Achieving positive return to work outcomes

Dr Deborah Sambo
General Practitioner:

As doctors, we are trusted advocates for our patients. Our patients are our priority.

When a worker is injured it's the same priority – we have their best interests at heart to help achieve their healthy and safe recovery.

To help speed that recovery, we want to ensure they have the right capacity to perform suitable duties at work.

We have the important role of assessing the physical, psychological and social impact of an injury so that everyone understands what a patient can do, rather than what they can't do.

But because no two injuries are the same, we need to make sure our medical advice is tailored to each patient.

The Work capacity certificate is one way to steer communication between injured workers, employers and insurers, as they are all part of the recovery process.

So next time you fill out one of these certificates, don't forget to ask your patient what they can already do at home. Those small insights are important when making your medical judgement.

Sure… we can't be experts on every occupation or every workplace, but when we provide good medical opinion, we help insurers and workplaces to find suitable duties so injured workers can recover safely and quickly at work.

There's nothing like getting back, for getting better.

Visit worksafe.qld.gov.au

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