People injured at work are increasingly likely to suffer a secondary mental health condition, according to Allianz.

The insurer’s data shows the number of injured people who later experience a psychological problem has jumped significantly. In NSW it has increased 50% over the past five years.

Allianz GM Government Services Mark Pittman told last week’s National Workers’ Compensation Summit in Sydney that insurers need to transform their approach to supporting the recovery of people hurt at work.

“A focus on more than just the physical injury is needed to effectively support workers and reduce the risk of secondary psychological conditions,” he said.

“Isolation is a very real issue for workers in the recovery process – being away from their workplace can cause feelings of identity loss, inability to contribute economically to their households and feelings of separation from their social networks.”

In response to the surge in mental health issues, Allianz has established the StartSMART program, which focuses on quickly reconnecting people with the health benefits of work.

StartSMART assesses a worker’s mental readiness to return and then provides access to wellness consultants.

“The rising trend of mental health issues shows the traditional medical approach to supporting worker recovery is flawed,” Mr Pittman said.

“We need to be doing more than addressing just the physical injury when it comes to workers’ compensation.

“If we can truly collaborate as insurers, employers and employees, we can positively change the workers’ compensation experience – we’ll be able to positively change lives.”