Speakers
Lesley Morrison General Manager, Recovery and Support, Comcare
Lesley Morrison is the General Manager, Recovery and Support Group in Comcare. Recovery and Support is responsible for the primary determination of new workers' compensation claims and the ongoing management of accepted claims from Australian and ACT Government employees. The group seeks to maintain and improve the operation of workers' compensation and rehabilitation in the jurisdiction and is responsible for all common law asbestos claims.
Prior to taking on this role Lesley was General Manager, Corporate Services and took a key lead in the responsibility and development of Comcare's 2015 Strategic Plan.
Prior to working at Comcare, Lesley has had an extensive career in a range of corporate and service delivery roles. Lesley has an MBA and a degree in Social Studies.
Lyn Dare Assistant Director, Authorisation and Audit Team, Comcare
Lyn has had extensive experience working in the claims operational areas and in compensation policy. As a lead auditor Lyn has spent the past four years conducting claims and rehabilitation management systems audits with Self Insurers under the Comcare scheme. Lyn was the project manager responsible for developing and delivering the pilot program of rehabilitation management system audits for Federal Employers.
Stephen Larmour A/g Assistant Director, Authorisation and Audit Team, Comcare
Stephen joined Comcare in 2010 through the Graduate Development Program and worked as a claims service officer before joining Comcare’s audit team. Over the past two years Stephen has conducted both claims and rehabilitation management system audits for self insured licensees and is now a lead auditor. Stephen was also involved in the pilot audit program to expand rehabilitation audits to federal government employers.
Julie Sharples Senior Rehabilitation Advisor,
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA)
Julie Sharples is a Senior Rehabilitation Advisor who has been with FaHCSIA since November 2008. Prior to this, Julie had worked for 17 years in occupational rehabilitation with the public sector, mainly in ACT Government. Throughout this time, Julie has gained extensive experience and skills in the coordination of rehabilitation for injured and ill employees.
Julie’s commitment and influence through early intervention strategies and her guidance of other rehabilitation case managers in FaHCSIA was recognised through her being awarded the Rehabilitation and Return to Work Award at the 2011 SRCC Safety Awards in Melbourne last year.
Julie is passionate about occupational rehabilitation and very committed to the successful outcome of individual cases as well as to her employer in fulfilling Comcare Work Health and Safety and Rehabilitation Performance Improvement targets. Julie is always keen to share her knowledge and experience, through informative training sessions, speaking forums or in the training and mentoring of new rehabilitation case managers.
Belinda Johnston A/g Assistant Director, Injury Management Advisory Service, Comcare
Belinda Johnston is an Occupational Therapist with postgraduate qualifications in OHS and works as an Assistant Director in the Injury Management Advisory Service (IMAS) Team at Comcare.
Belinda came to Comcare with extensive experience in the public and private health system both in Australia and in the USA and many years of experience in the private and public sector working in the areas of Injury Management and OHS.
Since joining Comcare in 2009, Belinda has worked in the Prevention and Injury Management section (PIMS); the Work Health Team; and has spent the last 12 months in IMAS. Belinda’s focus is around ensuring that agencies have the advice and support to enable them to pursue better return to work outcomes.
Dr. Robyn Horsley (Melbourne)
Dr. Robyn Horsley is a consultant occupational physician with a specific interest in return to work management and musculoskeletal medicine. She is the owner/director of HDA Medical Group, an occupational health and safety consultancy group located in Melbourne.
Dr. Horsley has held a number of positions with the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (Royal Australian College of Physicians) over the years, including five years as Federal Councillor and four years as Federal Honorary Secretary.
Dr Horsley has been a member of the Department of Veterans Affairs National Technical Advisory Committee since 2004 and is currently involved in a pilot program with Professor Greg Murphy from Latrobe University to improve vocational outcomes and better reintegration into the community for Defence personnel who are discharged on medical grounds.
Dr Brenda Tait (Canberra)
Dr Brenda Tait is a general practitioner in a group practice at the Plaza Medical Centre Woden ACT where she has worked for the past 28 years. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and has been an examiner for the college.
Dr Tait has been involved in community health for the last 15 years. She has a long involvement with the ACT Division of General Practice and its replacement the Medicare Local. She is currently the chairperson of the Mental Health Advisory Committee to the Medicare Local. In 2011 she became a member of the Centre of Excellence in Mental Health and Wellbeing Advisory Group, set up to advise Comcare on mental health issues related to the workplace.
Dr Tait has a wide range of medical interests but has a particular interest in mental health, womens health, chronic medical conditions and medical education.
Dr Yan Perumal (Brisbane)
Dr Perumal works in the Brisbane region as a Specialist Family Practitioner with special interest in Occupational Medicine. He has a Masters Degree in Family and Occupational Medicine and is a Fellow of the Royal Australian of General Practice.
Dr Perumal also undertakes work as an Independent Medical Examiner for Workcover Queensland, is a nominated Medical Advisor, for the Department of Mines and Industries, Queensland and works as a Clinical Tutor, at the Bond University Department of Family Medicine.