Contributor

Anna Kelsey-Sugg

Articles by ‘Anna Kelsey-Sugg’
Common causes of workplace pain

Understanding musculoskeletal pain will increase productivity and health.

Employers' ten RTW commandments

Simple, straightforward guidelines for ensuring injured employees have access to all their legal entitlements.

What's with 'That Department'?

Want something done at work? It helps to know what and who you're working with. Start by asking yourself these questions...

How to win change and influence people

A change is as good as a holiday, right? Time to implement change where it's needed.

Three attitudes that WON'T help return to work

Not yet a RTW pro? A tip: avoid these three attitudes when dealing with an injured worker.

Eight RTW mantras to get you through

Hand-selected return to work mantras to help your RTW experience run more smoothly.

Signs of employee disengagement

Advice on how to bite the signs of disengagement - before they bite you

Come on get happy!

Want a better workplace? Get happier. Here are some pointers on how.

What is a RTW coordinator?

Jack of all trades? Conjurer of motivation and modified duties? Piggy in the middle? We lay it all out on the table...

Who at your work would make the best RTW coordinator?

How do employers know who is the right staff member to delegate the role of RTW coordinator?

Overloaded employees underperform

Why it's worth noticing when employees feel overloaded - and what you can do about it.

How to recognise if you're "in the zone" at work

Missing the zing in your step? Here's some help to refresh at work and steps to getting in the work groove.

Who gets involved in modifying duties - and how?

Who has control over organising modified duties in your workplace - and what are the pros and cons of having them in charge?

What skills do I need as a RTW Coordinator?

And how do I get those skills? Are they the same for Coordinators in companies of all sizes?

I'm a RTW Coordinator and my work won't listen to me!

What approaches can you take in the all-too-common situation of needing to convince others that good RTW is worth the effort?

Seeking: a doctor who talks and listens

How to recognise doctors who are good communicators - and why it's in your interest to seek them out.

Won't stand for another work risk?

Fair enough - but you might not want to take this RTW news sitting down.

What are the ingredients for success in RTW?

Getting the right mix is never easy but hearing how other people have succeeded in return to work helps. A WorkSafe officer offers her advice.

Six Workers' comp pearls of wisdom: a tough gig creates good advice

Workers' comp is a tough gig - tougher still when you're looking after a company covering almost all of Queensland. What helps? Read on to find out.

Small business, big problems?

Smaller businesses don't necessarily have fewer problems with return to work - simply different ones.

Good RTW ain't easy - but boy is it worth it

Work can't stop when results improve. In this interview with an Injury Management specialist, we learn that creating the right RTW culture needs to be a continuous process - or else everyone pays....

Top ten easy steps for improving workplace culture

Good workplace culture fosters loyal employees who want to remain at their workplace.

Let's get ethical, ethical

A code of ethics would have helped former return to work coordinator 'Layla' to educate injured workers and combat an investigate-happy manager.

KPI vs care - which is winning?

A process-driven acrimonious workers' compensation system is a dark place - let's shed some light to turn things around.

Let's introduce mental health first aiders in the workplace.

Want some questions about depression at work answered? Check out our interview with Dr Fehmidah Munir, one of the UK researchers responsible for the Loughborough University's study into the role...

Helping those who help

Vicarious trauma, supporting staff dealing with traumatic situations.

Top ten tips to keep you on track when managing a stress claim.

To help an employee return to work after a stress claim, our ten tips start with proactivity and care. Read on!

Returning to work in the Netherlands: a different approach

Dutch occupational physician Frederieke Schaafsma describes a new Netherlands system of return to work that has seen the number of employees on long-term sick leave dramatically reduced.

Early intervention and good communication: everyone's responsibilities. The top points from the Dr William Shaw interview.

Take a look at the ten main points to emerge from RTW Matters' interview with Dr William Shaw from the US's Centre for Disability Research, Liberty Mutual.

The Return to Work Coordinators' Code of Ethics

After return to work coordinators expressed to us a lack of formal guidance in their role as coordinators, and - more specifically - the lack of a Code of Ethics - we set about developing one.

What is the value of research?

