An early, interdisciplinary effort involving continuous contact with the injured party throughout the process is the most important thing UFDS and Sedgwick Care can do together when a seafarer is returning to the labor market after an accident.
Although the development in the injury statistics is positive, as chairperson of the Danish Shipowners’ Accident Insurance Association, Lars Henneberg, stated at the company's recent general assembly, incidents still occur from time to time.
When a seafarer on one of UFDS' member companies' vessels is injured, Sedgwick Care steps in with assessment, treatment and support towards a return to the labor market. The interdisciplinary team consists of nurses, physiotherapists and social workers, who for many years have specialized in helping people move on after an occupational injury.
Based on an assessment of the need, social worker Luise Hougaard is assigned as one of the first in the process. In addition, there is always a permanent contact person at Sedgwick Care, who is in close contact with the injured party and continuously assesses the need for interventions.
This was also the case in a specific case with a seafarer, whom we here will call Torben, who was working on a Danish vessel when he suffered a head trauma during a task at sea a few years ago. As one of the first steps, he was assigned a nurse who could help him initiate the treatment process.
The help may consist of, among other things, relevant investigation of discomfort, initiation or change of type of treatment as well as support for returning to work, either in the original function or in a role that considers any need for protection after the injury.
»Torben was treated by an osteopath who knows quite a lot about this type of injury, and on that basis worked with him to understand what had happened to him and how he could best use his energy for the rehabilitation,« Luise Hougaard explains.
This kind of solid, competent help early in a process is absolutely crucial, she believes. The injured party must have a healthcare professional to lean on who can assess when to take the next step in the process, which often involves contact with the job center and employer.
Collaboration yields the best results
A case can stretch over several years and is only concluded when a viable solution has been found for the return to the labor market. Along the way, the extensive contact with the public sector often requires an experienced hand in steering through the system.
»For me, it's generally about meeting the injured party with respect and helping them navigate a situation that is new to him or her. You have to understand that the tools you usually use don't necessarily work here. You have to get to know yourself in a new context,« Luise Hougaard says.
While a client like Torben is undergoing treatment after an occupational injury, Luise Hougaard's most important task is therefore to be present, thus allowing the injured party to reach out and get assistance when needed. In addition, she follows up and conducts regular interviews.
»It means a lot to a lot of people that they know where to get help – even before they need it. You should not underestimate the importance of you as an injured party knowing that there is a lifeline you can contact,« she emphasizes.
With 30 years of experience, Luise Hougaard has seen her share of different cases, and all her insight points to the fact that a good collaboration across the board yields the best results. This applies, among others, between professional groups in the form of, for example, a nurse, an osteopath, a psychologist and a social worker, as well as the job center.
»Things move faster for the injured party if he or she – as in Torben's case – has a team around them that can help with the individual steps in their respective areas,« she says and continues:
»As a social worker, I am very keen to think holistically. Because life goes on, even if you’ve been injured. Anything can happen around the injured party that can accelerate in such a situation, without it being a direct consequence of the injury, although still connected to what has happened.«
Solutions to be long-lasting
After a few detours, Torben has now found a land-based job utilizing both his maritime skills and suitable for his physical ability in the aftermath of the accident. It has taken the time it needed to take, Luise Hougaard points out, because in her view, thoroughness is more important than speed.
»Provisions must be properly clarified so that the solutions last in the long run. There are no quick fixes in these types of cases, and that is also why the social efforts around the injured person must be as solid as possible in order for them to return to the labor market safely,« she says.
And in almost all cases, the injured party wants the same, she emphasizes. For that very reason, it is in everyone's interest that the process is carried out thoroughly, but at the same time without prolonging.
»Basically, it's about preserving as much of the injured party's ability to work as possible, and this requires a focus on ensuring that the case's lead time doesn’t get out of hand. And it benefits everyone, from the person in center stage and the employer to the insurance company and society as a whole,« Luise Hougaard says.
The key to this is an early, interdisciplinary effort with ongoing contact with the injured party with what she calls ‘professional social guidance'. This means that she helps her client to decide on the things that are important at the given time – and postpone what is not as urgent.
»The dialogue with the public sector can be difficult, so I help with that, while at the same time maintaining contact with UFDS and Sedgwick Denmark. And I only let go of a case when the injured party has landed well and safely in his or her new life. This is what employers get when they insure their employees in this way; we finish the job properly,« Luise Hougaard explains.
