Last week an injured worker emailed us some very important documents – namely “The Deed” between WorkCover and all the suppliers of delivery of the System for contractual services – which is most often not complied with – as well as the most interesting National Standards of Practice for Case Management.
“Some more very distressing stories coming in”, writes the injured worker.”I have got to say, that when all is ready and locked down for the night, I now say ” night night all workcovervictims”.
The pain and suffering for loving something that you did, with such consequences, at the hands of an employer, who is a hyena in a suit.
WorkCover Case Manager: national standards of practice & The Deed between WorkCover and suppliers
The Deed between WorkCover and all Suppliers of delivery
“I have found a link to “The Deed” between Workcover and all the Suppliers of delivery, of the System, for contractual services, which I am not sure if you have, but certainly a lot of these Providers are not complying with Service Delivery being provided to many workcover victims.”
“Under the CMSA logos and advertising the TAC, and also named are many RTW providers who obviously are sponsors of this year’s conference which is in July 2012 I think.”
“Listed below are the National Standards of Practice for Case Management.”
“I wonder why we just keep missing the point!”
Workcover Case Management: National Standards of Practice
12th Case Management Society of Australia Conference -June 2009
What is Case Management
The Interim Standards of Practice adopted the Case Management Society of America’s definition of case management.
A review of the American Standards led to a revised definition of case management published in the National Standards of Practice for Case Management document in 2004 and revised in 2008.
The Case Management Society of Australia has chosen to adopt this new definition to assist with international communication and comparisons.
Definition of Case Management:
Case management is a collaborative process of assessment, planning, facilitation and advocacy for options and services to meet an individual’s health needs through communication and available resources to promote quality cost-effective outcomes.
The definition of case management notes the focus upon the meeting of a client’s health needs. Within the Australian context, case management can be placed within a social model of health. This framework allows for the client and case manager to work on the various aspects of the client’s life that influence the client’s health.
A social model of health is described as: A conceptual framework within which improvement in health and well-being are achieved by directing efforts towards addressing the social and environmental determinants of health, in tandem with biological and medical factors. (Department of Human Services (Vic.), 2002, p. 42)
We are open to contributions from our members as this definition will continue to evolve.
First and foremost Case Management is a service delivery approach now widely adopted across diverse settings in the human services and health sectors.
The best practices in Case Management require organisational arrangements to support service delivery, staff who have been trained for the approach and its application to the particular practice setting and strategies to ensure that the organization can be responsive to evidence from practice and advocate for systemic and policy change to support service delivery.
The principles that underpin Case Management are individualised service delivery based on comprehensive assessment that is used to develop a case or service plan. The plan is developed in collaboration with the client and reflects their choices and preferences for the service arrangements being developed. The goal is to empower the client and ensure that they are involved in all aspects of the planning and service arrangement in a dynamic way.
The Case Manager coordinates the process, consulting informal carers and key service providers to ensure that the plan is developed appropriately, clearly contracted and monitored for effective and financially accountable service provision based on specified and desired outcomes. The case manager and the organization are expected to maintain quality in service provision for individual clients and the wider target population.
In clinical settings the case manager may also provide specialist services to address particular needs of the client.
The Case Management approach assumes that clients with complex and multiple needs will access services from a range of service providers and the goal is to achieve seamless service delivery. This assumption highlights that the concept of Case Management is based in service provision arrangements that require different responses from within organisations and across organisational boundaries. Case management is described as a boundary spanning strategy to ensure service provision is client rather than organisationally driven.
Case Managers provide the coordinating and specialist activities that flow from the particular setting, program and client population. However it is usual to identify the following process as core to Case Management: screening, assessment/risk management, care planning, implementing service arrangement, monitoring/evaluation and advocacy.
Where is Case Management used?
Case Management has been adapted to a wide range of settings including community care for the aged, and people with disability and mental health issues; acute health settings; injury management and insurance related areas; correctional services; court systems; in the management of chronic health conditions; child and youth welfare; at risk populations in schools; managed care and employment programs.
Who are the Case Managers?
Human service, health and allied health professionals, people with experience in the particular sector where Case Management is implemented, administrative staff designated to the role.
The Case Management Society of Australia
The Society has been established as a network for people involved in Case Management as practitioners, managers, educators, program and policy planners. The Society aims to promote standards and best practices in Case Management, research, systematic evaluation practices, publications and professional development opportunities for members. In addition, the Society seeks to widen the interest in Case Management as a service delivery approach, advocate for policy strategies that adequately resource programs based in a Case Management approach and lobby for policy change to address identified gaps in resources that mitigate against effective service arrangements for clients and their carers. The Society is affiliated with a number of like organisations internationally and maintains a commitment to these links.
