There will be a 12 month pilot to provide payment of medical and like expenses to Emergency Service workers and volunteers suffering from work related mental injuries. Within 2 years the government will legislate to provide provisional payments to all workers suffering mental injury.  The expenses will be paid from the date the WorkCover claim is lodged on the employer.  A fund will be established to fund the Pilot (The Emergency Services Workers and Volunteers Mental Health Support Fund).  Workers with mental injury will have medical and like expenses paid for the first 28 days and if claim is rejected for a total of 13 weeks from date the claim was lodged on employer.  Payment will be administered by employers and agencies.  Payment will be made from the fund up until the claim is either accepted or rejected.  If accepted WorkSafe will then make payment in accordance with the Act.  If rejected payment of medical and like expenses will continue up until the 13 week mark for date of lodgement of the claim upon the employer.  Payment of medical and like expenses will be made based upon the scheduled fees that WorkSafe utilise, there may be a gap in what is paid and what the medical professional charges.

 

The Scope of the Pilot includes the following:

 

There will be a staged approach to implementation.  Three stages, with CPSU coverage areas in the second stage from 1st July.  All cohorts will have access to 12 months of the pilot from the start date of the stage.

 

Government are drafting a Memorandum of understanding between DJCS and the employers involved in the Pilot.  Both DJCS and WorkSafe are managing the Pilot.