• Introduction
• Overview of this guide
• Glossary
• Element 1 - Commitment and Corporate Governance
• Element 2 - Planning
• Early intervention procedures
• Workers' compensation claim procedures
• Rehabilitation management procedures
• Appropriate training requirements
• Legislative compliance
• Administrative arrangements
• Rights and responsibilities of injured workers
• Management accountability
• Approved rehabilitation provider arrangements
• Rehabilitation management objectives and targets
• Examples of success
• How can we improve?
• Element 3 - Implementation
• Element 4 - Measurement and Evaluation
• Element 5 - Review and Continuous Improvement
• Action Summary Sheet
• Reference list & resources
• Disclaimer

Why is this important?

Organisations should establish, implement and maintain documented injury management objectives and targets in their rehabilitation management system. These objectives are the organisation's goals for managing injury in the workplace, and enable an organisation to evaluate its injury management performance at the strategic level.

Objectives should be aimed at improving the prevention and management of injuries in the workplace and should be supported by SMART targets:

S – specific
M – measurable
A – achievable
R – realistic
T – timely.

SMART objectives (see Appendix 10) focus on outcomes as well as activities.

Operational plans to address an organisation's specific return to work issues need to be developed and implemented. Procedures need to be established to ensure that current plans are reviewed and if necessary, amended to address required changes. The results of these reviews should be appropriately documented and reported to the senior executive and other relevant personnel, and to Comcare and the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission (SRCC) if necessary.

Organisations should also consider the frequency and duration of workplace injuries when developing, monitoring and evaluating their rehabilitation management system. At a minimum, internal targets should include:

• time to commence early intervention
• return to work outcomes
• cost and effectiveness of any approved rehabilitation providers used.

The organisation also needs to consider the external indicators and targets (e.g. those set by the SRCC).