Flow Chart of Injury Management

1. Worker to notify the injury to the employer, usually the direct supervisor, as soon as possible.

2. Employer to provide first aid and, if necessary, transport worker to a doctor.

• The employer has the right to direct worker to company doctor for an assessment of the injury

• The worker has the right to choose their own treating doctor

• Doctor provides worker with WorkCover medical certificate to give to employer. 

3. Worker to complete the Register of Injuries or Incident / Injury Report.  Employer to organise completion of an internal investigation ASAP.

4. Employer makes an initial notification of the injury to the insurer within 48 hours.  If the injury has resulted from a serious incident, the employer will need to notify WorkCover on 13 10 50.

5. Within 3 business days of notification, the insurer contacts the worker, the employer and the nominated treating doctor to:

• assess treatment and rehabilitation needs,

• start to develop an injury management plan.

6. Within 7 days of notification, the insurer will:

• decide if the worker is eligible for provisional payments

• may ask the worker to provide a WorkCover medical certificate. 

7. Within 7 days of notification, the insurer:

• must start paying provisional payments - either weekly payments, or treatment and rehabilitation costs or both (unless there is a reasonable excuse)

• must notify the worker in writing (and often by phone) about any provisional payments it has approved, and the reasons for any payments not approved. 

8. The return-to-work coordinator (employer) is to gain written consent from the worker and then consult with all the parties to:

• agree a common return-to-work goal,

• identify, negotiate and offer suitable duties,

• complete a return-to-work plan which outlines the duties to be performed. 

9. When the worker returns to work the return-to-work coordinator is to monitor the worker’s progress and upgrade the return-to-work plan until the goal (of return to full duties) has been reached.  Remember suitable duties are short term and time-limited.

10. If the worker’s injury means that they will not be returning to their full pre-injury duties, then the return-to-work coordinator is to try another strategy, e.g. retraining, work trial, job-seeking.  Will need to work with insurer, rehabilitation provider, doctor and worker.  Coordinator continues to monitor worker’s progress until this new goal is achieved.

11. Close of injury management – return-to-work coordinator writes summary report and ensures confidential filing of records.