Rehabilitation

What is it?

Does it work?

Is it cost effective?

At work in the UK... 200m days lost through certified absences from work*

33m days per year due to occupational accidents or work-related ill health

27,000 people leave employment every year due to ill-health at work – many will never work

again

30m days lost through work related stress

6000 incidents of violence at work reported to the HSE

*The Work Foundation: Absence rates increasing:

2001: 2.9%

2002: 4.12%

Costs to employers of £400 - £500 per employee head

Average of 9 days absence per employee head

Best performing companies 3.5 days per annum

Worst performing companies 14 days per annum

Uninsured hidden and direct costs 8:1 - 36:1 in lost production, cover & inefficiency equating to £11billion per annum (CBI)

The cost of sickness absence

Early intervention

Co-ordination of treatment and reintegration

Individually tailored & non-adversarial

An advocate for the individual

Managing the best & most cost effective means to reintegration back to health and employment

Early & safe return to graduated or full-time employment

Rehabilitation - the concept...

The Medical Case Manager

Medically qualified with experience of working in a primary or acute healthcare setting

Has the ability to interpret medical information and implement appropriate treatment plans

Is able to liaise effectively with health professionals, injured clients and their employer or future employer, as well as their representatives

Acts as the point of contact for employers & employees

Medical Case Management

To assess a client’s medical status through liaison with their treating practitioners

To arrange private treatment on a cost effective basis, as appropriate

To work with all key parties involved in the case management process, to ensure a timely and safe return to work

To identify cases suitable for vocational intervention

Vocational Consultancy

To provide an opportunity for clients to return to work without exacerbating their condition

Aims to understand the needs of both injured party and employer

Carries out Vocational Assessments, Job Analysis and organises Graduated Employment Programmes

Monitors the client as they return to work

Investigates re-training and redeployment options

The Vocational Consultant

Has experience of working with people with disabilities in employment settings

Aware of issues concerning physical disabilities, learning difficulties, mental health issues and sensory disabilities

Aware of available private services and public funded opportunities

Find employment solutions through creative thinking

Is able to effectively liaise with solicitors, employers and clients in a variety of work settings

Rehabilitation - the process

Rehabilitation Process

Early notification of incident / illness from employer/handler

Promptly obtain consent & medical evidence

Co-ordinate medical & vocational intervention

Organise return to work /employment programme

A warehouse operative:

Age 28, salary £15,000 per annum Sustained a hernia while lifting an object at work and

immediately went off sick The employee had been advised that surgery on the

NHS would take six months The employee would be unable to work during this

time. A Case Manager gained appropriate consent from employee and

organised funding for surgery to be organised privately

Surgery was organised five weeks later

Medical recommendations, which helped the employee to return to suitable duties and did not pursue his claim

Potential future loss of earnings £350k Costs for management and treatment £3,022

Case Study - How it has worked

An office administrator:

Age 28, salary £14,000 per annum Complained of work related stress Had been taking several periods of absence

A Case Manager secured the appropriate funding and organised private counselling, based on medical recommendations

Liaised with the employer to collate a graduated return to work programme

The employee returned to work without pursuing a claim

Monitoring continued until full hours had been achieved Potential future loss of earnings £392,000 Costs for case management & treatment amounted to

£3,927

Case Study - How it has worked

A human resources manager:

Age 33, salary £30,000 per annum Had a significant period of sickness, reported as

work-related stress.

A Case Manager ascertained that the employee was already receiving adequate medication and counselling under care of their GP, on NHS

A Vocational Consultants provided the employer with advice regarding mental health issues

A graduated return to work plan was formulated to welcome the employee back to work

No claim was submitted by the employee

Costs of management and treatment £3,522 No claim was submitted against the company

Case Study - How it has worked

A chef: Age 21, salary £23,000 + overtime per annum Suffered a considerable back and shoulder injury after

an unstable load fell on her A Case Manager arranged private medical treatment

Employee suffered a permanent disability as a result of the accident and could not return to her original role

A Vocational Consultant attempted to adjust the original role although not practical

Assistance provided to employer to identify alternative role

Our Case Manager sought medical validation that the individual was fit to do an alternative job

Individual returned to work as a supervisor in a different kitchen of the employer Potential future loss of earnings £750k - £1m Claim paid at £33,000 Costs for management and treatment £15,800

Case Study - How it has worked

More than saving insurers money

More than support to the litigation process

More than support to EL & motor

Wider concept of support to PL, PHI and occupational health services

Benefits to individuals, their families & society as a whole

Alleviates the benefits & NHS system & thus our tax burden

Better for employers as well as their employees

Rehabilitation - the debate…..

The Financial Benefits

Early & effective medical intervention impacts on average claim costs by over 25%:

Client comparison: rehabilitation v non-rehabilitation client Claim costs: £2631 v £5067

Claim file comparison of 25,500 PI claims: rehabilitation v non-rehabilitation settled claims £5406 v £8139