Other roles in your rehabilitation

What is their role?

The insurer will be WorkCover Queensland or a self-insured employer. Their job is to guide the return to work process and communicate with everybody involved. Part of their role is also to approve and pay for the costs of rehabilitation.

What are they responsible for?

The insurer will:

• look at your claim and decide whether it will be accepted or not
• support you to return to work as part of your rehabilitation
• be responsible for making payments and working out if further benefits are to be paid, if your claim is approved
• help put together and maintain your rehabilitation and return to work plan, together with you, your employer, and your doctor
• talk to your employer, if needed, to make sure they meet their obligations to you
• keep in touch with everyone involved in order to monitor your recovery progress.

Insurers must offer access to an accredited rehabilitation and return to work program to workers at the end of their claim if they haven't returned to work because of their injury. An example of this could be the Employment Connect program.

This will apply to workers who've stopped receiving compensation for an injury under section 144A, 168 or 190(2) from 30 October 2019.

What is their role?

This can be an official Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator or simply another employee tasked with the role, if your employer is not large enough to require one. This person will look after all parts of your return to work journey in the workplace.

What are they responsible for?

The Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator will:

• be in touch with you early to talk about your injury or illness
• work with you to put together a suitable duties plan that works for your personal situation and needs
• make sure the work you do is within the limits set out by your doctor
• work with any other person who is a part of your rehabilitation and return to work
• regularly let WorkCover know how you are getting on.

What is their role?

Your supervisor at work (if you have one) will be a support to you when it comes to fulfilling your return to work plan.

What are they responsible for?

Your work supervisor will:

• help you back into the team environment at work
• keep an eye on your return to work plan to make sure it stays on track
• solve any problems that may come up, together with you, your Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator and/or WorkCover
• talk regularly with you about your progress and how you are feeling
• look for ways to keep you engaged and feeling like you are contributing positively to your workplace.

What is their role?

Health providers are your doctor, your specialist, or any other provider such as a physiotherapist or chiropractor. Their job is to provide the treatment you need to get better, either when your injury first happens or on an ongoing basis as you recover.

What are they responsible for?

Your health provider will:

• assess your injury or illness and work out what medical treatment and/or rehabilitation is best for you
• fill out a work capacity certificate for you to give to WorkCover and/or your employer
• continue to give advice to you, WorkCover, and your employer about what you’re able to do physically and mentally.

What is their role?

An Injury Management Coordinator is a rehabilitation provider who can help you with injury management in the workplace. Usually they’ll have been engaged by your employer or WorkCover.

What are they responsible for?

Your Injury Management Coordinator can:

• speak with WorkCover (or your employer if they’re self-insured) so they can help with your return to work plan
• carry out workplace assessments
• talk to your treating doctor or other health provider to make sure your treatment matches your recovery goals
• help your employer with an Injury Management Plan.