Our star contributor “None” alerted us that WorkCover Queensland will be undertaking an – ahum- independent customer engagement survey over the next couple of weeks. As stated on their website, injured workers “MAY” be contacted and asked to participate in this – ahum- confidential survey.
WorkCover Queensland undertakes customer engagement survey
As stated on WorkCover Queensland’s website
“To gain a better understanding of what you think about the services we provide at WorkCover Queensland, we’re again undertaking an independently run customer engagement survey. Over the next couple of weeks, you may be contacted and asked to participate.
The survey takes around 10-15 minutes to complete and your individual responses will remain confidential. Your contribution is valuable and will be used to help us improve our services. If you have any questions, please call us on 1300 362 128.”
We wonder if any injured workers will receive an invitation to complete the survey and/or to comment…eh.. 
Shortlink: http://aworkcovervictimsdiary.com/?p=7316
hey workcover in qld why are you wasting time and money on this type of bullshit “to gain a better understanding ” this is why the system is like fucked who employes these dipsticks who come up with stuff like this. start weilding the big stick to the so called agents that bullshit to injured workers and deny the basics.
It will be very interesting to see the “results” of their -ahum- independent survey. Anyone who gets contacted – consider sharing a link to our blog with these “surveyors”.
Michelle from Workers Health just released some interesting statistics, based on a fair dinkum survey ( I know because I’ve been helping put the figures together). I am sure that QLD WorkCover are not looking at the most important factors. http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/50827
As O’Farrell prepares to slash workers compensation entitlements, a new survey by the Injured Workers Support Network has revealed the deep stress and anxiety faced by people on the current scheme.
Of the sick and injured workers surveyed, an alarming 52% revealed that they have contemplated suicide in the past six months.
One in four sick and injured workers surveyed said a workplace based injury had resulted in a separation or divorce, while 60% said their relationship had suffered significantly as a result of workplace illness or injury.
Twenty-five percent of sick and injured workers also reported being forced to move house — either through having to sell their home, move to cheaper rented accommodation or move in with family and friends.
Michelle Burgess, director of the Workers Health Centre, said the alarming statistics would get worse if the NSW government pushed ahead with mooted changes to workers compensation.
Burgess said: “These statistics are deeply concerning, but what’s even more worrying is how much worse this will get if the government slashes workers compensation entitlements.
“We see first hand workers facing impossible odds. Either they have to be forced to return to work and soldier on with illness and injury —seriously jeopardising their health or having to face selling the family home”.
“Life is hard enough for sick and injured workers. The government ought to abandon these savage cuts and treat sick and injured workers with respect and dignity.”
Thanks for sharing – alarming figures indeed! Do you know approx. how many injured workers were included in the survey?
Hi WorkCoverVictim
It is early days yet and we have received 56 surveys back, we expect many more in coming weeks. However, I have conducted many surveys in the past and have a keen eye for trends. One of the key questions which seems to be strongly correlated with the likelihood of having considered suicide in the last 6 months is this question
your compare your health now?
57% have answered ‘much worse‘ and it is this group who largely answer ‘yes’ to the consideration of suicide in the last six months. And all of those who indicated they had since separated or divorced from their partners answered ‘yes. Those who answer ‘no’ who are also in this group seem to have a supportive family or partner – because they typically answer that things are strained but they are coping. Answering much worse would also seem to indicate a higher level of depression it would seem – which is perfectly understandable.
Here’s where my concern lies – around 95% of respondents so far fall into the worse and much worse categories. Given the vulnerability that many injured workers I feel the risk of suicide is very high – the slightest stress can push them over that fine line. I have no doubt that insurers play a major role in adding deadly pressure to already fragile people.
This is why I am so concerned about proposed changes in NSW.
Kind regards
John Mc
Wow, thank you for sharing this information… When we first started our blog we also ran a poll about suicide (who has thought about suicide since being on workcover etc) and we also found that over 63% of our responders (total of 42) answered they had thought about committing suicide, since being on workcover – in particular those injured workers on long term ‘claims’ (so those with severe injuries). Severe secondary psych injuries are rampant once in “the system”, hence our “slogan” injured at work and DISABLED by workcover.
The current system is already so terrible to deal with, denials after denials, …Severely injured workers have to constantly fight for their legit, meager entitlements, which is demoralising and nerve wrecking.
Taking away entitlements/benefits through the scheme will undoubtedly push many victims over the edge, and you are right to be worried, so am I. We all are and we can clearly feel the general anxiety the prospect is already causing to our readers & forum members.
It is a very very serious matter and I am/we are extremely grateful for all the work you folks are doing, also by getting it published!
Thanks again
L
Long -term and with severe injuries makes perfect sense. They are the most vulnerable. Unfortunately, it is these people who are lost in all of the politics. Psyche injuries (including secondary psyche injuries) are also a major concern. Following is some data from a paper I wrote titled Workers Compensation: Time To Take a Stand. It addresses the myths and false assumptions that currently drive workers compensation systems in Australia – and this is where the ignorance and real damage is being caused in my opinion ( I can forward you a copy if you would like) .
The rising costs of psychological injuries
Claims data for psychological injury for Australian government organisations over recent years indicates a rise in these types of claims. Work pressure accounts for around 50 per cent of psychological injury claims. The next most significant category for Australian government organisations is harassment/bullying combined’ – which accounts for around a quarter of psychological injury claims. Of declining importance in recent years is ‘exposure to workplace or occupational violence’ which accounts for only about 10 per cent of psychological injury claims. ‘Exposure to a traumatic event’ (which includes witnessing a fatal or other accident) accounts for less than 5 per cent of psychological injury claims.
According to Comcare, Australia’s federal work health and safety regulator, claims associated with mental stress have risen 54% since 2006-2007. Work related mental stress is of concern in the Comcare scheme, especially in the APS. The number and proportion of worker’s compensation claims as well as the cost of psychological injury claims, has increased over recent years.
Over the four-year period to 30 June 2010:
> around 9 per cent of accepted Australian Government premium payer claims were attributed to mental stress; and
> around 35 per cent of total claim costs related to these claims.
However, the impact of mental stress is even greater when secondary conditions are taken into consideration. There are a number of cases where the initial claim was not caused by mental stress, but the injured worker developed a mental disease as a secondary medical condition. Taking these cases into consideration, over the same period:
> around 11 per cent of all accepted claims within Australian Government premium payers involved mental disease as either a primary or secondary condition
> around 43 per cent of the total cost of accepted claims related to these claims.
There also tends to be a limited view of the work capacity of people facing these problems. According to Comcare employers struggle to find suitable duties for people with a psychological injury claim. Those with a psychological injury do not return to work as quickly as those with claims for non-psychological injures. For example, during 2010–11, 49% of the mental stress claims from employees of Australian Government premium payers that involved 4 weeks lost time from work progressed to 26 weeks lost time. This compares to just 23% of all other claims that progressed from 4 to 26 weeks lost time during the same period.