Comcare - Australian Goverment
Comcare - Australian GovermentComcare - Australian Goverment

In-house training

Learning & Development Solutions

Many agencies are finding the delivery of in-house training courses a cost-effective way of meeting their employee’s development needs, from corporate induction through to information sessions or presentations at your organisation’s conferences.

All Comcare courses can be tailored to meet your agency's specific needs and delivered to your staff on your premises. To find out more, call Learning and Development Solutions on 1300 366 979 or email Learning.Development@comcare.gov.au

The in-house training courses we deliver:


A Manager’s OHS Responsibilities

This one-day training course will provide information for managers and supervisors within the Commonwealth jurisdiction to enable them to understand their responsibilities under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991.

Particular emphasis is given to a manager’s role in exercising the employer’s duty of care.

Participants attending this program will gain:

  • an understanding of the OHS legislation
  • a good understanding of duty of care including risk management and control
  • knowledge of strategies for implementing OHS policies
  • an understanding of their role in workplace arrangements

A Manager’s role in positively impacting premiums

Managers, supervisors and team leaders can assist their organisation to reduce its workers’ compensation premium through an active focus on effective injury management practices in the workplace.

The application of good people management practices, including support for injured employees, has positive benefits for lowering injury costs and premiums.

By participating in this course participants will be able to:

  • understand the cost of workplace injuries and the impact this has on an organisation’s premiums
  • explain the background, purpose and intent of the OHS and SRC Acts
  • describe their roles and responsibilities under both pieces of legislation
  • apply the principles of early intervention
  • seek further assistance if required.

Back on track - One back to last a life time

Back injury can affect your whole life, impacting on work and family. This half-day workshop, delivered to your staff at your workplace, looks at back health and fitness; correct lifting procedures; workstation ergonomics; simple and safe stretches and exercises.

Better Management of Complex Return to Work Cases

This half-day intensive workshop will be of interest to injury management professionals.  It is involves in-depth discussion and workshopping of your complex cases, with a focus on positive resolution and a way forward.  Delivered in partnership by an LDS facilitator and a Comcare Prevention and Injury Management Services (PIMS) consultant, it is particularly worthwhile for working through those stalled, stuck and ongoing cases.

By participating in this workshop participants will be able to:

  • outline principles of best practice case management practices
  • explain key roles and responsibilities for outcomes of complex cases
  • apply skills to work towards practical solutions for complex cases

This session involves complex case workshopping of your organisation’s rehabilitation cases in a safe and confidential environment. We will ask that cases to be addressed be provided prior to the workshop for preparation purposes only.

Recently developed and run in-house for a Commonwealth agency, participants comments included:

  • “Using ongoing, practical and organisational specific cases that were pre-prepared was very useful”.
  • “Presentation/training very relevant and presented very well. Knowledge (of presenters) was excellent”.
  • “I learned some valuable information and really enjoyed the way (the presenters) responded to the case studies”.

Bullying & Harassment – an OHS issue

Bullying accounts for approximately 25% of workers compensation claims for psychological injury. Other detrimental effects include increased absenteeism, increased staff turnover, lost productivity and avoidable recruitment costs. This one-day program assists organisations to take practical steps to identify, prevent and manage bullying behaviour in the workplace.

Participants attending this program will gain:

  • a good understanding of how bullying and harassment behaviours occur in the workplace, the costs and impact on individual employee wellbeing and business outcomes
  • an ability to identify bullying behaviours
  • knowledge of the legislative responsibilities, including OHS
  • knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders in the prevention and management of bullying behaviour
  • an understanding of comprehensive policies on Workplace Bullying and harassment, and the importance of organisational practices to prevent and manage bullying behaviours.


This course can be delivered as either a half day or full day program.

Early intervention – Strategies for the prevention and management of psychological injury and OOS

This workshop will be of interest to managers, supervisors, case managers and OHS managers. It focuses on the prevention and management of two significant and costly illnesses affecting Commonwealth workplaces: psychological injury and occupational overuse syndrome. The session will

  • explore both how and why these illnesses are becoming a serious workplace issue
  • provide suggestions on people management systems that your organisation can implement to address these issues
  • discuss case studies to illustrate practical solutions.

Healthy workplace - Preventing psychological injuries through leadership

This is an introductory course for supervisors new to preventing and managing stress-related injuries in the workplace. Topics covered include the contributors to a healthy workplace

  • awareness of early warning signs, including the Flags model
  • the skills to address factors that could develop into psychological injury
  • strategies to intervene at an early stage to promote a healthy workplace.

The program is designed to support those new to the supervisory roles who have minimal exposure to dealing with stress-related problems. When delivered in-house, it can be tailored to agency-specific issues.

Influencing skills for case managers

An interesting course to include in your next Case Managers' Conference! Now tailored to meet your case managers' and organisation's specific needs and delivered in-house. Please call 1300 366 979 to arrange a in-house course for your agency.

