Injury Management
Programme
In association with:
WorkAon Claims
a division of Aon Risk Services NZ Limited
Level 15 Quay Tower, 29 Customs St West
PO Box 3879, Auckland
Tel: 0800 185 4000
Fax: (09) 358 7084
HR
Rehabilitation Policy
Rehabilitation Policy
Maintaining a safe workplace and healthy workforce is important to the University of Auckland.
From time to time employees may be injured, or suffer illness as a result of performing their duties.
Where this occurs, the University is committed to ensuring that the employee’s condition is
identified and treated as early as possible. The University’s objective is to support injured
employees and, wherever possible, help them regain their fitness so that they can return to their
substantive position.
Our graduated rehabilitation process will promote:
 Early reporting of workplace injury and illness
 Early intervention and medical referral
 Establishment of alternative duties where required to support early or partial return to work
 Full return to substantive duties or alternative duties where practical
There are several parties involved in the rehabilitation and return to work process who must all
take responsibility for contributing to its success. The key parties, and their respective
responsibilities are:
Party
Responsibility
Employee
Report symptoms or injury promptly and in the correct fashion.
Take responsibility for, and comply with, agreed rehabilitation
plan.
Manager
Identify and provide alternative duties. Manage return to work
and provide support and encouragement.
Rehabilitation Co-ordinator
(HR Registry)
Coordinate rehabilitation and ensure that preventative measures
are established.
Case Manager
(AON)
Contact the injured employee, assess needs and entitlements
and liaise with medical treatment providers. Facilitate the
development of an agreed rehabilitation plan and monitor and
report progress to all parties.
Treatment Provider
Monitor the effectiveness of treatment and support early or partial
return to work.
Employee Representative
Support the injured employee, advise on alternative duties,
communicate concerns, and work towards agreement.
Objectives
i. To assist employees in an early and safe return to work following injury or illness
(whether work related or not);
ii. To assist in maintaining employees at work wherever possible. This may include:
 The same job and the same duties
 The same job, modified duties, or another job
iii. To establish an organisation culture that reinforces active injury prevention through
the identification of hazards and early reporting, supporting the University’s emphasis
on reducing work related injury and incapacity;
iv. To establish in the University a culture which reinforces that return to work
rehabilitation is the usual course of action. Rehabilitation will begin within 5 days of
an employee reporting an injury or illness, and preferably at the time of the injury.
v. To ensure when necessary, that there is early accurate medical assessment and
involvement of a rehabilitation specialist and/or allied health professional to support
the return to work/rehabilitation process;
vi. To assist the injured or ill employees maintain themselves at work or integrate them
successfully back into the workforce. This will also assist in reducing possible
psychological family, social and economic costs;
vii. To ensure that skilled/trained personnel are trained at work, thereby maximising
resources and minimising productivity losses;
viii. To reduce the human and economic cost of work related injury and occupational
illness to both the University and its employees; and
ix. To assist seriously ill employees to maintain their independence and a full family and
community life.
Dr John Hood
Vice Chancellor
June 2004
How the Process Works
The Process
The inclusive, consultative nature of the rehabilitation meeting and plan is crucial in gaining
acceptance of the programme in the workplace, and in providing benefits for all involved.
The flow chart illustrates the process from the point of injury.
Essential Programme Components
The essential components that are recognised as critical to the success of the Injury Management
Programme are described below:
Alternative Duties
If an injured person is unable to return to normal duties then the Case Manager will contact other
parties with a view to developing an appropriate return to work plan with alternative duties which
might include reduced work times on the normal tasks.
Any proposed alternative duties regime must be assessed to determine physical, mental and
emotional suitability for that particular person.
Any alternative duties must be made in due deference to the informed professional judgement of
the medical practitioner issuing any medical certificate. Any possible areas of doubt regarding a
particular task are to be clarified with the practitioner, with the injured person’s consent, prior to the
implementation of a return to work programme based on that task.
Negotiation of the Return to Work Process
If a prospective return to work programme is found to be medically appropriate, then a return to
work plan should be developed by the case manager, in negotiation with the injured person, their
representative where desired, the supervisor of the alternative duties area, and the return to work
co-ordinator. The return to work plan should be acceptable to all involved.
Medical Confidentiality
The Case Manager will work within the Accident Insurance Act with regards to informed consent. If
the Case Manager provides relevant medical information to the parties of the programme it will
not be given without the express consent of the employee.
This does not affect the University’s right to obtain an assessment of the employee’s health in
accordance with the employee’s employment contract.
Employee Support and Advice
The University recognises that the a union is one of the primary organisations for an injured worker
to be referred to for support and advice when they are faced with significant decisions about their
health and future following a work related injury.
Sign Off
Once agreement has been reached on a return to work programme the injured person, their
representative, the supervisor of the alternative duties area, and the return to work co-ordinator
should sign off the return to work programme as acceptable to each of the parties.
Disputes Resolution
If there are disputes relating to the process of the Injury Management Programme the parties will
attempt to resolve them internally. Disputes related to individual cases should be discussed at an
arranged rehabilitation meeting with all relevant parties present. This will be without prejudice to
the injured person’s rights (including review and appeal) under the Accident Insurance Act, or any
other enactment.
Injury Management Process
Accident or
Incident Occurs
Yes
Urgent?
Arrange First
Aid Treatment
No
Notify
Manager
Complete Accident /
Incident Report
Further
treatment if
required
Yes
Return to
work
Fit for normal or
selected duties?
No
No
(After time off)
More than 5 days
lost time?
Yes
Advise Payroll
Advise Rehabilitation
Co-ordinator
Advise Case Manager
Arrange rehabilitation case
conference
Agree document & sign
rehabilitation plan
Monitor plan
Further
medical
review
Advise Employee & their
representative