Abstract
Despite the general agreement that work is good for mental and physical wellbeing, and that return to work as soon as possible after a work injury is important for a worker’s long-term health and financial security, the means of achieving this outcome is not simply a matter of finding better treatments or better skilled healthcare providers.
Key Points
- It is generally agreed that work is good for health and wellbeing, and that long-term work absence, work disability and unemployment generally have a negative impact on an individual’s health and wellbeing.
- There is growing evidence that for a worker to sustain their return to work after injury, despite any persisting pain, a system-wide approach is required rather than just a clinical one.
- Helping an injured worker achieve a sustained return to work should encompass a biopsychosocial perspective to achieve the best outcomes possible.
- Interventions need to address the health issues (treatment), workplace modifications and service co-ordination between, for example, the injured worker, treatment providers, the insurer and the workplace.