OT AUSTRALIA Victoria
Australian Association of Occupational Therapists
Victoria Inc
8 July 2003
Productivity Commission Level 28
35 Collins St MELBOURNE 3000
Dear Sir,
Re: Inquiry into National Workers' Compensation and Occupational Health & Safety Frameworks.

Following our hearing in Melbourne on June 26th, we would like to provide you with additional information following queries raised by Chairman Woods. Specifically;
•	Reasons for the non-use of occupational rehabilitation services, when the evidence
shows a high level of effectiveness in claims cost savings and productivity
improvements for employers
•	Australia's recognised professional leadership in workplace based occupational rehabilitation and injury prevention, taking into consideration workplace conflict, employer education and return to work arrangements, in contrast to less successful models that favour medical centre-based treatment or medical treatment alone.

Reasons for non-use of occupational therapy and rehabilitation services
The use of these services is not open to the free market. The services are purchased by insurers with the right of subrogation in employee injury matters. While some more enlightened employers will privately purchase under the guide of human resource management and OH&S requirements, most abide by WorkCover requirements to leave the purchase decisions to insurers. Six different insurance agents deal with rehabilitation and compensation in the Victorian WorkCover system, and OH&S is managed directly by the VWA. This situation results in significant 'red-tape; in particular,

•	Service delays in claims administration;
•	The need for paper-based approvals by claims officers for every hour of service,
•	Varying degrees of intervention towards rehabilitation, depending on the expertise and workload of individual claims officers,
•	Systemic barriers to a focus on early intervention and prevention, and
•	Post-injury purchase of services and no provision for prevention services

These factors combine to negatively affect the return to work outcomes for injured workers in Victoria. Recent proposed changes to the `claims management model' in Victoria may assist in resolving this situation. In the meantime, the data indicates that the potential in the system is still not being met.
Z:1 RE Professional Representation l4 Submissions14.2 submissionslFollow up letter Productivity CommissionNWedits.doc
Australian Association of Occupational Therapists - Victoria Inc. ABN 59 282 667 269
Suite 4, 430 Rae Street (PO Box 1286) North Fitzroy Vic 3068. Ph 03 9481 6866. Fax 03 9481 6844
Email - info@otausvic.com.au

OT AUSTRALIA Victoria
Australian Association of Occupational Therapists
Victoria Inc
8 July 2003
Productivity Commission Level 28
35 Collins St MELBOURNE 3000
Dear Sir,

Re: Inquiry into National Workers' Compensation and Occupational Health & Safety Frameworks.

Following our hearing in Melbourne on June 26`h, we would like to provide you with additional information following queries raised by Chairman Woods. Specifically;
•	Reasons for the non-use of occupational rehabilitation services, when the evidence
shows a high level of effectiveness in claims cost savings and productivity
improvements for employers
•	Australia's recognised professional leadership in workplace based occupational rehabilitation and injury prevention, taking into consideration workplace conflict, employer education and return to work arrangements, in contrast to less successful models that favour medical centre-based treatment or medical treatment alone.

Reasons for non-use of occupational therapy and rehabilitation services
The use of these services is not open to the free market. The services are purchased by insurers with the right of subrogation in employee injury matters. While some more enlightened employers will privately purchase under the guide of human resource management and OH&S requirements, most abide by WorkCover requirements to leave the purchase decisions to insurers. Six different insurance agents deal with rehabilitation and compensation in the Victorian WorkCover system, and OH&S is managed directly by the VWA. This situation results in significant 'red-tape; in particular,

•	Service delays in claims administration;
•	The need for paper-based approvals by claims officers for every hour of service,
•	Varying degrees of intervention towards rehabilitation, depending on the expertise and workload of individual claims officers,
•	Systemic barriers to a focus on early intervention and prevention, and
•	Post-injury purchase of services and no provision for prevention services

These factors combine to negatively affect the return to work outcomes for injured workers in Victoria. Recent proposed changes to the `claims management model' in Victoria may assist in resolving this situation. In the meantime, the data indicates that the potential in the system is still not being met.

'?
OT AUSTRALIA Victoria
Australian Association of Occupational Therapists
Victoria Inc