A grassroots approach makes us number one

Apart from their outstanding commitment to supporting clients and customers in their region, which stretches from the Central Coast to Maitland, Hunter Valley and up to Tamworth, the Rehab Management Newcastle Hunter team credits its number one provider position to strong, local partnerships and grassroots connections.

With 17 consultants and managers covering a vast geographical area that includes a diverse range of industries, occupations and workplaces – ranging from heavy manufacturing and farming to aged care, healthcare and financial services – it’s absolutely essential to have solid partnerships with local employers, workers comp advisors, GPs and community networks, in order to effectively support workers return to work or find a new job.

Following on from an outstanding 12-month rolling NPS score of 71.9 (the highest result of all our teams across the country) for 2019–20, the team just keeps going from strength to strength. Despite the devastating impact on employment in the local region from COVID-19, with many of the towns and suburbs susceptible to economic and social disadvantage due to job losses (University of Newcastle Employment Vulnerability Index https://www.newcastle.edu.au/newsroom/featured/researchers-map-emerging-disadvantage-in-australia-due-to-covid-19-job-loss) the Newcastle Hunter team continues to work tirelessly to engage with employers still hiring, always thinking outside the box and applying creative strategies to drive positive outcomes.

One of the most recent successes involved an incapacitated worker who’d been unable to return to his pre-injury role and after 18 months off work, retrained as a bus driver. Then COVID hit and his job offer was withdrawn. Not to be deterred, his Employment Consultant hit the phones and found a potential opportunity at a nearby plant nursery. Although outside his approved vocational options, the team negotiated a new plan, and the worker is now in sustainable employment, despite exceptionally challenging labour market conditions.

In developing relationships with local employers, Rehab Management consultants are well placed to find new employer roles and have deep industry insight across a wide range of sectors. Their specialised industry knowledge means they truly understand suitable duties, recovery timeframes and alternative work opportunities.
And because of the team’s reputation as an industry leader in the local community, almost 80% of the branch’s referrals come from an employer or a treating health practitioner.

Keep up the good work team Newcastle Hunter!