Case managers require high level technical and sophisticated interpersonal skills to achieve timely and effective return to work outcomes. Each day case managers are required to influence a wide variety of people – the injured employee, doctors and ARPPs, as well as supervisor and managers in the workplace. Each of these groups has different requirements that impact on how they can be influenced. Through the evaluation of a range of strategies Georgina Birchall will show you how you can develop your skills and credibility increasing your self confidence and assertiveness to develop effective influencing skills.

Introduction to OHS in contracting

This half-day course will assist your employees to understand and address the OHS responsibilities associated with contracting. It is suitable for all staff with a role in the selection and management of contractors.

Participants attending this program will gain:

  • an increased understanding of the OHS Act
  • knowledge of OHS risk management principles
  • knowledge of the contract process, managing contract of service, for service and managing contract for goods
  • increased understanding on accessing OHS information and resources.

Introduction to OHS Risk Management

Through the use of real-world examples and case studies, this is a half-day workshop which aims to provide participants with an introduction to the principles of OHS risk management. It is of particular relevance to line managers and supervisors seeking an introduction and overview of OHS risk management principles and practices.

Participants attending this program will gain:

  • the legislative basis for OHS Risk Management
  • hazard identification
  • risk assessment
  • hazard control – applying the hierarchy of hazard controls
  • monitoring and review
  • managing emergencies.

Medical terminology

Our half-day Medical Terminology workshop is designed by Caron Egle to increase case managers’ and HR professionals’ understanding of the medical terminology used in reports, meetings and case conferences.

By attending this workshop participants will understand the construction of medical terms and related body systems and anatomical terms.

Mental health awareness

This interactive half-day session is designed by Caron Egle to increase case managers and HR professionals’ understanding of the mental health issues that present in reports, meetings and case conferences.

Through the engagement with a range of mental health issues and review of medical reports, participants will increase their knowledge to better manage the issues associated with psychological illness as they present in reports.

Prevention and management of body stressing injuries

This one-day program is designed for people managers, rehabilitation case managers and health and safety offices - everyone with responsibility for the health and safety of employees and who are wanting to reduce the incidence and impact of body stressing injuries in the workplace. It is a practical, interactive program for those needing practical tools and strategies for use in the workplace. 

Participants will walk away with a far greater understanding of the causes of body stressing injuries and what they can do to help prevent them and if they do occur how to assist in a speedy and safe return to work.

Participants attending this program will gain:

  • Gain a broad understanding of the background, purpose and intent OHS Act 1991 and the SRC Act 1988 and understand their role and responsibilities under the legislation.
  • Understand the OHS risk management process, what it is, how to use it and why.
  • Identify a range of strategies to prevent body stressing injuries in their workplace.
  • Develop the skills to perform a range of stretches and exercises than can assist to prevent and recover from body stressing injuries.
  • Develop the skills to adjust their workstation so it fits them ergonomically.
  • Be able to assist others to assess and adjust their workstation to improve their ergonomics, comfort and prevent body stressing injuries.
  • Know when, where, how and why to seek assistance if early warning signs or problems start to present.

Prevention and management of negative workplace behaviour

Dr Peter Cotton delivers this one-day program which focuses on the organisational prevention and management of staff withdrawal (eg absenteeism) and counterproductive (eg incivility, harassment, bullying etc) behaviours. The program includes recent Australian public sector research on the key drivers of a range of negative workplace behaviours, as well as positive behaviours such as discretionary performance. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of specific leadership behaviours and work team climate factors in influencing levels of positive and negative workplace behaviours.

This program can be tailored to emphasise particular issues/components and delivered to your staff/managers in-house in either a half or one-day format.

Preventing psychological injuries through leadership

This is an introductory course for supervisors new to preventing and managing stress-related injuries in the workplace. Topics covered include:

  • the cost of psychological injuries in the workplace and implications for workers' compensation costs and premiums
  • the role of leadership in prevention and management of psychological injury
  • awareness of, and response to, early warning signs of psychological injury
  • strategies for influencing managers to promote a healthy workplace
    development of a personal Action Plan.

When delivered in-house, this program can be tailored to agency-specific issues.

Using the second edition of the guide to the assessment of the degree of permanent impairment

The Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Act provides for lump sum payments where an injury results in permanent impairment. This half-day course will provide participants with:

  • an overview of the PI provisions and the non economic loss provisions in the SRC Act
  • principles of assessment
  • background to the changes of the PI Guide and
  • a summary of changes to the PI tables and the specific rules calculating whole person impairment (WPI) rating

Workplace injury prevention and management for supervisors

This program for managers and supervisors provides practical recommendations for preventing and managing workplace injuries. Topics covered include

  • manager’s roles and responsibilities under the SRC and OHS Acts
  • injury prevention, risk and hazard identification
  • an overview of the SRC Act
  • return to work strategies and requirements
  • practical recommendations for managing work-related injury are explored.