may discharge this obligation to their insurer 

10. 10 Injury management & return to work Defined as: ‘the management of workers’ injuries in a manner that is directed at enabling injured workers to return to work’ It is a legal requirement for employers to: –have an injury management system that describes the steps to be followed if a workplace injury occurs –implement a ‘return to work’ program if the treating doctor advises that the injured worker has a capacity to work Code of Practice (Injury Management) 2005 and Guidance Notes for the Code of Practice (Injury Management) 2005

11. 11 Why is injury management required? Workplace injuries have direct and indirect costs to workers and business: –direct financial costs –reduced productivity –personal costs to worker Minimise impact of injuries with effective injury management Facilitates recovery and injured worker’s return to work Prepare for an injury before it occurs

12. 12 Reasons for not returning to work Not recovered from work related injury Psychological reasons Left employment voluntarily (e.g. study) Retrenched/ dismissed Source: Australian Institute for Social Research “The role of the workplace in return to work” (WorkCover SA) March 2010

13. 13 Helping people return to work – using evidence for better outcomes Key recommendations: Use of evidence based medicine and evidence based policy making to form the basis of return to work approaches Health outcomes of workers to be routinely collected/reported Training for medical practitioners Develop systems support for improved practitioner-workplace communication Source: http://www.racp.edu.au – AFOEM publications

14. 14 “ For most people their work is a key factor in their self worth, family esteem and identity. So if they become sick and are not helped quickly enough, they can all too easily find themselves on a downward spiral into long term sickness and a life on benefits. ” Dame Carol Black Professor of Rheumatology at the UCL Medical School; Former Director for Health and Work; Former President of the Royal College of the Physicians Return to Work is the “Healthiest Outcome”