Revised workers compensation guidelines for allied health treatment and hearing service provision
This consultation is to seek feedback on the revised Workers compensation guidelines for allied health treatment and hearing service provision.
-
The Issue
Consultation period: 29/07/2020 2:00 pm to 18/09/2020 5:00 pm
Purpose
The purpose of this consultation is to seek feedback on the revised workers compensation guidelines for allied health treatment and hearing service provision.
What has changed in the revised guidelines?
The revised guidelines provide the framework for SIRA approval of appropriately qualified and experienced allied health and hearing service providers to deliver treatment and services that optimise health and work outcomes for workers, while maintaining a sustainable workers compensation system.
The revised guidelines include:
- conditions of approval that set clear expectations and standards for providers
- a robust regulatory framework to address provider non-compliance
- application of approval requirements to hearing service providers
- a three-year term of approval to align with approval terms for other SIRA-approved providers; and
- a 12-month period for currently approved providers to transition to approval under the new guidelines.
COVID-19 update
Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic all feedback is to be submitted using our online form.
Note: the online form doesn’t save until you press ‘Submit’. Consider drafting your answers separately and pasting into the online submission boxes when you are done. That way, your work isn’t lost in case of a problem such as an interruption to internet connection.
If you can't use our online form, you can email your submission to [email protected].
Note:
- We will publish your submission if not told otherwise.
- Due to the COVID-19 pandemic all feedback is to be submitted electronically.
-
Milestones
Next steps
Stage of consultation
Date
Consultation opens
29 July 2020
Consultation closes (6 weeks later)
16 September 2020
Consultation has been extended 18 September 2020 Following review and consideration of all submissions, SIRA will:
- publish a summary of the consultation feedback
- finalise, gazette and implement the workers compensation guidelines for allied health treatment and hearing service provision.
COVID-19 update
Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic all feedback is to be submitted using our online form.
-
Outcomes
Submissions and themes
SIRA received 19 submissions, 15 of which have now been published (see link below).
The submissions include the following themes:
- requests for SIRA to consider including other allied health professions into the approval guideline e.g. occupational therapists and rehabilitation consultants
- further clarity required regarding the circumstances where a practitioner is exempt from SIRA approval
- consider further strengthening service provider requirements to obtain and maintain approval
- additional detail for stakeholders regarding SIRA’s supervision and compliance approach
- conflict of interest is a significant issue - requires more robust conditions and/or declarations included as approval requirements
- training requirements for providers should be increased to build capability of providers
- information regarding the types of training required and cost involved with any required training following initial approval should be made available to providers
- the name of the Guideline should be amended to more accurately reflect its purpose as an approval Guideline.
Next Steps
SIRA is considering the issues raised in the submissions and will be finalising the guidelines for publication next year.