Workers compensation workplace rehabilitation provider approval framework
This framework sets out the requirements for organisations delivering or seeking to deliver workplace rehabilitation services within the NSW Workers Compensation Scheme.
Chapters
Chapters
4. Part 4 Practice standards
As outlined in Condition of Approval 1, the provider is to deliver services in accordance with the permitted service streams (as outlined in Part 3) and adhere to the relevant practice standards to SIRA's reasonable satisfaction.
Practice standards have been set for the assessment sub-streams of the workplace rehabilitation management service stream.
The information below outlines SIRA's practice standards for each sub-stream:
Workplace assessment service sub-stream practice standards
When planning the assessment, providers must:
- demonstrate knowledge of the indicators for a workplace assessment
- establish the purpose of the assessment with the referrer
- obtain and utilise relevant information relating to the worker, employer, work, and work environment to plan an effective assessment approach.
When explaining the assessment, providers must:
- communicate the purpose of the assessment to the worker and employer to gain valid consent and facilitate engagement and participation
- educate and influence the worker and employer regarding their legislative obligations and evidence for factors such as influencing recovery and return to work on commencement and throughout the assessment.
When identifying and assessing work duties and tasks, providers must:
- conduct a preliminary assessment of the worker to ensure safety and refine the assessment methodology if necessary
- collect data from multiple data sources (for example, the worker, co-workers, employer, work environment) using multiple collection methods (interview, observation, measurement) to ensure that information collected is credible and dependable
- identify pre-injury duties and/or available duties, and provide justification excluding available duties from the assessment, where relevant
- assess pre-injury and/or available work tasks to determine critical work demands (physical, psychosocial, cognitive and environmental/organisational) and performance criteria
- assess the worker performing pre-injury and/or available work tasks with reference to identified performance criteria
- identify, justify and negotiate appropriate methods of modifying work demands, including:
- work tasks (for example, intensity, volume, frequency)
- work practices (for example, task rotation, teamwork)
- work environment (for example, equipment, aids and/or workplace modifications).
- identify workplace health and safety issues and propose appropriate solutions, where indicated
- analyse assessment findings to identify available work duties/tasks that can be utilised to support the worker to recover at work or return to work.
When identifying and negotiating workplace-based strategies to build capacity over time, providers must:
- identify and justify the need for provision of instruction, coaching, training, or education to increase capacity and/or perform work tasks
- identify tasks that can be utilised as a part of the worker's rehabilitation to increase work capacity and contribute to overall recovery over time.
Providers must justify, document, and communicate assessment decisions, including:
- providing evidence-based recommendations and conclusions that:
- address the purpose of the assessment
- clearly identify the most direct path back to work
- clearly outline and justify duties/tasks that are suitable to support recovery at work or return to work
- outline strategies to assist the worker in building capacity over time with reference to their work goal
- identify barriers to progress and, where appropriate, recommend and communicate appropriate solutions
- communicate assessment outcomes to relevant parties (may include the worker, employer, treating doctor, insurer) in a way that addresses the needs of each party.
Functional assessment service sub-stream practice standards
When planning the assessment, providers must:
- demonstrate knowledge of the indicators for a functional assessment
- establish the purpose of the assessment with the referrer
- obtain and utilise relevant existing information to assist in planning an effective assessment approach, including:
- the worker's injury, history and medically certified capacity
- available and/or potentially suitable job options and work tasks.
- determine measures of work demands (including physical, psychological and cognitive, social and environmental demands) against which the worker's function can be assessed
- construct an assessment that uses multiple data sources and collection methods (for example, interview, observation, measurement).
When explaining the assessment, providers must:
- communicate the purpose of the assessment to the worker to gain informed consent and facilitate engagement and participation in the assessment process
- perform a preliminary assessment of the worker to ensure safety and refine the planned assessment methodology
- assess the worker's functional capacity for work tasks or work-related activities against identified performance criteria
- collect evidence of performance concerning three or more levels of function and/or job levels
- collect data from multiple data sources using multiple collection methods (for example, interview, observation, measurement) to ensure information collected is credible and dependable.
When analysing and interpreting evidence about performance criteria, providers must:
- identify and analyse factors affecting performance (biomechanical, psychosocial, cognitive, and environmental factors)
- establish and discuss the inter-relationships of factors affecting performance concerning the worker's ability to perform work duties and/or tasks through triangulation of data collected
- identify areas of performance requiring functional restoration and areas of performance that are not amenable to functional restoration.
When identifying functional restoration strategies to optimise the worker's ability to meet performance criteria, providers must:
- identify, justify, and negotiate appropriate methods of modifying work demands, including:
- work tasks (for example, intensity, volume, frequency)
- work practices (for example, task rotation, teamwork)
- work environment
- identify and justify the need for provision of instruction, coaching, training or education to increase capacity
- identify and justify the need for provision of equipment, aids and/or workplace modifications.
