The Commonwealth Ombudsman's investigation into allegations that Comcare engaged in "doctor shopping", to block injured workers' claims, has "not identified significant compliance concerns", but called for the authority to improve record-keeping and transparency around its use of medical examinations.
In this major report, OHS Alert examines all the must-know WHS and workers' comp developments from the third quarter of 2022, including the introduction of laws and codes tackling psychosocial hazards, wholesale changes to workplace COVID-19 rules, and the launch of safety prosecutions linked to dozens of COVID deaths.
In a report providing important lessons for all employers and workers' compensation schemes, the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has highlighted the link between complex claim systems and poor mental health outcomes, and the "ongoing and often devastating impact" of workplace abuse that arises from "hyper-masculine cultures" and other factors.
In this report, OHS Alert reviews all the key work health and safety and workers' compensation developments from the second quarter of 2022. Highlights include major changes to the model WHS Act and Regulations, High Court judgments, inquests into work-related deaths, an inquiry into harassment, and "claim farming" bans.
If there is one silver lining from dealing with COVID-19, floods and fires over the past few years, it's that workers and others are now more willing to accept that their mental health can be affected and reach out for help, National Mental Health Commission CEO, Christine Morgan, has told the Comcare National Conference.
The jailing of a business owner for industrial manslaughter, the commencement of a mirror WHS Act, legislative changes across most jurisdictions, and a host of judgments on work-related COVID matters, are just some of the issues covered by OHS Alert's first major review report of the year.
