IPAR a Finalist in Team and Innovation Categories at icare CASE Awards

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Emma Trajcevski, Sarah Byrnes and Sarah Bonar from IPAR Newcastle

IPAR is proud to be named a finalist in two categories at the upcoming icare Care and Service Excellence (CASE) Awards which recognise and reward outstanding service delivery in the NSW workers compensation industry.

IPAR Newcastle are a finalist in the Outstanding Team – Care and Support category. This award recognises the ongoing contribution and influence of a team that has exceeded within their role to deliver excellence in care and/or service, has positively impacted customer outcomes and promoted the industry as a whole.

Meanwhile, IPAR’s Positivum™ assessment and health coaching program is a finalist in the Excellence and Innovation in Injury Management category. Developed by IPAR in conjunction with Monash University, Positivum has demonstrated significant improved results for people returning to health and work after injury or illness.

Congratulations to all finalists across all categories. We look forward to celebrating with industry colleagues at the Gala Dinner on November 13.

 

 

The Positivum health coaching booklet – a guide forward

Celebrating 15 years of IPAR

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2018 marks 15 years since IPAR commenced operations. Over that time we have grown from a single office in Melbourne to over 35 offices in every state and territory, with more than 300 team members helping 15,ooo people each year to return to wellbeing and work. We decided to mark this occasion accordingly!

Our 15 year birthday IPARties (as we like to call them) took place in Melbourne, where we welcomed teams from Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, and in Sydney, where teams from New South Wales and Queensland came together. Both evenings saw our teams put on their best (including a dress up theme for the Melbourne event – dress up, from the neck up) and enjoy a night of celebration, speeches and surprises.

Thank you to everyone for making the evening such a great success and we look forward to more celebrations in the future.

ARPA Victoria Excellence in Workplace Rehabilitation Win

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The ARPA Victoria Excellence in Workplace Rehabilitation Awards were held on Friday 20 July 2018 at the Sofitel Hotel.

IPAR was proud to have three finalists on the night, including Jarrod Stonham in the Exceptional Leadership category and Nikki Pham and Annette Williams for Outstanding Consultant.

Congratulations to Annette Williams for her very well-deserved win in the Outstanding Consultant (NES) category. Thanks to ARPA Victoria for another fabulous event celebrating with industry colleagues and congratulations to all finalists and winners on the night.

Representatives of the IPAR Victoria team at the 2018 ARPA Victoria Excellence in Workplace Rehabilitation Awards

IPAR a Finalist at ALUCA Life Insurance Awards 2018

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Suzanne Gibson, NSW State Manager and Jenna Frino, NSW Customer Experience Manager, represented our Life Insurance team at the ALUCA Life Insurance Awards held Friday 24th May in Sydney.

The annual ALUCA awards are designed to celebrate the excellence and value that great Life Insurance underwriting, claims and rehabilitation can have, and provides an opportunity for the best in the profession to recognise the fantastic work being done by their peers and colleagues.

IPAR was proud to be named a finalist in the category of Life Insurance Team of the Year – Innovation. Our nomination detailed the work that our team undertook in the development of the Positivum assessment and health coaching program and the difference that this innovative product is having in the Life Insurance space. Our submission included comparisons between the initial and final Positivum assessment, illustrating the difference that identifying and addressing barriers via health coaching can make for the participating individuals.

For further information about IPAR Positivum, please contact your nearest IPAR office or email rehab@ipar.com.au

Contributing to Best Practice in Life

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National mental health foundation SuperFriend recently released Action Area 7 of their guide for ‘Best Practice Framework for the Management of Psychological Claims’. Two years in the making, the guide was developed with input from a range of industry experts, including Work Health Group’s CEO David Sagar and IPAR’s National Manager Business Development, Georgina Lamb.

SuperFriend is a national mental health foundation focused on maximising employee wellbeing, and reducing the incidence and impact of suicide and mental illness on individuals at work. SuperFriend partners with superannuation funds and group life insurers to develop tailored solutions, including SuperFriend programs in workplaces and resources that are available to the public.

Over two years ago, SuperFriend commenced the development of a best practice guide for the management of psychological claims. The aim was to provide practical recommendations to insurers and the broader personal injury sector in order to improve outcomes for the person on claim and the insurer.

David Sagar was a member of the expert panel drawn together to develop the guide and Georgina Lamb provided expert input at reference guide workshops and feedback groups. Action Area 7 of the guide focuses on the health benefits of recovery at work for all employees regardless of disability insurance scheme, and addresses the key challenge of promoting stay at work for life insurance claims.

Action Area 7 also features IPAR’s collaboration with ClearView Life Assurance Limited (see page 53), where IPAR delivered a program to optimise rehabilitation within life claims management to help better meet the needs of the insurer while ensuring they were in the best interests of the person on claim.

For further information on best practice for psychological claims within life insurance, please contact Stephanie Vujacic via svujacic@ipar.com.au.

Positivum launch 2018

Positivum – a guide forward after trauma

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Melbourne. An enormous amount of research, team work and knowledge sharing was celebrated on Wednesday, 31 January, when IPAR welcomed Phoenix Australia Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Dr Peter Cotton, Monash University and our customers to the official launch of IPAR’s Positivum – a guide forward after trauma.