A look at why money spent on researching health is money spent well.

Top ten tips for preventing stress in your workplace

What's the best way to deal with stress in the workplace? Prevent it from ever occurring! Our ten tips show you how.

A sneak peak at some ground-breaking research

Dr William Shaw takes us behind the (research) scenes at Liberty Mutual in the US.

Coping after a traumatic event

Techniques to cope with the emotional and physical symptoms of experiencing a traumatic event.

What is evidence based medicine and why do we need it?

What does "evidence based medicine" refer to exactly, and why should we care to know?

Test: retaining your best employees

Take this test to see if you or your employees are feeling how they ought to in the workplace. The test highlights the key factors in both retaining star staff-members and promoting early RTW.

Case Study: When return to work fails

This case study looks at a young man with a long career ahead of him and the reasons he will probably never return to his job.

The negative potential of performance bonuses

In the second part of RTW Matters' interview with Occupational Therapist Kate Roylance, she discusses the counter-productive nature of many performance rewards.

Finding the middle ground

Occupational therapist Kate Roylance was very surprised that many of you responded that "Workplaces are too generous" in the our RTW Matters poll; we interviewed her to find out why.

Habitat at Work (New Zealand)

Web based self assessment & exercise tool

Occupational health - what's age got to do with it?

For men and women entrance to mid-life will affect them - at home and at work - in different ways. Occupational medicine can help.

No need for negative nellies

Words may not break bones like sticks and stones, but they can still do a lot of damage.

Is work good for you? Professor Kim Burton explains the UK's changing answer

In this interview with UK expert we learn that modern vocational rehabilitation is not about delivering an expensive service.

How one company turned 13 workers' compensation claims into two

Seventy work-sites to manage, different styles of management, a tough work culture, misconceptions about what's involved. Annette Photios had her work cut out when she stepped into her role.

RTW: no yellow brick road

The path to return to work shouldn't have to be long and difficult

Too much talking? No such thing!

Communication between GPs and occupational health professionals.

The Stress Series - Part 4

Managing a stress claim

What is vocational rehabilitation?

Let's go back a few steps now, and take a look at how we can define the concept.

The Stress Series Part 3 - Prevention programs in the workplace

Employers can take action to beat the problem of stress before it even arises. This article looks at the benefits of stress prevention programs.

The Stress Series - Part 2

Stress claims commonly build up over time, until the person reaches a point where they can't continue to ignore the issues.

Rehabilitating after mental illness

With dignity and respect, self-responsibility and supportive relationships, return to work after mental illness is achievable.

Understanding successful return to work for cancer survivors

It's more important than ever to understand the factors that help and hinder cancer patients return to work.

A flag is a flag is a flag

Everyday words can take on different meanings when used by medical practitioners, but to what effect?

The Stress Series - Part 1

Welcome to the first article in our five-part stress series. The series will look at exactly what stress is, how it affects individuals and communities, workplace prevention programs and how...

On-site injury management

A chapter summary from the book 'Moving in on occupational injury' exploring the benefits of on-site medical presence.

Motivation - Part Seven (b)

The final article in the motivation series looks at the strategies and techniques of motivational interviewing.

Motivation - Part Seven (a)

The penultimate article in the 'Motivation Series' looks at Motivational Interviewing and the positive effects it produces in the Return To Work process.

Jos Verbeek on The Cochrane Occupational Health Field

The Cochrane Occupational Health Field gathers evidence on the effectiveness of occupational health interventions and publishes reviews. RTW Matters spoke with Coordinator Jos Verbeek.

Motivation - Part Six

Are you motivated to succeed or to avoid failure?

Rest and activity avoidance is often not the best medicine.

A young, fit worker develops back pain, is advised to rest and cut back activities. Three months later his back pain has not improved. Is rest really the best medicine?

Staying off work - when is it unnecessary and why does it matter?

Ensuring those who don't need to be away from work get back as soon as possible is best for all.

Compensation's negative side effects

We don't talk enough about the poor outcomes associated with workers' compensation.

Motivation - Part Five

A look at self-efficacy and how it can be maximised in patients.

