Workplace rehabilitation providers

Workplace rehabilitation is a specific service to assist you to stay in, or return to, suitable work.

Workplace rehabilitation providers (WRPs) are approved by WorkCover WA and have the qualifications, experience and expertise appropriate to provide support services based on the assessed need of the worker and the workplace.

WRPs are commonly health professionals such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists or psychologists who have expertise in addressing the physical, psychological and/or workplace barriers that may prevent an injured worker returning to work.

Payment for their services is covered in your entitlements. You should discuss the need for referral to an approved WRP with your treating doctor and your employer.

When to engage a workplace rehabilitation provider
It is reasonably necessary for an approved WRP to provide a workplace rehabilitation service if assistance is required in 1 or more of the following areas:

    • to identify and address risk factors that may impact on a worker’s successful return to work
    • to assess a worker’s functional capacity and provide recommendations to translate functional gains into meaningful work
    • to provide advice on the best pathway to recovery at work
    • to engage with a worker’s treating medical practitioner and provide information that will inform treatment plans, certificates of capacity and return to work programs by providing insight into the work environment
    • to make recommendations as to how a worker can be accommodated within the workplace while they recover
    • to assess a workplace to determine:
      • what duties are safe for a worker to undertake during their recovery
      • if duties can be modified
      • whether equipment is required to assist a worker to safely return to their duties
    • to provide supportive, educational and motivational rehabilitation counselling to assist a worker to maximise their function and manage their injury throughout the return-to-work process; to help a worker identify their vocational strengths, skills and abilities if they are unable to perform their pre-injury work and assist with identifying steps that can be taken to transition into a different type of work:
      • to initiate and participate in a return-to-work case conference
      • to assist in the development of a return-to-work program.
What to expect from the service
An approved WRP will deliver an appropriate Return-to-Work Program using the approved form.

When the referral is received, the rehabilitation provider completes an assessment to determine if further rehabilitation services or a specific service would be of benefit.

If the assessment indicates that rehabilitation services are recommended, the rehabilitation provider should discuss the findings of the assessment with you, your employer and your treating medical practitioner.

If agreed, the recommended services are then described in a service delivery plan, which must be signed by you and agreed by your employer and your treating medical practitioner before the services can be provided. A service delivery plan is not required when a single service is to be provided.

The rehabilitation provider should give a copy of the agreed plan to you, your employer and your treating medical practitioner. All parties should receive regular information about the costs incurred and the anticipated costs of your rehabilitation services.

Resolution of issues not related to the return-to-work program and your rehabilitation generally are not part of the rehabilitation provider’s role.

Getting a referral to a workplace rehabilitation provider

Injured workers, employers or treating medical practitioners can initiate a referral to a workplace rehabilitation provider.

A referral may be completed on the Workplace Rehabilitation Referral Form, or may be made on your First or Progress Certificate of Capacity.

You have the right to choose

As an injured worker, you have the right to choose your workplace rehabilitation provider, even when the referral is made by the treating medical practitioner or your employer.

See the list of WorkCover WA approved workplace rehabilitation providers.

Who covers the costs?
You are entitled to claim for reasonable workplace rehabilitation expenses, but there is a limit to your entitlement that is determined by the General Maximum Amount.

Workplace rehabilitation providers are approved by WorkCover WA and their costs are covered up to an approved percentage of the General Maximum Amount in every workers compensation claim. Costs may vary according to the services they provide, but the maximum amount they can charge is determined by WorkCover WA and reviewed annually.

Available rehabilitation services
Workplace rehabilitation providers can provide any of the following services in helping workers return to work:

  • support counselling
  • vocational counselling
  • purchase of aids and appliances
  • case management
  • training and education
  • workplace activities
  • placement activities
  • assessments (functional capacity, vocational, ergonomic, job demands, workplace, and aids and appliances)
  • travel
  • medical
  • general reports