• Introduction
• Overview of this guide
• Glossary
• Element 1 - Commitment and Corporate Governance
• Element 2 - Planning
• Element 3 - Implementation
• Adequate resources to support rehabilitation programs including facilitation of an early return to work and/or maintenance of an employee at work
• Training programs to support the rehabilitation management system
• Defining and communicating responsibilities to stakeholders
• Employees are aware of their rights and responsibilities in relation to rehabilitation
• Early intervention rehabilitation systems in place
• Assessment of injured workers' capability to undertake a rehabilitation program
• Examples of success
• How can we improve?
• Rehabilitation programs in accordance with section 37 of the SRC Act
• Complying with the provisions of the section 41 guidelines
• Providing employees with, or helping employees to find suitable employment
• Maintaining the confidentiality of information and applying legislative requirements
• Maintaining relevant reporting, records and/or documentation to support rehabilitation management programs and legislative compliance
• Complying with the provisions of the SRC Act when managing reviews/ reconsiderations
• Element 4 - Measurement and Evaluation
• Element 5 - Review and Continuous Improvement
• Action Summary Sheet
• Reference list & resources
• Disclaimer

Why is this important?

To enable effective rehabilitation, employers should ensure that there is a system in place for the early identification and notification of an injury. This system should help employers determine whether a rehabilitation assessment is required. This should be well documented and communicated within the organisation and monitored for its effectiveness.

It is a requirement under s. 36 of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 that organisations undertake or arrange an assessment of an injured worker's capability to undertake a rehabilitation program. Its purpose is to provide information on the employee's capability of undertaking a rehabilitation program and, if the employee is capable, the appropriate services to be provided. An assessment should include an interview with examination of the injured employee and take into account their medical diagnosis and prognosis, their pre-injury duties, their current capacities and the availability of suitable duties. It should also consider workplace issues and any identified or potential barriers to the return to work process.

There are many benefits of a rehabilitation assessment:

• access to objective specialist advice in injury pathology and injury management
• understanding of the impact of the injury on the employee’s work capacity
• information about the barriers to return to work and strategies to address these barriers
• advice on how to implement a tailored return to work plan
• understanding of expected timelines
• expediting the safe return to work of an injured employee.