Whilst most workers will recover from injury and return to work without any additional assistance, a significant proportion have more complex injuries and circumstances that benefit specialised assistance (Waddell, et al. 2003). WRPs are well placed to provide this assistance, helping workers who are injured to achieve optimum recovery, along with a return to work and life.
With the increasing prevalence of reported mental health injury, and the increased acknowledgement of underlying mental health, industrial relations, and litigious factors hindering a successful return to work from physical injury, this cohort is growing and becoming more complex every day. ARPA believes that it is imperative that these cohorts should be referred for workplace rehabilitation services as soon as practicable.
Independent actuarial studies concluded in 2013 including a key finding that “If all OR referrals occur 1 month faster than is currently the case, resulting in improved RTW outcomes, we estimate that icare’s breakeven premium (BEP) would decrease by approximately $39m p.a (0.023% of remuneration) and the scheme’s claims liability would decrease by approximately $18m (0.17% of the liability).” (Actuarial Edge, Translating NSW Occupational Rehabilitation research findings into financial benefits, 2017).
The link between early, appropriate referral to rehabilitation and return to work is undeniable.
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