Workplace Rehabilitation Interventions

Workplace Rehabilitation, involves the case-managed support of a rehabilitation consultant but equally and importantly, the provision of targeted interventions that support the workplace rehabilitation goal and address barriers or challenges to the return to work process. Pace National staff are highly experienced, allied health professionals capable of delivering a range of specialised rehabilitation interventions including:

Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Assessments – Pace National’s experienced Occupational Therapists can assess and advise on a person’s functional performance in the areas of personal self-care and general activities in and around the home. An ADL Assessment determines the level and type of assistance the person requires in order to live as independently as possible. The assessment also provides recommendations relating to equipment and home modifications. Activities of daily living, for example cleaning, can be used when developing return to work (RTW) or rehabilitation plans as a means to increasing the person’s physical capacity.

Vocational Counselling – Vocational (career) Counselling supports and provides information to workers wanting to progress or change their career. Vocational counselling helps workers to:

  • understand their values relating to work
  • identify their work interests
  • accept the need for or desire to change from their current circumstances
  • set and focus on career goals.
  • Vocational (Career) counselling is also beneficial for organisations undergoing a re-structure, where positions may no longer be required, where career progression is needed to ensure ongoing employment or where skill gaps exist.

Ergonomic / Human Factors Assessment – Pace National provides expert assessments of  a workers job, analysing the human factors associated with their roles and how the risk of injury and/or exacerbation could be minimised. Ergonomic Assessments are more than just office based. Ergonomic Assessments are about workplace and task design and how human factors can impact and influence the impact on the body.

Ergonomic Assessments are also conducted:

  • to support the return to work of an injured worker by ensuring that their work and work environment is designed to minimise any discomfort as they recover from their injury and prevent any aggravation of the injury
  • for workers who work from home, to ensure their home work environment is safe and ergonomically designed.
  • Assessments can range from a brief assessment of an individual or team, to a researched review incorporating recommendations and strategies for change.

Job Task Analysis – Job Task Analysis (JTA) or physical demands assessment, involves an examination and breakdown of the skills and demands specific to a particular task or duties within the workplace. The assessment is conducted by an experienced occupational therapist or physiotherapist. JTAs provide an essential tool in negotiating suitable duties for injured workers with treating doctors and other health care providers. They can also be used to help employers and recruiters to match job candidates based on the physical demands of a job.

Psychological Assessment and Counselling – Where a worker is experiencing personal or work-related problems, psychological issues may manifest in the workplace. The result for a business may be reduced productivity, increased absenteeism, employee conflict, low staff morale or an increase in sick leave or workers compensation costs. Support / psychological counselling can also benefit job seekers to overcome non-vocational barriers to employment and achieve their employment goals. Following an assessment, counselling may be recommended to help the worker resolve identified issues. Treatment is conducted by clinical and registered psychologists who utilise a range of treatment interventions including solution focussed brief intervention, motivational interviewing and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

We are able to provide psychological treatment in relation to a range of issues including:

  • Anxiety, depression
  • Trauma
  • Grief and Loss
  • Pain Management
  • Relationships/family
  • Self-esteem and assertiveness
  • Career Guidance
  • Substance Abuse
  • Stress Education and Management
  • Anger Management

Labour Market Analysis – A labour market analysis can provide essential information for people looking to change employment or injured workers who cannot return injury to their pre-injury work. A sound understanding of the local labour market is also effective for ensuring that a reasonable, achievable job goal is set.

Transferrable Skills Analysis – A transferable skills analysis is an assessment of the skills and knowledge a person acquires from the actual performance of a job and from learned situations, work and school environments. Transferrable skills are often elicited through skilled Vocational Counselling which Pace National consultants are highly effective in. Vocational counselling and the identification of transferrable skills are most beneficial when assessing people who have a wide range of skills, employment history and who generally do not require retraining to re-enter the open labour market. This service can also be used as a tool to define a person’s skills and experience for new placements or positional changes.

Vocational Assessment – A vocational assessment is used to analyse an individual’s current skills and experience, set vocational goals and outline potential job options. The assessment takes into account the individual’s functional and work capacity and identifies transferable skills. It also includes an assessment of labour market information. A comprehensive report outlines the person’s vocational options, retraining needs and a labour market analysis. A vocational assessment can assist:

  • Return to work – injured workers looking to return to the workforce
  • Recruitment and job placement – to determine best fit for placements
  • Careers – professional assessment and recommendations for people unsure of their next career move.

Workplace Assessment – A workplace assessment is a specialised on-site assessment of a worker’s duties and/or potential suitable duties. Pace National employs qualified Occupational Therapists or Physiotherapists skilled at analysing work place risk factors and recommended suitable and appropriate risk controls. A thorough workplace assessment will assist to resolve problems identified to be causing or aggravating workplace injuries and will also identify preventative actions, such as a more formal occupational health and safety risk assessment, ergonomic assessment or training. A workplace assessment is also a useful tool for upgrading medical certificates and/or identifying alternative duties that can be implemented as an interim measure. Pace National incorporate risk assessment and management into all workplace assessments to ensure that outcomes and recommendations are meaningful and useful for the workplace.