Back on your feet with rehab

Volume 48, No. 8, May 18, 2006

THE introduction of a new rehabilitation program will provide ADF personnel with the support needed in the event of injury or illness.

The program, currently in the rollout process, is designed to rehabilitate people back into ADF service in the event of an injury or illness.

The Australian Defence Force Rehabilitation Program (ADFRP) is a coordinated approach between commanders, case managers, health staff and personnel who are injured or ill. It will provide a national framework using consistent standards for rehabilitation across the ADF.

Director General Occupational Health and Safety, Mr Steven Grzeskowiak, said the ADFRP was established “in conjunction with the introduction of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA)…The program is absolutely about getting people back into the ADF.”

The ADFRP aims to reduce the impact of injury or illness through early intervention. Once diagnosed, a case manager will be assigned to the individual to coordinate the relationship between them and the health workers.

The health workers can include people such as doctors, physiotherapists and psychologists. These workers will assist with the rehabilitation of the individual and assess when they are fit enough to return to the workforce and in what capacity.

Mr Grzeskowiak said, “The new program will encourage Defence personnel to seek help if they are injured or ill in any way. The ADFRP has been designed to rehabilitate people so that they can return to their original job or another job within the ADF. In the event that they are not able to return to work in the military, the ADFRP will rehabilitate them to work as a civilian.”

A rehabilitation assessment can be triggered under the ADFRP in the following ways:

• If a member’s commander requests an assessment,
  
• If a member requests an assessment,
  
• If a treating Medical Officer considers it necessary (including a routine appointment and MECR),
  
• If a member is to be on sick leave/restricted duties/convalescence for more than 28 days, or
  
• If recommended by the needs assessment conducted by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
  

At the recent Senior Leadership Group Summit, Chief of the Defence Force ACM Angus Houston emphasised that “if someone is injured, it’s not a question of discharging them ….it’s a question of rehabilitating them and getting them back into the training system so that we make the most of these people who’ve committed themselves to serving Australia with the ADF.”

For more details, members should enquire through their chain of command or at their local Defence Health facility.

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