Recent research suggests that a successful return to work provides the best health and wellbeing outcomes for injured workers, so it’s important for you, your patient and their employer to focus on what your patient can do – their capacity – rather than what they can’t do. Here’s what you need to know about assessing and certifying your patient’s capacity for work.
How you can help and guide the return-to-work journey
If your patient has some capacity for work, it’s important to guide them and their employer on how to make the most of this capacity by highlighting the activities your patient can perform. You can do this by explaining:
- what your patient can do, as well as your patient’s limits
- what workplace adjustments may be required, including adjustments to working hours
- what additional workplace support is required to help your patient back to work
- that all parties need to work together and share information, which may involve arranging a case conference, engaging a workplace rehabilitation provider (WRP) or organising a worksite or job assessment.
Resources for certifying capacity for work
Read the following guides for more information about how to certify capacity for work for patients with different types of injuries:
- Certifying capacity for work – musculoskeletal injuries (PDF)
- Certifying capacity for work – psychological injuries (PDF)
- When bullying, harassment or discrimination occurs (PDF)
- A practical guide to certifying capacity for work (PDF)
Sample certificates of capacity
Below, you’ll find a range of sample certificates – examples to help you complete your own certificates of capacity.
Lucy Lu – Dislocation of right index finger:
- Sample – First Certificate of Capacity – Lucy Lu
- Sample – Progress Certificate of Capacity – Lucy Lu
- Sample – Final Certificate of Capacity – Lucy Lu
Susan Smith – Post-traumatic stress disorder:
- Sample – First Certificate of Capacity – Susan Smith
- Sample – Progress Certificate of Capacity 1 – Susan Smith
- Sample – Progress Certificate of Capacity 2 – Susan Smith
Roger Citizen – Lumbar disc herniation:
- Sample – First Certificate of Capacity – Roger Citizen
- Sample – Progress Certificate of Capacity – Roger Citizen
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