Exposure to trauma can affect anyone, at any time. Reactions are complex and disorientating, and can have a huge impact on a person’s life and that of their family, friends and colleagues.

People who have been exposed to trauma need specific care and support to stay at, or return to work. Positivum – a guide forward after trauma aims to do just that. The tailored post trauma Positivum assessment identifies areas of need and the subsequent health coaching program addresses them.

It takes a team to raise a product! We would like to extend many thanks to Associate Professors Darryl Wade and Andrea Phelps from Phoenix Australia Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Dr Peter Cotton, our research partners at Monash University, in particular Dr Dianne Sheppard, The Behavioural Insights Team, our design team at MOO, and of course, thanks and congratulations to the IPAR team, Dorothy Frost, Rachel Stanislaus, Louise Pitcher and Georgina Lamb.

We are now looking forward to rolling this program out across Australia and helping the many people affected by trauma. If you’d like to learn more, please link in with Louise Pitcher or Georgina Lamb.

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Successful Cancer Research Grant Enables IPAR to Help Even More

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IPAR has secured a research grant through the National Breast Cancer Foundation. The grant will help IPAR to support those who have been diagnosed with cancer to optimise their wellness and quality of life through participation in work that is suited to their needs. It’s an exciting and important initiative for a cause that is close to many of us.

The successful grant comes after years of commitment led by Dianne Sheppard (Monash University), the collaborating team at Curtin University headed by Associate Professor Georgia Halkett, and Dorothy Frost (Work Health Group). Valuable input also received from Georgina Lamb and Stephanie Vujacic (IPAR), and Carly Van Den Akker and Nick Mingo (Swiss Re).

Of course, the work doesn’t stop there. We will formally commence the first stage of this research project through a pilot with AIA Australia in the coming weeks.

For further information, please contact Georgina Lamb, National Manager Business Development on 03 8648 0900 or via glamb@ipar.com.au

View post on LinkedIn.

Award Win for Contribution to the Health Benefits of Good Work

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Georgina Lamb, IPAR National Manager – Business Development

Georgina Lamb, IPAR National Manager – Business Development, is the co-recipient of the HBGW Australian SSG Chair Award for Contribution to the HBGW Initiative along with Ms Simonie Fox, Group Strategy Specialist Rehab/Claims, AIA Australia.

The Award has been established by the HBGW Australian SSG Executive to acknowledge the enormous effort members devote through their involvement in the HBGW initiative. The 2017 recipients were nominated by their peers for significant and influential contribution.

An extract from the Award announcement:

Ms Lamb works tirelessly to support the HBGW Australian SSG communication agenda. She regularly brings innovative and creative ideas to improve understanding of the research underpinning the HBGW for those not yet involved. Her knowledge of the challenges faced by employers in delivering good work has influenced SSG forum speaker presentations and publications. 

Of course, these individuals rely on the support of their organisation to give their time and expertise. We therefore take this opportunity to recognise AIA and IPAR leaders for supporting the inaugural winners. 

Forum: The Impact of Compensation on Recovery

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Canberra: IPAR hosted the latest breakfast forum exploring the impact of compensation on recovery at Hotel Realm in Canberra on Thursday, 7 September.

Over 100 customers including employers, insurance agents and representatives from government agencies listened to the expert panel share research and insights on why people with compensable injuries tend to experience poorer functional outcomes than those who sustain injuries that are not compensable.

Many thanks to speakers Dorothy Frost, Manager – Research and Innovation at Work Health Group, Dr Simone Ryan, Occupational Physician with mlcoa and Shehan Peiris from AP Psychology and Consulting Services. In addition to an overview of recent local and international research, the panel also explored practical solutions such as motivational interactions and client centricity to reduce the negative impact of compensation on recovery and return to work outcomes.

IPAR breakfast forum, Canberra

Dr Simone Ryan, Occupational Physician, mlcoa

Shehan Peiris, AP Psychology & Consulting Services.

IPAR Appointed to Medibank’s Garrison Health Services Rehabilitation Panel

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IPAR has been appointed by Medibank Health Solutions to a provider panel to supply Rehabilitation Healthcare Services to Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel as part of Medibank’s Garrison Health Services (GHS).

This major appointment will see IPAR assist injured or ill ADF personnel to recover and return to work and wellbeing. Whether the services support ADF personnel to return to ADF employment, or transition to the civilian work environment, IPAR is honoured to give back to those ADF personnel who serve and protect us every day.

In anticipation of the increase in services referred through the GHS rehabilitation panel, IPAR will be appointing additional rehabilitation specialists across their national office network. These specialists will join the ever-expanding IPAR team, all of whom will benefit from a growing number of career development and promotional opportunities resulting from this new panel appointment.

For further information on the GHS rehabilitation panel appointment, please contact National Account Manager, Alison McIlveen on amcilveen@ipar.com.au or 0448 180 535.

For further information about career opportunities within the IPAR team, please contact careers@ipar.com.au