General Practitioners (GPs) often serve as an injured worker's first point of contact with the healthcare system. They face challenges managing work injuries (including time and financial pressures), lack of training in workers' compensation and difficulties addressing both physical injuries and their psychological toll.  

To effectively engage with GPs organisations should provide clear information about job duties and accommodations, offer worksite visits and keep GPs updated on the worker’s progress.

Specialists and allied health professionals can greatly benefit the RTW process. Occupational physicians offer expert opinions on work capacity and restriction. Occupational physiotherapists and exercise physiologists conduct functional evaluations and design work conditioning programs. Psychologists with occupational health experience can address psychological barriers to RTW and provide strategies for managing work-related stress.

When building a network of quality providers organisations should look for those who:

•have experience and expertise in occupational health and RTW

•demonstrate a patient-centred, collaborative approach

•are willing to communicate openly with employers and insurers

•focus on function and returning to normal activities

•base treatment plans on current clinical guidelines.