Workers’ compensation scheme representatives have met to focus on broadening the reach of a Professional Standards Framework for claim management professionals.

The framework was launched by NSW state-owned insurer icare in November last year and focuses on upskilling frontline case managers and promoting career progression through new learning and development activities.

This month, representatives from across workers’ compensation schemes nationally explored the benefits of industry standards, common assessment practices, strategies to attract and retain case managers and building and improving trust to share knowledge and resources.

“We want to make case management a profession that continues to attract the best and brightest to help in the delivery of treatment so injured workers can recover and return to life and work faster,” icare Group Executive Workers’ Compensation Mary Maini said.

“By harnessing our collective knowledge across our industry, together we can make a difference in uplifting front-line capability, promoting career progression and improving industry standards on a national level.”

The Personal Injury Education Foundation (PIEF) will outline next steps with its board next month, focussing on centralising the standards and a proposal for ongoing engagement for industry stakeholders, including risks and governance.

icare said in May that it had partnered with PIEF to establish an educational scheme for claim professionals as part of the Professional Standards Framework.

This month’s meeting followed icare’s first cross jurisdictional collaborative workshop in September, led by PIEF in collaboration with ReturnToWork SA and WorkSafe Victoria.