Leadership in Injury Prevention and Management Category

Highly Commended:

Department of Defence
Defence Health Service - Defence Injury Prention Program

About the Department of Defence (Defence Health Service)
Defence Health Service (DHS) has overall responsibility for the provision of health care to members of the Australian Defence Force. This includes health aspects of preparing ADF personnel and supporting DHS members for operational activities. To do this the DHS Branch develops strategic health policy, provides strategic level health advice and exercises
technical and financial control of ADF health units.

DEFENCE INJURY PREVENTION PROGRAM

The problem
DHS recognised a gap in preventive health systems and processes within the ADF – analysis of injuries from various forms of physical activity including sport. As a result prevention activities were not being targeted at priority areas.

The approach
The Defence Injury Prevention Program (DIPP) has been progressively developed by the DHS over the last 5 years. The DIPP has been developed primarily to reduce the rates of injury to ADF personnel arising from various forms of physical activity, including sport, and by
design reflects international best practice. Two key components of the program have been the development of a new, broad-based information system for injury surveillance (which clearly identifies key causes of injury) and strategic development of management structures
and systems for injury prevention, which ensure that it is well managed at all levels of the organisation. The primary aim of the DIPP is to provide information and tools to ADF commanders that will enable them to identify priority injury problems, make properly informed decisions and implement effective prevention measures.

Outcomes
The introduction of this approach has seen a significant change in culture across the parts of the ADF that have so far embraced it. The program was piloted, evaluated and refined at several pilot sites from Army, Navy and Air Force. Results at the pilot sites were excellent
with reductions in the rates of injury at some sites in the order of 20-70% within 1-2 years of program implementation. The program is being progressively introduced across other ADF sites.

Rehabilitation and Return to work Category

Commended:

Department of Defence - (1 Health Service Battalion)

Injury Management Program for training Command - Army Initial Employment Trainees.

About the Department of Defence 1 Health Support Battalion
The 1 Health Support Battalion (1 HSB) Injury Management Program for Initial Employment
Trainees began in 2003 in response to a lack of suitable rehabilitation and specialist medical
services at most Army Training Command establishments. Prior to this program, someone
injured as an Initial Employment Trainee could expect to be discharged if the injury was
moderate to severe.

The approach to rehabilitation
The aim of 1 HSB Injury Management Program for Initial Employment Trainees is to restore trainees to full health and a military standard of fitness after illness and injury. This is done in a positive team environment actively involving the member in their case management.
The program consists of a coordinated multidisciplinary health team, providing case management, return to work programs and intensive intervention packages which may include injury management education, reassurance, progressive fitness exercises, cognitive behavioural interventions, pain management and medical treatment. The program is open to all trainees with longer-term injuries who have been or will be out of training for more than four to six weeks.

Outcomes
One year into the program over 50% of all injured trainees had returned to their Army trade to complete their training. Prior to the program the majority of those injured trainees would not be declared fit for further military service. Now only around 9% of trainees undertaking
the Injury Management Program will not be returned fit for military service.

Ongoing
From 1 July 2004 rehabilitation for members of the Australian Defence Force has been managed under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act. The program will continue to evolve with the aim of improving rehabilitation outcomes and trainee satisfaction.