Workers compensation guidelines for the approval of hearing service providers
SIRA is seeking feedback on new guidelines that aim to improve outcomes for people with work-related hearing loss.
-
The Issue
Consultation period: 13/09/2021 9:00 am to 08/10/2021 5:00 pm
What is this about?
SIRA has developed the Workers compensation guidelines for the approval of hearing service providers. The guidelines provide a framework for SIRA approval of audiology entities to deliver services for people with work-related hearing loss in the NSW workers compensation system.
The new guidelines aim to ensure that appropriately qualified and experienced hearing service providers deliver treatment services that optimise health, quality of life and work outcomes for people with work-related hearing loss. They are aligned with approval frameworks for other health providers delivering services in the NSW workers compensation system.
The guidelines follow a SIRA review into services to support people with work-related hearing loss in the NSW workers compensation system.
Next steps
SIRA is interested in your feedback and whether:
- The new guidelines are fit for purpose and easy to understand
- The approval requirements outlined in Part 2 of the guidelines are appropriate and sufficient
- There is any other comment or feedback with respect to the guidelines.
Consultation will be open from Monday 13 September 2021 and submissions close Friday 8 October 2021.
COVID-19 update: due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic all submissions are to be submitted electronically and not by mail.
-
Milestones
The consultation period opens 13 September 2021 at 9:00am
The consultation period closes 8 October 2021 at 5:00pm
Outcomes and submissions published on the 13 January 2022.
COVID-19 update: due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic all submissions are to be submitted electronically and not by mail.
-
Outcomes
SIRA received six submissions on the draft guidelines. Five submissions have been made publicly available with information redacted where requested.
SIRA sought feedback from stakeholders on three areas related to the draft guidelines. A summary of the feedback is provided below.
1. The new guidelines are fit for purpose and easy to understand
- The submissions predominantly agreed that the new guidelines are fit for purpose and easy to understand
- One submission recommended a change to the definition of audiologist to include that they specialise in the treatment of balance, in addition to hearing impairment and associated disorders of communication.
2. The approval requirements outlined in Part 2 of the guidelines are appropriate and sufficient
- There was general support for the approval requirements.
- However, the following issues were raised in several submissions:
- professional membership of audiologist or audiometrist organisations should be sufficient accreditation. Requiring accreditation under the Commonwealth Hearing Services Program does not reflect practice in other Australian jurisdictions
- Providers should be registered to employers and/or professional organisations rather than to a fixed location, given that some providers move between clinics to meet demand.
3. Any other comment or feedback with respect to the guidelines
Feedback included the following recommendations:
- provide additional guidance regarding potential conflicts of interest, such as agreements between service providers and law firms.
- share notifications that the guidelines have been adopted and communicate when providers are approved directly with stakeholders, in addition to posting them on the SIRA website.
- examine the level of available services in regional and rural NSW, and address any gaps through joint discussions with providers.
- note that some stipulations duplicate what is already in place with the AudA/ACAud Ethics Review Committee and suggested replacing the stipulations with a requirement for providers to follow their respective professional organisation’s code of ethics.
Next steps
SIRA is currently considering the feedback received on the draft guidelines which will inform the finalisation of the guidelines. SIRA anticipates the guidelines will be finalised in the first half of 2022.