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Rehabilitation case managers

For: Claimants Employers and managers Service providers Advocates Information seekers

The employer plays a critical role in helping to reduce the impact of injury and illness in the workplace.

Rehabilitation case managers, also known as RCMs, coordinate and manage the rehabilitation and return to work of employees with an injury or illness, on behalf of the employer.


The role explained

Rehabilitation case managers:

  • help to plan, organise, coordinate, monitor and evaluate services and resources for employees with an injury or illness.
  • actively manage the rehabilitation process to achieve return to work outcomes.

The rehabilitation authority, who in most cases is the current employer, is responsible for assigning a rehabilitation case manager to an injured employee. In many workplaces, this happens at the time an employee makes a claim for workers' compensation.

Any employee may be delegated to the role of rehabilitation case manager, under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRC Act).

In some circumstances, the employer may engage an external case manager to work with the employee throughout their rehabilitation.

Responsibilities of rehabilitation case managers

Responsibilities of a rehabilitation case manager can include to:

Guidance for rehabilitation case managers

Core capabilities

Handbook

Return to work guides and resources

Return to work videos and factsheets

As a rehabilitation case manager, you have an important role to support employees with an injury or illness to safely recover and return to work.

These videos provide information on the return to work process for employees and for employers.

The employee videos explain the importance of a safe, timely and lasting return to work, the role of the employer and other support people in their recovery and include tips to help employees recover and return to work.

The employer video explains the benefits of supporting employees to safely return to work, the importance of responding early to injuries and illness, employer responsibilities and how to effectively lead your organisation's return to work approach.

We encourage you to refer employees, supervisors, senior managers and other stakeholders to these videos.

Watch the full video - Recovery and return to work for employees

This video includes captions, which you can turn on and off.

You can also watch scene by scene.

Watch Good work is good for you
This video includes captions, which you can turn on and off.
Watch The return to work process
This video includes captions, which you can turn on and off.
Watch Tips for recovery and return to work
This video includes captions, which you can turn on and off.
Watch Your return to work team
This video includes captions, which you can turn on and off.

Watch the full video - Recovery and return to work for employers

This video includes captions, which you can turn on and off.

You can also watch scene by scene.

Watch Employer rehabilitation responsibilities
This video includes captions, which you can turn on and off.
Watch Good work is good for us all
This video includes captions, which you can turn on and off.
Watch Supporting employees to return to work
This video includes captions, which you can turn on and off.

For more information about recovery and return to work read:

Forms

Claims and rehabilitation forms includes forms used by workplace rehabilitation providers and claimants.

Scheme guidance

We provide scheme guidance to help you understand and apply the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRC Act).

Discover our guidance on applying the SRC Act

Guidance for the rehabilitation authority

Comcare has developed guidance material for rehabilitation authorities on the core capabilities for rehabilitation case managers (PDF, 602.9 KB).

Guidance includes information on the operational, strategic and management capabilities of rehabilitation case managers. It is designed to:

  • make sure rehabilitation case managers have the skills to perform their role
  • support human resources managers to select and develop the skills of rehabilitation case managers
  • increase the likelihood of good outcomes for injured and ill employees
  • guide the rehabilitation case management training we provide
  • provide a useful framework for employers on the skills and experience rehabilitation case managers need.
Page last reviewed: 18 September 2024

Comcare
GPO Box 9905, Canberra, ACT 2601
1300 366 979 | www.comcare.gov.au

Date printed 11 Nov 2024

https://www.comcare.gov.au/roles/rcms