AAPi Director Dr Katrina Norris was featured in The HR Leader this week, with an opinion piece analysing the rise in workers' compensation claims for mental health injuries, and solutions to the issue.
Over the past year, there have been reports out of Victoria of a compensation system in debt, with much of the blame being placed on the increased number of and the costs associated with mental health injury claims.
“Work-related mental health injuries are typically caused by one of the following: a workplace trauma – a significant accident, assault, abuse or violence, or significant event; bullying or harassment by a co-worker or supervisor, or work overload – excessive and unreasonable demands. The report increase in these types of claims indicates that there are some very real problems occurring in our workplaces that need addressing in order to keep workers safe.”
“In industries where there is a great risk of psychological injury, such as frontline services, having early intervention services that are accessible and focused on managing acute symptoms while building effective coping skills to help reduce further mental health problems. Such initiatives, if implemented effectively, become a tool for mental health maintenance and allow workers who needed access to support - that might not be available to them elsewhere.”
“This has pushed people to evaluate the role of work in their lives and take action where aspects of their job may be affecting their health and wellbeing.”
“Unfortunately some workplace injuries will still occur, even with good preventative measures. When an injury does occur, appropriate treatment and rehabilitation pathways must be accessible early.”
“The availability of psychologists to those in need of treatment, has been a significant issue coming out of the pandemic. Within the workers compensation arena, the issue is worsened by restrictions on who can provide treatment, greater administrative reporting demands, restricted fees that are not commensurate with the level of work and a general difficulty in having recommendations approved, which forces many psychologists out of undertaking this work.”
“It is these issues that must be addressed to reduce claims and improve people’s wellbeing in the workplace.”
Read the full article here.