New medical certificate released to include health benefits of work

WorkCover Queensland’s regulatory authority, Q-COMP, has released a revised version of the workers compensation medical certificate for medical providers. The new certificate (Version 4) prompts practitioners to focus on what the worker can do within their capacity and to consider what tasks they can perform. This is to help the worker and employer achieve a positive stay at, or prompt return to, work outcome.

With Q-COMP, WorkCover Queensland supports the position paper developed by the Australian Faculty of Occupational & Environmental Medicine (AFOEM), Realising the Health Benefits of Work, which states work really is good for people. The longer someone is off work, the less likely they are to return, which is why WorkCover encourages all parties to work together to identify suitable duties and help the worker recover at work. ‘Doing’ promotes recovery. For more information on the revised medical certificate, go to the Q-COMP website.