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11.6 Evaluating and Managing Rehabilitation Service Providers

Rehabilitation requires a whole-of-person approach to service provision. This approach seeks to better encompass a person's medical, psychosocial and vocational needs. Rehabilitation interventions should not just focus on the minimum necessary to achieve a suitable paid work outcome.

Rehabilitation services should provide for long term sustainable outcomes that provide the maximum independence for clients. Employment outcomes should closely align a client's ability to earn an income from employment, to their pre-injury normal earnings. Outcomes should aim for the best possible medical and psychological status for our clients, which include psychosocial outcomes that promote independence and integration in the community.

Managing the performance of rehabilitation service providers requires ongoing communication with provider organisations, and the individual Rehabilitation Consultants within those organisations, who manage rehabilitation programs on behalf of our clients.

As a minimum, Rehabilitation Managers in each location should arrange quarterly meetings with provider organisations to whom they refer cases. This provides the opportunity for two-way dialogue between our Rehabilitation Coordinators and the Rehabilitation Consultants managing our cases. This helps promote a knowledge and understanding of our rehabilitation policies and procedures and promotes consistency in the type and quality of services provided to our clients.