RELEASE DATE 17/05/2007
Minister for Industrial Relations, the Hon. Michael Wright today launched WorkCover’s inaugural Recovery and Return to Work Awards which will recognise the outstanding efforts of Scheme participants who have demonstrated excellence in recovery and return to work and the community.
Nominations for the awards open today and close in August 2007. Winners will be announced in conjunction with the WorkCover’s best practice conference, Return to work is part of recovery on 20 September 2007.
“The Recovery and Return to Work Awards are the first of their kind in South Australia because of their dedicated focus on recovery and return to work,” said Minister Wright.
“The objective in creating these awards is to reward excellence in injury management, return to work and services to injured workers and employers, as well as to promote and raise awareness of best practice – all leading to improved return to work outcomes,” he said.
WorkCover claim statistics indicate that when a worker is away from work for more than three months after an injury they have only a 50 per cent chance of returning to work within the following three months.
The longer the worker is away, the probability of returning to work decreases – until after two years there is only a 12 per cent probability of returning to work in the following three months.
“That’s why returning injured workers to safe employment, and the community, promptly is so important. Recognising the achievements of those successful in returning to work, or supporting an injured worker back to work, is an inspirational way we can share learnings and achieve better outcomes for all,” Minister Wright said.
WorkCover CEO Julia Davison encouraged individuals, employers, claims managers and health providers to nominate themselves or someone else if they believed they have excelled in aspects of recovery and return to work or the community.
“Returning an injured worker to work requires the sustained, dedicated effort of many parties, particularly the injured worker, but just as importantly the employer, health and rehabilitation providers, case managers and WorkCover itself,” Ms Davison said.
“It also requires those involved in the Scheme to reach out and look for innovative solutions, best practice injury management and better ways of working together, which is exactly what the Recovery and Return to Work Awards acknowledge.
"The Recovery and Return to Work Awards will be an important contributor in the continued improvement of return to work performance in South Australia,” Ms Davison said.
Nomination forms are available from our awards section.
Media contact:
Danielle Martin, WorkCover SA – (08) 8233 2381 or 0418 295 324
Hon Michael Wright MP with Ms Julia Davison, CEO of WorkCover at WorkCover’s Recovery and Return to Work Awards, Thursday 17 May 2007.
Background information on WorkCover
WorkCover is funded by employers to manage a balanced and financially sound system that rehabilitates, compensates and returns injured workers to safe workplaces and the community.
WorkCover began operations in 1987 and is constituted as a statutory authority under the WorkCover Corporation Act 1994 with a Board appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the responsible Minister (now the Minister for Industrial Relations).
WorkCover is responsible for administering the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1986.
WorkCover manages South Australia’s Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Scheme on behalf of about 65,000 employers, providing rehabilitation and compensation support for an estimated 500,000 employees (about 60 per cent of the state’s workforce).
In 2005-06, there were 22,930 claims incurred by workers employed by registered employers and 14,064 claims by workers employed by self-insurers (37,465 in total):
- 79 per cent of WorkCover claimants do not have any lost time from work (less than two weeks)
- 49 per cent of WorkCover claimants return to work within one month
- 71 per cent of WorkCover claimants return to work within three months
- Out of every 100 injured workers, 82 leave the Scheme within twelve months.
Access our most recent Annual Report.