Our team of 14 mobile case managers in Victoria met a major milestone in 2024: 15,000 face-to-face visits since the service started in October 2016.
Over this time the team has clocked up more than 2.3 million kilometres travelling around the state to work with injured workers, treating health providers and employers to help people recover faster from injury and return to work, sooner.
Making a positive difference
Incredibly, our mobile case manager Nick Ryan – who had undertaken the previous major milestone 10,000th visit last year – also completed the 15,000th visit!
Nick attended a case conference in Bendigo with 18-year-old labourer, Jye, and his hand therapist who had been treating him after his thumb was crushed while using a punching press.
“Jye was referred to our mobile case management service as there were barriers impacting his ability to do more hours and resume his duties,” said Nick. “He wasn’t confident in using his injured hand and his employer was struggling to find suitable duties.”
During the discussion it was clear Jye was keen to do more at work and the hand therapist was pleased with his recovery progress and fitted him with a new thumb splint.
“My role was helping to identify what duties would be suitable for Jye and to work with him and his hand physio to look at how his capacity for work could be upgraded.”
A few weeks later, Jye trailed doing his pre-injury duties and by November 2024 he had returned to his pre-injury hours and duties.
“This case is a clear example of the power of getting people together to help the worker recover,” says Nick. “It’s such a positive outcome, which is particularly important when the injured person is so young and at the start of their working life.”
Pictured: EML's Mobile Case Managers Nick Ryan and Whitney Harvey celebrate the team’s recent milestone