SIRA launches good practice Injury Management Plan

1 September 2023

SIRA has launched a good practice Injury Management Plan (IMP) to support insurer case managers in their role to optimise recovery and return to work outcomes for injured people.

An IMP coordinates and manages the treatment, rehabilitation and if necessary, retraining of a worker to support a timely, safe and durable return to work. The plan is coordinated by the insurer case manager and codesigned with a worker who is likely to have a significant injury, their employer, doctor and other providers.  Evidence confirms the process of developing an IMP provides the opportunity to align expectations about goals, actions, and timeframes to optimise a worker’s recovery and return to work.

SIRA launched the good practice IMP along with supporting information at a virtual event attended by 180 participants representing 56 workers compensation insurers.

The IMP was developed by a working group involving SIRA and insurers including Endeavour Energy, Coal Mines Insurance, Gallagher Bassett representing multiple self-insurers, McDonalds, icare, Northern Beaches Council, Bluescope Steel Ltd, Catholic Church Insurance, Transport NSW, and several other insurers who contributed to the broader working group.

This good practice IMP example demonstrates how legislative requirements, evidence and design principles translate into practice, including:

• a clear distinction between tailored goals and actions specific to the worker and generic obligations
• clear responsibilities and timeframes to build mutual accountability for action
• length (concise) and language (supportive, plain English)

View the good practice example IMP and supporting information.

You can email SIRA’s Recover at Work team with any feedback or questions.