Massage and Myotherapy Australia working with SIRA
SIRA has invited Massage and Myotherapy Australia to contribute to a deeper understanding of the reasons for the extraordinary growth in service utilisation and possible initiatives to improve value-based care in the NSW workers compensation system. A report commissioned from Ernst & Young indicates that costs under the Massage Therapy Fees Order grew by 51% between 2016/17 and 2018/19, and that service utilisation grew by 43% in the same period. This could be a result of treatment effectiveness, and accessibility or because of structural issues inherent within the system that warrant further investigation.
In response to SIRA, Massage and Myotherapy made a submission inclusive of NSW members experience with the authority and in the context of the question posed in the Consultation Paper and the NSW SIRA Clinical Framework:
- Measure and demonstrate the effectiveness of treatment
- Adopt a biopsychosocial approach
- Empower the injured person to manage their injury
- Implement goals focused on optimising function, participation and return to work
- Base treatment on the best available research evidence.