The Case Management Society of Australia
Ethical Principles 2007
The Case Management Society of Australia Inc. was founded in 1996 in response to growing demands for support and information about Case Management. It was established with critical support from health industry stakeholders.
CMSA is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the support and development of the practice of quality Case Management.
The purpose of this document is to define the principals of ethical responsibility common to CMSA members. This document does not endeavour to replace any ethical frameworks governed by a Case Manager’s professional discipline and is intended to complement the CMSA National Standards for Case Managers.
- The workcover Case Manager must operate only within the context and boundaries of your educational achievements
and earned credentials - The workcover Case Manager must disclose educational qualifications and professional credentials to clients when required
- The workcover Case Manager is to maintain knowledge of and practice within laws, regulations and policies implicated
in their practice - The workcover Case Manager will endeavour to strive for best practice in their work, in line with the National Standards
of Practice for Case Management - The workcover Case Manager will maintain their professional development in areas of expertise
- The workcover Case Manager will not provide services where they are aware of a conflict of interest
- The workcover Case Manager will not accept gratuities, rebates, bonuses, gifts or other remuneration outside of their usual employment arrangements
- Case Managers must seek guidance from their agency regarding potentially unethical requests or situations
- The workcover Case Manager must seek guidance from their agency when dealing with any legal concerns
- The Case Manager must always gain informed consent, including the provision of information for purposes of
research - The workcover Case Manager must advise clients of their rights prior to them agreeing to accept a case management
service - The workcover Case Manager must fully disclose fees prior to carrying out services
- The workcover Case Manager will respect peoples right to be an individual and refrain from value judgements
- The Case Manager will respect a person’s right to self determination and the right to live with risk so long as there is no harm to themselves or others
- The workcover Case Manager needs to ensure clients are fully informed of services available to them
- Each individual must operate without discrimination or harassment to others
- The Case Manager will not be involved in any sexual relations with clients or their carers
- The Case Manager will consider the best interests of the client as paramount at all times
- The workcover Case Manager must respect the policy and procedures of their employer
You may just want to download the above document and refer to it in your correspondence with your workcover case manager from hell!
Contact details CMSA
Level 6, 52 Collins Street Melbourne – VIC 3000 Tel: 03 9658 2399 Fax: 03 9658 2388 Email: cmsa@cmsa.org.au Web: www.cmsa.org.au – Make sure you bookmark this site! Thank you so much R for sharing this treasure with fellow injured workers
Update: 10 April 2012
Dear “R”, as the comments rightly state you are Gold and deserve a Gold medal – if any consolation – YOUR article has just been published by the very popular COS Magazine as a HEADLINE !!!(Canadian Occupational & Safety Magazine).
Congratulations!
Shortlink: http://aworkcovervictimsdiary.com/?p=6707
This is gold THANKYOU
It is GOLD alright! I was not even aware it existed! From now on I will refer to these standards each and every time I correspond with my case manager from hell who seems to believe she is beyond reproach!
Thank you so so much “R” for sharing this with us – we cannot thank you enough!
My Dear R or should we now acknowledge your name to be GOLD, thank you so much for sharing this incredible resource. If you don’t mind can I share the link to my website as I am trying to create a resource myself also (not that we really need another one, WorkCoverVictim you have it so covered and I love you for it) but it’s so worth sharing EVERYWHERE.
I actually nearly cried at this point: The Case Management approach assumes that clients with complex and multiple needs will access services from a range of service providers and the goal is to achieve seamless service delivery.
I believe if I’d had that sort of support I wouldn’t be as bad as I am now. Not to mention other injured workers would have access to my treatments, I’ve paved the path for pudendal neuralgia diagnosis and treatment and no case manager wants the information.
If we had case managers who kept to the standards mentioned in your resource I’d say half of us at least would be back at some kind of work.
Perhaps our Government might want to follow this and reward case managers for getting people back to work and for injured worker’s letters of praise and thanks for proper treatment and support. Now there’s an idea. Shall we call it wellbeing, honesty oh and how about service?
R you are a GOLD STAR.
Soula
Dear R, congratulations, YOUR article has just been published as the HEADLINE by the very popular Canadian Occupational Safety (COS) Magazine –>
http://paper.li/cosmagazine?utm_source=subscription&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=paper_sub