How policy makers shape (and sometimes shake) RTW
Influencing everything from the nitty gritty of workplace practices to the big-ticket items of legislation and scheme delivery, workers' compensation authorities and policy makers have a huge impact on RTW and recovery outcomes for injured workers. The resources on this page describe these impacts - and share ideas for improvement.
In this interview with UK expert we learn that modern vocational rehabilitation is not about...
Occupational therapist Kate Roylance was very surprised that many of you responded that...
In the second part of RTW Matters' interview with Occupational Therapist Kate Roylance, she...
What does "evidence based medicine" refer to exactly, and why should we care to know?
A look at why money spent on researching health is money spent well.
After return to work coordinators expressed to us a lack of formal guidance in their role as...
Dutch occupational physician Frederieke Schaafsma describes a new Netherlands system of return...
A process-driven acrimonious workers' compensation system is a dark place - let's shed some...
A code of ethics would have helped former return to work coordinator 'Layla' to educate injured...
Need some ammunition to make the case for investment in health and wellbeing? Look no further...
Rosemary McKenzie-Ferguson and Gabrielle Lis
Workers struggle to listen and be heard. How does this affect them?
We profile a success story in identifying and dismantling non-medical barriers to RTW at Concord...
You don't have to hang anybody out to dry to get your systems pegged. Instead, make plans and...
Despite growing perceptions that workplace activities cause and complicate injuries, the...
Sometimes compensation systems, not injury, deliver the knock out blow. Don't let that happen to...
Motivated employees have better return to work outcomes.
How do managers and supervisors impact the mental and emotional wellbeing of their team? Is it...
This article outlines how to set up a program to deal with workplace disability, and the...
Improvements to injury reporting systems are one of the most cost effective ways to improve...
The Return to Work Monitor paints a worrying picture: despite increased funding, resources and...
Let's put some evidence behind sick certificates
Is it useful to know the pathology of a wrinkle?
Understanding how 'the system' can trip up the people it is supposed to help is the first thread...
Do Australian training courses provide RTW Coordinators with the skills they need?
The SPICE treatment method is simple and proven since WWI.
How much do we know about how different workers' comp systems influence health outcomes? And...
The use of opiates in chronic pain cases should be carefully monitored. Patients need a high...
Dr Peter Cotton explains how understanding workplace morale and quality of management allows...
When one part of the system underperforms, the others follow suit.
This webinar explores how RTW Coordinators and Claims Managers can communicate effectively with...
Dr Mary Wyatt and Stefanie Garber
Workers' compensation is plagued by low trust levels - increasing goodwill in the system could...
Injured workers are being further harmed by Australian compensation systems, according to an...
Dr Mary Wyatt and Stefanie Garber
People respond to positive acts with positive deeds of their own. Increased positive experiences...
Telephonic methods can be used to assess the clinical and work participation needs of people...
The features of telephonic case management that can improve RTW
How one woman changed Australian culture and why RTW can profit from her example.
Workers' comp cases present GPs and other health professionals with opportunities for meaningful...
Physiotherapists and claims manager's beliefs about treatment for injured workers.
Are the latest sales and marketing techniques an untapped resource in return to work?
Physiotherapist Harry Papagoras discusses how medical certificates can be used to identify...
Senior management provides leadership for the team and sets the tone for the rest of the...
Dr James Crompton discusses the challenges and rewards of working as a company doctor.
This case study explores the importance of providing options for the injured worker's return to...
Michael was a 48-year-old machine operator. He had been at the workplace for nine months. During...
When a worker is injured, there might be fears for their job stability, financial burdens, or...
Dr Mary Wyatt explores the role of the IME in assessing work capacity for injured or ill employees.
The most successful workers' compensation system in the world is one you haven't heard of.
Prehabilitation is an approach to aid people recover from surgery and increase the likelihood of...
This panel discussion explores physiotherapy strategic approaches to improve return to work and...
Dr Wyatt discusses the lessons for employers from Return to Work Survey findings
Lodging a psycological injury claim in Australia is a scary business, and the scarier it is...
When injured workers are seen as numbers and claims terminations are rewarded at the expense of...
Why have “fit notes” failed to transform sickness certification in the UK - and what can the UK...
Want to secure a mentally healthy workplace but not exactly sure what one looks like? Mental...
Fifteen things that the best performing organisations do to promote good mental health at work
Paul Coburn and the RTWMatters team
The answer is a resounding yes from experienced physiotherapist Paul Coburn, who shares his...
This webinar discusses the values and outcomes of 24/7 injury reporting lines
RTW Coordinators and health care providers: Longitudinal studies into their impact on RTW
We eavesdrop on a conversation (ok, polite but passionate debate) between RTW professionals with...
In some jurisdictions, claim lodgement processes have become more user friendly and proactive...
A cooperative, supportive approach and clear expectations about treatment has helped allied...
Delays and disputes are stressful and can have a negative impact on recovery and return to work....
The value of effective injury reporting systems
Meeting your duties under the work health and safety laws.
Combining ergonomics WITH participation opens up a treasure load of possible solutions.
A simple but effective South Australian initiative helps physios communicate with GPs about...
Keep workers and reduce sick leave with a dose of sick leave sugar (and a dash of lemon!)
Workers' compensation systems can leave clients feeling betrayed. This sense of unfairness may...
'Learned helplessness' is the idea that some people who experience repeated setbacks will...
Australians are turning to spinal fusions to control lower back pain despite a lack of evidence....
New research shows Australian employers delay and even avoid contact with workers who make...
What is optimism? How is it good for health? When is it wise, in professional life, to get your...
An individualised, flexible re-training program aimed at giving people confidence may be key to...
A good decision making process is worth its weight in platinum, making this a key read for...
Another must read for claims / case managers: how you cannot afford to get it wrong, and how you...
The bad news: according to workers, positive interactions with insurers are few and far between....
We don't talk enough about the poor outcomes associated with workers' compensation.
What works and what does not work in the decision making process. A must read for claims / case...
When interactions with insurers are negative, workers’ compensation claimants describe serious...
In workers’ compensation systems across the world, injured workers describe predominantly...
Trust, efficiency, senior management involvement and the all-important connection between the...
An academic from the University of NSW shares insights from research that explores the best ways...
WorkCover Queensland! But unlike the Olympics, we'll happily hand out more golds to others with...
Building social capital costs little but the potential benefits are priceless.
Studies show that workers are less likely to recover from illness or injury if they enter the...
A Powerpoint presentation on the whys and wherefores of supervisor training in RTW management.
A sense of unfairness may lead to worse health outcomes for injured workers.
RTW Coordinators, meet the Clinical Framework, a set of principles that ensure allied health...
Medical assessments of work capacity are not always defined by what a worker is capable of....
This webinar expands on the previous presentation on independent medical assessment basics.
Competencies supervisors need to affect positive RTW outcomes for workers suffering...
Self-management is a vital part of recovery from illness, but how can treaters be trained to...
Dr Wyatt dug into the data on the outcomes and experiences of Australian workers who lodge...