Stay at Work service

The new Stay at Work service will be available nationally from 1 July 2009. It will replace the Graduated Return to Work service with a new service that emphasises action, outcomes, and stakeholder engagement. Stay at Work will be purchased in three stages, which represent blocks of time.

For more information, see Differences Between Graduated Return to Work and Stay at Work (DOC 49K)

Background

As New Zealand’s population continues to change, and health needs become more complex, ACC is shaping its service delivery so that it can continue to provide quality, appropriate and timely services. ACC is focused on rehabilitation with a return to productive life. In that regard, ACC must ensure that it can deliver sustainable rehabilitation outcomes for clients in both employment and the community.

This is facilitated through earlier and improved quality rehabilitation based upon:

  • supporting recovery in the workplace,
  • more accurate and timely assessment of client needs, and
  • improved rehabilitation service.

Service Overview

The Stay at Work service is an early intervention service that enables a client to safely recover from injury while participating in employment to the fullest extent possible. ACC assesses and refers each client as ACC Client Service Staff deem appropriate.

The key features of the service:

  • Vendor flexibility in determining how and when service should be provided, to meet each client’s individual needs
  • Emphasis on stakeholder engagement, involving the client, employer, primary treatment provider, whanau, general practitioners and others to ensure a coordinated approach to identifying and resolving barriers to returning to work
  • Focus on recovery at work for the client
  • A timely and responsive service that takes a client centred approach
  • Three different stages within the service, each tailored to recognise the differing needs of clients
  • Early identification and removal of obstacles preventing early return to work
  • Ongoing and simultaneous assessment, evaluation and service
  • A stand alone Workplace Assessment for clients requiring assessment without service.

Service Design

There are three stages within the Stay at Work service based on the client’s level of complexity, taking risk and need into consideration:

  • Stage 1 – Early Return to Work
  • Stage 2 – Graduated Return to Work
  • Stage 3 – Continued Interventions

Clients can enter the service at Stage 1 or Stage 2. The stages are consecutive, and include a systematic process of assessment, planning, activities, monitoring and review. For more information, see Stay at Work service overview map (DOC 128K)

Stage 1 – Early Return to Work

Initial interventions are provided by the vendor where ACC has identified that the client has a low complexity injury (likely to be simple musculoskeletal injuries) and risk factors and requires support to facilitate their early return to work. This stage allows a maximum of one week to coordinate parties that need to be involved in facilitating successful early return to work for a client.

Stage 2 – Graduated Return to Work

Clients can enter the Stay at Work service at this stage or may in occasional cases be transitioned from Stage 1 (with approval from ACC). Clients who directly enter the service at Stage 2 are likely to require a more in depth level of assessment and documented planning to support their return to work. This may involve a gradual approach to returning to work, and monitoring progress towards a full return to pre-injury duties and hours of work. In cases where the client has transitioned from Stage 1, activities of Stage 1 also form part of the assessment of Stage 2.

Stage 3 – Continued Interventions

Stage 3 recognises that there are a small proportion of clients who require more extensive support and intervention to enable their return to work. Clients are not able to enter Stage 3 without having been through Stage 2. Entry to Stage 3 requires specific approval from ACC.

The Workplace Assessment remains available under Stay at Work, but is no longer the required entry point of the service.

Training

Training for vendors of the new Stay at Work service will be held around the country in June 2009, with the aim of empowering vendors to be flexible in their approach to client care, and outlining the requirements of providing the new service.

More Information

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Updated: 28 September 2009