Providers must justify, document, and communicate assessment decisions, including:
- explaining and justifying assessment methods, including data sources and collection methods
- describing available and/or potentially suitable job options and associated work tasks
- providing evidence-based recommendations and conclusions that:
- address the purpose of the assessment
- clearly outline and justify the worker's functional abilities in relation to the performance criteria for available and/or potentially suitable job options and work tasks
- clearly identify and justify job option(s), providing the most direct path back to work
- identify barriers to return to work and outline appropriate solutions.
- communicating assessment outcomes to relevant parties (may include the worker, employer, treating doctor, insurer) in a way that addresses the needs of each party.
Vocational assessment and counselling service sub-stream practice standards
When planning the assessment, providers must
- demonstrate knowledge of the indicators for vocational assessment and counselling
- establish the purpose of the assessment with the referrer
- obtain and utilise relevant information to plan an effective assessment approach (e.g., obtain information from the worker, treating doctor, health professionals, employer and insurer)
- identify the need for vocational assessment and counselling intervention relevant to the worker's circumstance, for example, the worker has limited self and/or occupational awareness; unrealistic expectations for return-to-work goals; biopsychosocial barriers impacting on the return-to-work process and/or requires assistance to achieve decision-making regarding suitable job options
- identify the need to modify the assessment process where necessary to meet worker needs, and modify the assessment process accordingly
- communicate the assessment purpose and procedure to the worker and relevant parties to gain informed consent and facilitate engagement and participation in the assessment process.
When conducting the assessment, providers must:
- demonstrate that the assessment process is conducted with adherence to ethical standards
- evaluate multiple components in relation to the worker's capacity, including the worker's education, training, employment and vocational activity history, individual work profile, potential work environment, potential labour market, biopsychosocial and other factors affecting return to work
- collect data from varied sources according to the context, purpose and objectives of the assessment and needs of the worker (including interview and observation, reports prepared by other practitioners, assessment tools, occupational literature, worksite and job analysis measurement)
- demonstrate the application of a range of vocational counselling methods used to:
- engage the worker in the vocational assessment process
- counsel the worker in adjusting to change and transition to alternate employment
- counsel the worker to adjust to their new circumstances/disability. Vocational counselling methods include relationship building, active listening, intentional, motivational, and solution-focused interview skills
- discontinue the assessment if necessary and appropriate. The reasons for discontinuing must be clearly documented, appropriate actions must be described, and recommendations made. The reasons for discontinuing an assessment may include, but are not limited to:
- contraindications related to the injury or condition
- further assessed needs of the worker.
The provider must identify a suitable, achievable employment option(s) and return to work strategy by:
- analysing and interpreting the information collected in collaboration with the worker considering the worker's injury/medical condition and impact of disability, biopsychosocial factors, the worker's education, training, employment and a vocational activity history, the worker's individual work profile, the worker's potential work environment, labour market analysis and any other factors affecting return to work
- identifying suitable employment options as defined by the relevant legislation
- demonstrating that the most direct pathway back to work has been considered when determining suitable employment options
- identifying areas requiring vocational development and recommending an appropriate return to work/retraining strategy to optimise the worker's readiness for the proposed employment option(s)
- demonstrating knowledge of vocational programs, guidelines, and indicators to optimise the worker's readiness for the identified employment option(s). These may include:
- SIRA-funded programs to support recovery at work
- job-seeking skills training
- support services for specific disability groups
- community services and resources
- other counselling services (for example, family, financial)
- other reference sources (for example, advice on mandatory courses for particular employment)
- establishing and discussing the inter-relationship of the factors affecting the worker's capacity and readiness for work concerning the worker's ability to perform the expected work duties and/or tasks. This is achieved through a professional synthesis of data collected and provision of justification to support the recommendations of the assessment
- obtaining agreement to the identified suitable employment option(s) from the worker and treating medical practitioner.
The provider must justify, document, and communicate assessment decisions, including:
- outlining and justifying the return-to-work strategy that is suitable to support recovery at work or return to work
- providing evidence-based recommendations and conclusions that:
- address the purpose/objective of the assessment
- outline the process used to reach the conclusions documented
- identify the worker's readiness for work concerning the worker's ability to meet the criteria for the proposed employment option(s)
- identify the labour market availability of the proposed option(s)
- identify barriers to progress and appropriate solutions
- clearly identify the most direct path back to work
- outline the return-to-work strategies and return to work goal to inform the return-to-work plan
- communicating assessment outcomes to relevant parties involved in the worker's return to work in a way that addresses the needs of each party. This may include the worker, employer, treating doctor, and insurer
- clearly identifying sources of data with author/originator, name of source and date.