Working with a case manager
If you’re part of a care scheme, you may be partnered with a case manager who will coordinate your treatment and rehabilitation needs.
Lifetime care and the Workers Care Program both provide services to severely injured people using a case management model.
That means, if you’ve been severely injured in a motor accident or at work in NSW, you’ll have the opportunity to work with a dedicated case manager. They can help you identify your goals, and your treatment, rehabilitation and care needs, and make sure you’re getting the right services to meet your goals and needs.
Case managers need to be approved to work with Lifetime Care participants or Workers Care workers. Only appropriately skilled professionals are able to become case managers.
You may decide to manage your own supports independently once your needs have stabilised, but a case manager can be very helpful in the early stages after your injury and during times of change.
What does a case manager do?
Case managers will work with you, your family and service providers to:
- Help you understand and learn to manage changes that might have occurred due to your injury
- Help you understand more about icare and what we pay for
- Work with you and your service providers to identify your goals and your needs related to your injury
- Assist you to select the most appropriate service providers to meet your goals and needs
- Develop a plan with you and help you request services
- Organise and monitor the services you're receiving
- Review your progress and work with you to identify new goals.
How to choose a case manager
Everyone’s needs are different, and finding the right case manager will depend on where you live and the type of support you need.
For some, choosing a case manager with a strong clinical background working in a specific field of disability will be important.
For others, it will be more important to select a case manager who is familiar with your local community and local services for people with disabilities.
You can choose a case manager using our Finder Tool. The tool allows you to search for approved case managers who offer services in your local area and have the special skills to meet your needs.
You can speak to case managers to help you make your decision.
You may also want to speak with your family, members of your treating team, or your icare coordinator.
Good questions to ask a potential case manager
- Tell me about your experience working with people with a similar injury to me.
- What qualifications and experience do you have?
- How long have you worked in my community?
- If you live a long way away from my community, how will you make sure I’m linked to appropriate local community services?
- How long have you worked with icare?
- What days of the week are you available?
How is a case manager different to a coordinator?
You’ll be allocated an icare coordinator when you’re first accepted into Lifetime Care or the Workers Care Program. Your coordinator is your main contact at icare.
Your coordinator and case manager will work closely together to support you. Their roles can be similar, but how they work with you will be different depending on your circumstances and needs.
When you’re first home from hospital, your case manager will usually be your main contact for your treatment, rehabilitation and care needs.
When your needs are more stable, you may no longer need the help of a case manager. Your coordinator will then be your main contact and help you get any supports you need.
Who should I usually contact: my case manager or coordinator?
Who you contact depends on the situation:
- For general treatment, rehabilitation and care needs, contact your case manager, who’ll talk with your coordinator. If you don’t have a case manager you should contact your coordinator.
- If you have concerns about about icare or any service providers icare pays for, contact your coordinator
How is this case manager different to the case manager at my insurance agent?
If you were injured at work, you may also have a case manager at the insurance agent. They are your main contact for your weekly payments and all other types of workers compensation.