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Referral to Willis Street Physiotherapy Early Intervention Programme
Early Intervention is designed for the assessment and management of short-term (duration 1-6 weeks) non-accident workplace associated DPI.
These cases are funded by the employer and not managed by ACC or other independent insurance providers. These are more likely to progress on to lengthy and costly ‘claims’, and LTI’s, if not managed efficiently.
An example of an early intervention case is a mail officer who gets worsening shoulder pain but has no known cause for the pain.Back to top
DPI Treatment and Management
- Acute injuries are classed as work associated injuries as they do not fit into the class of early intervention. E.g. spraining an ankle when falling over (workplace accident). These acute cases would in most cases fall under work related ACC claims. These cases will still need to be effectively managed however and only differ only in terms of the funding.
- The early intervention process begins with an employee who is reporting worsening discomfort and a referral from the Team Leader to a specialist physiotherapist for assessment and/or treatment of the problem
- The Physiotherapist will ask for a detailed history of work and non-work practices and will perform a detailed musculoskeletal assessment. The aim of the initial assessment is to determine whether there is an underlying pathology or contributing dysfunction present, or whether the picture is of a strain and soft tissue overload. In the case of pathology, then the physiotherapist will recommend and undertake treatment, with the individuals consent, and initiate a medical rehabilitation care pathway involving resolving the pathology and reconditioning back to normal duties. This may also include involvement of an individual’s doctor if there is a need for temporary cessation of work. Where no pathology exists and a pure strain overload is present then the physiotherapist will guide the individual on how to manage daily tasks, including work tasks, with the main emphasis being to unload those structures that are involved. In all cases basic principles of self management and job specific techniques will be reinforced
- Both Nick and Grant are physiotherapists with specialist experience in occupational health which has enabled them to develop highly effective early intervention care pathways.
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