Medico-legal assessment
For plaintiff or defendant referrals arising from motor accidents, workplace injury or public liability circumstances.
Services
Workplace safety and rehabilitation services, delivered at the workplace or in the home — wherever the activity is most relevant.
Workplace Assessment
Assessment is undertaken at the workplace, because that is where the activity is most relevant. Guidelines for work visiting and functional assessment criteria were originally researched and established by our principal at the Westmead Work Assessment unit.
We place a strong emphasis on continual liaison and consultation with all relevant parties in the assessment or rehabilitation process, and fairness to clients is demonstrated with objectivity in assessments of both the injured worker and the working circumstances.
- Rehabilitation management and return-to-work planning
- Workplace-based rehabilitation management
- Vocational rehabilitation, retraining and work resettlement
- Redeployment counselling
Medico-Legal Assessment
Medico-legal assessment reports are prepared in response to a specific request, preferably as discussed with the client’s legal representative. Referrals are accepted from either the plaintiff or the defendant side.
The practice covers work injury, motor accident injury and public space injury, arising from motor accidents, workplace injury or public liability circumstances.
- Assessment of pre-injury lifestyle
- Assessment of functional disability
- Assessment of impact on activities of daily living, including self care, employment and care of others
- Review and calculation of ongoing care issues
- Review and calculation of equipment for independence and safety at home or at work
- Review of home environment specifications for self care and personal independence
Home Assessment
Services are undertaken at the home wherever the activity is most relevant. Home assessment looks at the environment a person actually lives in, and what has to change for them to stay safe and independent in it.
Home design and planning for disability issues is one of the practice’s specialty services, so an assessment can carry straight through to specifications for modification.
- Review of home environment specifications for self care and personal independence
- Equipment for independence and safety at home
- Home design and planning for disability issues
- Home injury prevention
Injury Prevention
Prevention is delivered as education, on site and to employee groups. The practice speaks publicly on workplace injury prevention, home injury prevention and adjustment to disability, and lectures employee groups regularly on back injury prevention.
Skills developed through corporate request have included strain management programmes, employee education and ergonomic design.
- Strain management programmes
- Employee education sessions
- Backcare education
- Cumulative trauma and strain management and prevention
- Public speaking to employer and employee groups
Ergonomics
Membership of the Ergonomic Society of Australia has facilitated further practice of the science of fitting the task to the worker — both physically and psychologically. This has significant impact on wellbeing in the workplace as well as achieving greater economic productivity.
The practice has built sound practical knowledge in the textile industry, local government, coal handling, road and transport, and health care sectors.
- Workplace ergonomics assessment
- Ergonomic design on corporate request
- Fitting the task to the worker, physically and psychologically
- Footwear and walking-environment risk, including difficult environments such as mines
Injury Adjustment
Adjustment to disability is its own piece of work, and the practice treats it that way. Support runs alongside the physical rehabilitation, from pain management through to the conversations about what work looks like next.
The commitment is to sustain people safely at work, or productively and independently at home with dignity to the household group.
- Pain management and TENS therapy
- Redeployment counselling
- Adjustment to disability
- Postural assessment and re-education
- Back rehabilitation and general treatment modalities
Specialty services
Four streams referrers ask for by name
Veterans’ Affairs
Assessment, management and monitoring for Veterans’ Affairs referrals.
Public speaking
On workplace injury prevention, home injury prevention and adjustment to disability.
Home design and planning
Home design and planning for disability issues, so people stay productive and independent at home.
Reporting
How reports are handled
To the agreed timeframe
Services and reports are provided according to the timeframe discussed with the referrer.
Need-to-know distribution
Reports are distributed on a “need to know” basis.
Ownership is clear
Reports are the property of the party who pays for the report.
Doctors stay informed
Treating doctors will be kept informed for the purpose of best practice management.
Not sure which service fits?
Call the practice and describe the case. Prompt referral is encouraged, and the scope is agreed with the referrer before any work starts.