Helping senior leaders support recovery and return to work

As many members will know, It Pays to Care (IPTC) was launched in April 2022, and we have been advocating for better work injury schemes since then. In 2026, one of our key focuses has been senior leaders.

Occupational physicians know how much senior leaders shape what happens after a worker is injured. Yet the part they play is rarely defined. We are developing practical resources to help. These will give leaders a clear picture of what to see, ask and expect, examples of what their peers have done, and a short self-assessment.

Senior leaders often see only measures that arrive late, such as premiums and claim numbers. Earlier measures, such as how quickly a manager makes contact or how soon suitable duties are offered, show what can still be changed.

The starting point is hearing what is needed across the private sector, the public sector and scheme board directors. To do this, we are talking with a broad range of people: those who report to senior managers, the senior managers themselves, and board directors and chairs. The feedback so far has been positive. These conversations continue to the end of the year. We will then develop the material, share it in draft and seek feedback before it is finalised.

If you would like to receive the draft and give feedback, please contact Dr Mary Wyatt at marywyatt@rtwmatters.org.

About It Pays to Care

It Pays to Care is a policy on evidence-informed practice in work injury schemes, developed through the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and supported by ANZSOM. Find out more at https://www.itpaystocare.org/.