Safe Work Australia has published a report on its National Return to Work Strategy 2020-30, which aims to improve return-to-work outcomes for workers with a work-related injury or illness.
The Agency said the Key achievements and scorecard report (2020) covered the first year of the Strategy’s operation.
Safe Work Australia said from now on a report would be produced every two years to provide a summary of progress and inform the 2025 mid-term review of the Strategy.
It said that in the Strategy’s first year, the Agency developed and finalised an implementation plan and received members’ approval to include several national initiatives in its work plan.
The Agency said it completed Stage One of the National Employer Survey aimed at developing the survey’s purpose and policy intent.
“We commissioned and funded research to support workers’ psychological response to injury and their associated return to work,” it said.
“The research project began in November 2020 and is scheduled for completion shortly.
“We commissioned and funded research on the causes and impact of stigma on return-to-work outcomes and approaches to creating positive workplace cultures that support return to work.
“This work is also due for completion shortly.”
Safe Work Australia said it also began scoping of a research project to explore workers’ understanding of compensation systems and worker communication preferences.
“This research project began in March 2020 and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2021,” it said.
The Agency said the impacts of COVID-19 on work-related injury and illness and return to work were not yet known.
“Safe Work Australia is monitoring research and workers’ compensation claim data related to COVID-19 and will consider how this may impact delivery of the Strategy,” it said.
Safe Work Australia’s full 10-page Report can be accessed at this PS News link.
