I'd like to shed a little light on The Scheme Project's idea as I am part of it, supporting it all the way. I even filmed for another trailor last week. Kris Vanston and his family have a history of hellish experiences with the system however he's not out to talk about his personal experience but rather help injured workers, give us a voice and help rectify the limitations of this primitive and out of date system. Yes, each state has its own 'rules' and Worksafe Agents, but the Medical Panel Opinions dealt to injured workers are binding documents in Federal Court. So, if I want to dispute my panel's opinion I have to go to Federal Court... yes, 25K's worth just to be heard.
In regard to PN for injured workers (and this is what I've been dealing with for almost 7 years now), the system diagnosis 'chronic pain' and can even diagnose 'pelvic pain' in the binding opinion but thereafter within the system it is not assessible as an impairment or acknowledged as an issue in its own right. That means when I presented to the panel for an impairment rating (whole body disability rating) with all my supporting reports of spasm, pain, inability to drive, sit without pain, lift a couple of kilos, affected toilet function and signals, etc etc AND an implant scar from my stim, the medical examiners had no way of rating these issues. So I rate 0% impaired that means $0. We use the American Medical Association Guidelines (AMA) and In Victoria and some other Australian states it is the 20 year old 4th edition. (From memory) the AMA guidelines are upto the 7th edition. The reason this ignorance is so is because the Pain Chapter has been removed from the guidelines here in Australia. Yep, removed. Our legislation has allowed this to happen in most states. So if you have PN you will never get acknowledgment for your injury. I present to 'Independent' Medical Examiners who partake in this system and none of them can diagnose me, not even with my reports of Pn, and instead they report 'from their findings I have no evidence of pain'. What does this mean? It means I don't have accurate diagnosis, accurate treatment, therefore no support. I received weekly benefits but my medical support ceased years ago because the system cannot understand what I need for my injury. My implant costs were rejected as it was seen as irrelivent for my injury.
I am lucky to have a husband that helps and supports me but without his help this system would have given me a nervous breakdown if not pushed me over the edge. I've had to go to conciliation where they also abide by these rules and all efforts go down the toilet. It's unfair and anyone else suffering this issue or any other chronic pain condition falls into this limting and narrow minded bucket.
All injured workers are grateful for Kris's help as we cannot get out and fight this battle, we're all too unwell and let's face it, who's going to take it to court when the judge also has to abide by those rules, pain is non existent in their book of law.
This actually should be an issue HOPE gets behind. If we want PN to be understood worldwide then it should also be understood in law too. I had my accident at 37... I was told WorkCover would provide 'quality income protection'... it doesn't and I could be faced with the rest of my life on $0. I have just declared 15 hours of capacity of working from home (because of the help my husband provides and our home/work environment that I'm so lucky to have) and my benefits have been cut on account that I am fit for duty. I'm fighting for part payments now. Another story there but if PN was understood I'd have none of these issues and my fortnightly treatments, implant, nerve blocks, medication etc etc would all be supported. I pay for all that. I was self employed and paid for my own WorkCover insurance.
So the Scheme Project is not a scam, it's not going to rob your money, in fact it's going to expose some facts of the system, Kris is spending his time head down gathering government material, filming injured workers with university equipment and all of his own accord. He had his sister record a song:
http://www.pozible.com/project/24413/0#updates this is all their time and their money so far.
If you pledge and the target isn't met you get your money refunded. You can also sign the petition and it costs you nothing.
Please support injured workers. If you want to read more about my WorkCover hell it's all on my site where I try and raise awareness and expose their pathetic antics:
http://www.pudendalnerve.com.au/category/work-system/
In Adelaide, Rosemary McKenzie-Ferguson has set up support for injured workers in the form of 'Bags of Love'. This is where people provide food for injured workers unable to fight the system and who are left hungry. I'm creating the logo for this great cause. Please don't listen to narrow minded publicity that 'injured workers are slack and abuse the system'. There may be a few, but the majority (and Kirs Vanston has those stats) are honest injured workers wanting their life back and not getting the support they need to do that.
If you still have doubts, contact me
soula@pudendalnerve.com.au