A 61 year old man was injured whilst working as a Groundsman at an Aged Care Facility. As a result, the injured worker was unfit for work and underwent a total knee replacement on his right knee.
The injured worker underwent passive treatment physiotherapy, and a following physical assessment revealed a restricted range of motion in his right knee, poor balance and reduced functional tolerances. As part of his treatment, the injured worker was placed on suitable duties on partial hours.
Allianz intervened and decided to engage Recovery Partners with a vision for his speedy recovery and return to work.
Initial Obstacles
Despite initial hopes for a quick return to work, the injured worker’s rehabilitation had stalled. The injured worker was forced to remain on suitable duties for an extended period of time with no clear strategic plan to return him to his pre-injury role.
Being from a different cultural background, the injured worker found it hard to communicate, especially during various complex legal processes, including compensation and the negotiation of suitable duties.
Frances Johnson, a Senior Rehabilitation Consultant from Recovery Partners, took ownership of the case and worked in coordination with Allianz.
Understanding the case’s sensitivity, Allianz promptly communicated before and after each case conference with Frances to coordinate a smooth return to work for the injured worker despite shortcomings.
Capacity Upgrades
Due to the extended placement of the injured worker on suitable duties, it was suggested by Frances that the previous physiotherapy treatment was resulting in very minimal progress and a new form of rehabilitation was to be needed.
Frances worked in consultation with Allianz, where strategies were developed to assist the injured worker for a speedy return to work. It was decided the injured worker needed to progress to more advanced treatment, with Frances recommending Exercise Physiology treatment in hopes it would facilitate a speedier recovery.Â
Working promptly and efficiently, Allianz supported two upgrades to the injured worker’s capacity. As expected, the injured worker found the treatment to be of great benefit.
The treatment included manual handling + functional training and education to transfer learned skills into a home and work environment.
Outcome
The case was recently closed, with the injured worker returning to work following brilliant treatment progress due largely to Allianz’s support and prompt approval of all requests.
Frances praised Allianz’s professional and caring manner, more specifically being extremely beneficial to the injured worker as he has limited literacy.
More resources:
SIRA – Workers’ Compensation Claims Guide
WorkCover WA – Managing Claims Return to Work
WorkSafe Victoria – Claims Manual
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Disclaimer – these articles are provided to supply general safety information to people responsible for OHS in their organisation. They are general in nature and do not substitute for legal and/or professional advice. We always suggest that organisations obtain information specific to their needs. Additional information can be found at https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/Â