The Scheme Project

I met with Kris Vanston yesterday after making my pledge to The Scheme Project last week and an exchange of some cyber chit-chat. We realised we had something in common, we want to better the Australian WorkCover system.

What is The Scheme?

(Sound file and excerpt from www.thescheme.com.au)

The Scheme Thumb
We’ve all heard the sensationalist news reports, however the true statistics behind injured workers are alarming; less than 0.5% of injured workers are the ‘fraudsters’ you might see on TV (Victorian Ombudsman’s report 2011), yet most injured workers are spied on by private detectives (yes, really), they’re made out to be guilty until proven innocent, each year costing taxpayers over $14 million in Victoria alone. It seems everyone involved in the system is growing tired of it’s inefficiencies, ultimately though, it’s the injured workers that gets left behind. Insurance companies are delaying and denying claims that should be processed because they can make a profit from it. Recently, CGU (one of WorkCover’s insurers), had locked up over 10,000 files in a hidden cupboard and manipulated invoices which made the company $2.5 million in profits. Now you have to ask yourself. How much more of this behaviour is not being reported? How much information is so incriminating to bodies such as WorkSafe or insurance companies, that they are willing to pay to suppress it? We are here to find out! Sign our Petition below and have your voice heard! We thank you for your continued much needed support.

You can all imagine why The Scheme Project caught my attention and you can all understand why my pledge was not only made in seconds it was supported (and increased) by my husband Theo who equally saw the benefits in Kris’s project. As frustrating as it is being left without any income and medical support after my workplace accident and having my fair share of rants to expose, I actually appreciated Kris’s professional approach to his project and his intent to make the documentary up front but not personal. He’s not looking for tantrums, witch hunts, singling out of fraudsters and unethical behaviour but rather aiming at exposing the realities in hope of making a change. At the end of our conversation we both agreed that life’s great knowledge of ‘health first’ doesn’t seem to be part of WorkCover’s culture. The support just isn’t there, not in treatment, not in standards, not financially and certainly not in return to work.

So what does Kris want to do?

Kris wants to create a documentary of facts and resources he gathers from articles, reports, and interviews with anyone willing to speak to him, in or out of the system. His hope eventually is to attract some prime time exposure.

So what does Kris need?

Your signatures here, and your pledge here (pledges are not collected unless Kris reaches his target). ‘You’ may be an injured worker, family member of an injured worker or employer, a treating practitioner, medical examiner, conciliator, lawyer, investigator, WorkSafe agent staff member, Minister, anyone associated with the WorkCover system in fact any worker or employer, we all deserve better quality protection.

Please show you are interested in creating a better WorkCover system.

Follow on twitter, on facebook, on LinkedIN or head to www.thescheme.com.au