4.5.20 Household help
4.5.20.1 Agent receives request | 4.5.20.2 Agent reviews request | 4.5.20.3 Arrange a household help services needs assessment | 4.5.20.4 Review HHSNA report and recommendations | 4.5.20.5 Reasonable provision of household help services | 4.5.20.6 Provision of firewood | 4.5.20.7 Exceptional circumstances and additional considerations
Household help services are essential household cleaning and gardening tasks:
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provided in the worker's primary residential home
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the worker performed pre-injury
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the worker can no longer perform because of their work-related An injury/disease is work related if it arose out of or in the course of employment and the scope of employment. illness or injury
WorkSafe can fund household help services to assist workers to effectively recover from workplace injuries and safely return to work and life.WorkSafe expects the type and frequency of household help services provided to a worker will reduce as the worker recovers. All household help service requests should be considered an interim or short term arrangement, unless the worker has long term needs due to the nature of their injury or illness.
For all household help service requests, the agent should consider if the supply of adaptive household equipment will maximise independence and reduce or replace the need for WorkSafe funded household help services.
Household help services guidelines
The household help services guidelines provides information about:
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what costs WorkSafe will and will not pay for
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how much WorkSafe can pay
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who can provide household help services
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accessing services
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service delivery expectations for forensic cleaning providers
See: Household help services guidelines
Fee schedule
See: Fee Schedule for Household Help Services
4.5.20.1 Agent receives request
To consider a request for household help, Agents must receive the following forms:
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Household help request: Worker declaration. The worker completes and signs this form only once during their claim, unless their living circumstances change. This form provides additional details about the living situation and requirements, and can be completed by the worker’s support person if assistance is needed.
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Request form for household help services. This form is completed by the worker’s primary THP Treating Health Practitioner, e.g. medical practitioner, physiotherapist Registered physiotherapist means a person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the physiotherapy profession (other than as a student)., osteopath, or chiropractor. An updated request form is required from the primary THP at the end of each approval period, or every 12 weeks (whichever comes first) for services to continue, except where longer term services over 6 months are approved.
Initial requests can also be accepted from:
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hospital OTs Occupational therapists (OTs) help people of all ages to improve their ability to perform tasks in their daily living and working environments. They work with individuals who have conditions that are mentally, physically, developmentally, socially or emotionally disabling. They also help them to develop, recover or maintain daily living and work skills. Occupational therapists help clients not only to improve their basic motor functions and reasoning abilities but also to compensate for permanent loss of function. Occupational therapists assist clients in performing activities of all types, ranging from using a computer to caring for daily needs such as dressing, cooking and eating. Physical exercises may be used to increase strength and dexterity, while other activities may be chosen to improve visual acuity and the ability to discern patterns. who make a recommendation for household help services as part of the worker’s discharge from hospital (for up to 12 weeks post-discharge)
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a treating surgeon on the surgery approval letter.