Presentation to Occupational Health Nurses’ Conference Janet Tinson Branch Manager

Outline Overview of ACC’s role in managing workplace injury claims & rehabilitation back to work How you can support early appropriate return to work. Common barriers to overcome; suggested options

ACC’s role in return to work High cost injury claims get greatest priority – escalated to the branch and have a case manager. Increasing focus on employers self-managing shorter term injury absences ACC Case Manager there to ensure a workable return to work plan Workplace based recovery the focus (in ACC’s contracts and services). Principles are intervene quickly, work together, team approach. Where possible facilitate recovery at work with all parties in agreement. Key question– does this employee need to be off work? Can they do something on-site at work??

Alternative Duties ACC scheme incentives are intended so it will cost you less to have your employee at the workplace doing alternative duties other than their usual tasks – rather than off work. less impact from upcoming Experience Rating if employees recover at work. Suggest consider the cost of ‘lost time’ off work in other ways and off-set these losses e.g. the loss of work habits, training costs of replacement labour, general impact of being seen as effectively managing absences from work.

What can you do??? Manage short term injuries – challenge fully unfit certificates promote ‘other duties’ approach Treat work and non work injuries equally –time off is not always needed following injury Employees will do better and rehabilitate faster if recovering in the workplace and maintaining physical condition at work (make it easy to be at work, hard to be off) Evidence is that injured employees do worse if allowed inappropriate absence and are more of a drain to business than ‘carrying’ someone short term Matt slipped in the garden on wet grass and fell over An ambulance took him to A & E An x-ray showed no broken bones He was given tablets to ease the pain, a leg brace to support his knee and crutches to help him get around Matt went back to work and ACC arranged for physio twice a week and a taxi to take him there When his knee still didn’t come right, his GP sent him to an orthopaaedic surgeon who took an MRI scan and recommended immediate surgery,. Matt’s operation was a success, but it was 2 months before he was back on his feet and at work.

Injury Management Services Pre-Employment Job Fit Induction Training Develop a Return to Work Policy Establish a Preferred Doctor Analyse work tasks Identify suitable duties Plan and monitor Return to Work (RTW) systems

RTW Strategies Clear policy and expectations Company Dr who understands the physical demands of the work tasks undertaken by your employees AND That you have identified alternative or light work options Partnership, communicate, collaborate Contact ACC : 0800 101 996