Recovery at work insider - June 2024

Welcome to Recovery at work insider. This monthly email is designed for employers, workplace rehabilitation providers and other stakeholders who support recovery through work. You can view previous editions on the SIRA website.

Each issue deep dives into a different recovery at work topic. This month we are looking at the importance of early intervention with a coordinated and collaborative approach.

Why is a coordinated collaborative approach important?

A person's recovery and return to work (RTW) after an injury is influenced by multiple factors across four domains (personal, workplace, insurance and healthcare).

A proactive, coordinated and collaborative approach by everyone involved in supporting a person’s recovery helps to prevent unnecessary delays and optimise outcomes. This approach allows everyone to:

• align expectations and priorities for recovery through work
• ensure the right support at the right time
• develop common goals and a shared plan of action.

From the evidence

To achieve a positive return to work outcome, the process, support and intervention provided by all stakeholders should recognise and respond to an individual worker’s needs¹.

Improved outcomes are achieved when stakeholders share relevant information and engage in a coordinated and collaborative approach to return to work, where the worker’s social and economic wellbeing is the primary outcome².

What can you do?

• Talk with your worker. Consider what supports they might need to prevent delayed recovery.
• Use a person-centred approach when talking and planning with your worker. This involves considering your worker’s circumstances, needs, beliefs and preferences in the recovery and RTW process.
• Talk with the insurer about what support is available for your worker. Participate in the development of your worker’s injury management plan developed by the insurer. This will help you understand what other supports are being provided and how these are expected to contribute to your worker’s recovery e.g., healthcare.
• Consider what suitable work might be available to enable your worker to recover through work. Let the insurer know early if you require support to identify suitable work.
• Contact your worker’s doctor to let them know you are committed to their recovery. Provide details of your worker’s usual duties and suitable duties that are available.

Resources and tools

• SIRA Reversing the trend – improving return to work outcomes in NSW – a summary of factors influencing recovery and RTW
• Recovery at work Insider - Issue 15: A tailored person-centred approach improves outcomes
• SIRA's Recover at work planning tool

Next edition

Our July edition will look at the importance of active ongoing management.

References

1. Safe Work Australia, 2019. National return to work strategy 2020-2030.
2. Cullen K.L., Irvin E., Collie A., et al. Feb 2017. Effectiveness of workplace interventions in RTW for musculoskeletal, pain-related and mental health conditions: an update of the evidence and messages for practitioners. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation.

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