Catastrophic injuries

What are 'catastrophic injuries'? Why it is important to manage them well in the workplace, and how this can be done.

Motivation - Part Four

Improving motivation is up to the employee and employer.

Returning to work after depression

RTW Matters speak with Clare Shann from beyondblue, the national depression initiative, about returning to work after depression.

Working with quadriplegia ONE: what motivates return to employment

What helped Mario return to work after a car accident left him with quadriplegia?

Working with quadriplegia TWO: physical challenges need flexible management

Mario was set to become a surgeon before an accident left him with quadriplegia. Management flexibility was key to a sustainable return to work.

Motivation: Part Three

Trying to define motivation can be tricky, but let's give it a go.

Chapter review from 'Handbook of Cancer Survivorship'

Return to work advice specifically for cancer survivors.

Deanne's story part three: unintended outcome

How an employer and employee can do the right thing and yet have a bad experience too

Changing health behaviours- It's all in our heads - Janette Gale

Even if they want to it doesn't mean they can, even if they can it doesn't mean they will.

Motivation: Part Two

The six-part series continues. This time we look at the effect of a positive attitude towards rehab.

Dr Hari Dhir on doctor-patient communication (part 2)

The second half of Dr Dhir's doctor-patient communication insights.

Right to rehab: a right for all

Terminally ill patients are LIVING with their illness, and so deserve the same rehab attention as any other patient.

Motivation: Part one

The first instalment in a six-part series of articles on Motivation in rehabilitation.

Deanne's story part two: the secretary forced out of work by a common health condition.

In Part Two of this series, RTW Matters interviews Deanne to discover why she feels angry and let down.

RTW Matters follows the journey of a young secretary forced out of her job by a common health condition.

In this and subsequent articles on Deanne's case, we learn about her WorkCover journey and hear why both she and her employer is so distressed by the process.

Does rehabilitation need energising?

Survival to revival - energising rehabilitation.

Anna Kelsey-Sugg

Poetry, soccer and split infinitives.

The communication situation

In an interview with communication consultant Sharon McGann we learn why communication is so important and how to do it better.

The sleepy shift-worker

The keys to managing sleepiness in the workplace.

Rehabilitation of cancer patients - addressing a lack

Why is it then that cancer survivors have less access to help with rehabilitation post-treatment?

Understanding sleepiness

Some common misconceptions about sleepiness.

From fighting cancer to fostering Cancer Voices

Cancer survivor John Stubbs talks about his journey back to good health and back to work, in a hugely important role.

Cancer-related disability: getting on with life and work

Cancer patients need thorough reviews post treatment so they can return to suitable working environments.

Getting back to work: an interview with John Stubbs.

Interview with Cancer Voices Australia executive director and cancer survivor John Stubbs.

How to help return to work after a mild traumatic brain injury

The importance of recognition and education in RTW after a mild traumatic brain injury and groups for whom the process is more difficult.

Sleepy when you shouldn't be - three takes on sleepiness in the workplace

This article explores some of the risks involved with sleepiness in the workplace.

Before and after a brain injury

What is a brain injury and how should it be managed?

When return to work works best

RTW Matters interviewed 57-year-old 'Sally', who went straight back to work after sustaining a shoulder injury. We learn what helped - and what didn't.

Throwing a fakie

A fake sickie could land you in more trouble than it's worth

Positive (pirate) working culture

Workers' compensation and return to work plans have a longer history than you might think.

Shoulder and elbow pain: which treatments work?

The evidence for and against some of the most common treatments for shoulder and elbow pain.

Towards a better workplace

Opening up lines of communication is essential in the return to work process.

When compensation impedes recovery

Studies show that workers are less likely to recover from illness or injury if they enter the compensation system.

In body but not mind - presenteeism in the workplace

Sometimes employees need return to work assistance even while they're still physically in the workplace.

A system that works

Denmark has in place a social system that keeps unemployment low, wages high, and job prospects flexible and secure.

Getting happier, working better

Studies have now proven that positive psychology has a big impact. In the workplace it can keep employees happier and more motivated to return to work after an illness or injury.