Success

24x7 Injury management service

Aruma is one of Australia’s largest disability service providers, employing approximately 5,800 staff across more than 500 sites spanning Queensland, New South Wales, ACT and Victoria. Operating across five key service lines: Home & Living, Community Services, Children’s Services, Employment and Therapeutic Services, Aruma supports people with disability to live fulfilling and independent lives.

The challenge

Prior to implementing InjuryAssist, Aruma was experiencing challenges commonly seen across the disability and broader healthcare and social assistance sectors.

A high incidence of workplace injuries, coupled with limited early visibility of incidents, resulted in workers remaining off work for extended periods. This lack of timely insight in the critical early days following injury impacted both outcomes for injured workers and the broader organisational safety culture.

At the same time, workers compensation costs were increasing to unsustainable levels, placing pressure on financial and operational performance.

Internal capability was also stretched. Operational leaders and frontline managers often lacked clarity and confidence in how best to support injured employees, particularly given Aruma’s large and geographically dispersed footprint. This led to delays in connecting workers with appropriate clinical support and contributed to inconsistent injury management practices.

Why Aruma chose InjuryAssist

Following a competitive tender process involving stakeholders from Recover at Work, Work Health & Safety, Finance, and Operational Leadership, InjuryAssist was selected as the preferred solution.

Key factors influencing the decision included:

• A comprehensive, end-to-end support model underpinned by strong reporting and governance
• Extensive national and regional coverage, enabling both remote and face-to-face support
• A clinically led approach, with registered nurses as the first point of contact
• Proven triage protocols ensuring timely, appropriate clinical intervention

Of particular importance was the confidence that a nurse-led triage model would provide immediate, high-quality clinical guidance to injured workers, improving both care and outcomes from the outset.

The solution

Aruma implemented InjuryAssist across all services and jurisdictions simultaneously, supported by a structured rollout program and strong change management framework.

Key components of the solution included:

• 24/7 InjuryAssist triage hotline, providing immediate access to clinical support
• Nurse-led early intervention, ensuring injuries are assessed and managed promptly
• Timely referral pathways to medical and allied health providers
• Technology-enabled reporting and insights, improving visibility and decision-making
• Early notification processes, allowing rapid engagement of internal Recover at Work teams
• Comprehensive manager and staff engagement, including communications, training sessions and resource packs

The structured implementation approach ensured strong uptake and consistency across Aruma’s diverse operational environment.

Outcome

InjuryAssist has become a cornerstone of Aruma’s renewed approach to injured worker support, delivering measurable improvements across injury management, operational performance and employee experience.

Injury and claims outcomes:

• 88% of injured workers referred to InjuryAssist remained at work, contributing to an 18% improvement in return-to-work outcomes over 12 months
• 26% reduction in workers compensation claims frequency, resulting in the lowest number of new claims since before COVID
• Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate now at a three-year low and continuing to improve
• A reduction in workers compensation premiums for the first time in several years, enabling reinvestment into core services and client outcomes

Operational improvements

• Early triage and notification strengthened collaboration between operational teams and Recover at Work functions
• Managers are now equipped with greater clarity, insight and confidence in managing injuries
• Improved early engagement has led to stronger relationships with injured workers, supporting more sustainable return-to-work outcomes

Employee experience

• Employees report high levels of trust and reassurance from having immediate access to qualified nurses following an injury
• The quality of care, advice, and referrals has significantly increased confidence in the organisation’s injury management processes
• Program adoption continues to grow as awareness of positive outcomes spreads across the workforce
• Most importantly, employees are receiving earlier, more effective support during challenging times, leading to better outcomes for them and their families

Summary

Through the implementation of InjuryAssist, Aruma has successfully shifted from a reactive injury management model to a proactive, clinically led approach.

This transformation has delivered:

• Improved return-to-work outcomes
• Reduced claims frequency and costs
• Stronger operational capability
• Enhanced employee trust and experience

Ultimately, the program is helping Aruma progress its strategic objective of being a safe, sustainable organisation, while ensuring its people are supported to continue delivering high-quality care to the communities they serve.