Equipment list and contracted suppliers

What is equipment?

Equipment refers to items that are used to assist an injured worker's recovery following a work-related injury or illness.

Items may address one or more of the following aspects of a worker's life:

• mobility
• function
• independence
• community involvement (through return to work, educational or leisure activities)
• relief of pain or discomfort
• communication
• safe environment

Equipment is recommended to an injured worker by a treating health practitioner upon referral by a medical practitioner.

An allied health practitioner may recommend equipment related to their area of expertise and/or scope of treatment.

Equipment may also be recommended by a treating health practitioner to assist the injured worker in the safe discharge from an acute or rehabilitation hospital. A referral by a medical practitioner is not required for these equipment requests.

Changes to recommending equipment

Following a review of the equipment purchasing model, opportunities were identified to improve the guidance and support material for treating health professionals on selecting and ordering equipment.

As a result, changes have been implemented to the way a treating health professional can recommend equipment for an injured worker. As of November 1 2023, all items valued under $1,000 (excluding GST) each will be removed from the WorkSafe contracted supplier equipment list (excluding continence, wound care and nutrition products). These items remain available for treating Health Professional recommendation, in addition to the wider range of equipment items valued under $1,000 (excluding GST) each, offered by WorkSafe's contracted equipment suppliers. The WorkSafe contracted supplier equipment list will remain as a prescribing tool for treating health professionals to utilize when prescribing high cost equipment valued at over $1,000 (excluding GST).

These changes will improve injured worker access to equipment, as well as allowing treating health professionals easier access to a wider range of assistive technology.

The WorkSafe contracted supplier equipment list

The WorkSafe contracted supplier equipment list (the List) has been developed for treating health professionals to use when recommending high cost equipment, valued at over $1,000 (excluding GST) each. The List is designed to streamline processes for ordering high cost equipment and ensure availability, resulting in less delays and improved outcomes for injured workers.

For items valued at under $1,000 (excluding GST), treating health professionals are able to recommend clinically justified equipment from WorkSafe's contracted equipment suppliers.

How to recommend items from contracted suppliers or the WorkSafe contracted supplier equipment list

Treating health practitioners will be required to recommend items from WorkSafe's contracted equipment suppliers when treating an injured worker.

If the item is valued at over $1,000 (excluding GST) the item should be from the WorkSafe contracted supplier equipment list. If the item is not on the List, it is still expected that the treating health professional will source the recommended item from one of WorkSafe's contracted equipment suppliers.

If the item is not supplied by WorkSafe's contracted equipment supplier and a suitable alternative cannot be provided then the treating health professional may source the item from a non-contracted supplier.

Clinical justification must be provided as to why an item from a WorkSafe contracted supplier cannot meet the injured workers needs. If the recommended item is valued at over $1,000 (exclusive GST), clinical justification must be provided as to why an item from the WorkSafe contracted equipment list cannot meet the injured workers needs.

Recommendations for continence equipment must be completed by a qualified continence nurse. Continence equipment must be prescribed from the WorkSafe contracted supplier equipment list, regardless of value, by completing the continence prescription form and submitting it to the relevant agent.

To recommend items that are high cost or complex, the treating health professional must complete the equipment prescription form and submit to the relevant agent.

WorkSafe is committed to providing injured workers with equipment that meets their injury needs. To undertake this, the List is reviewed regularly with high cost equipment items added, replaced or removed. WorkSafe therefore relies on feedback from treating health professional to ensure the relevancy of the List. You can make suggestions or provide feedback on the list by completing the equipment suggestion form.

Supply of equipment

WorkSafe uses contracted suppliers to provide injured workers with clinically justified rehabilitation and medical equipment. These suppliers also offer maintenance, repairs and installation services.

Contracted suppliers provide state-wide equipment coverage as well as interstate coverage where required. Treating health professionals and injured workers are encouraged to visit contracted suppliers, as they offer demonstrations, fittings, trials and expert advice on rehabilitation equipment.

Non-contracted suppliers are only used for specialised or highly customised items that contracted suppliers are unable to provide or items the contracted suppliers are unable provide.

If you have any queries regarding equipment purchasing for injured workers, please contact Stephen Kolega, Equipment Purchasing Facilitator, on 03 4243 8652 or via email [email protected]