A pivotal project to help develop a research agenda was the literature review commissioned into the facilitators and barriers to return to work. That report and other environmental scanning activities helped form the strategic research agenda whose main aim is to contribute to:

• the growing evidence base on work-related injuries and illness
• helping decision making and developing return to work initiatives.

Facilitators and barriers to return to work: A literature review [449KB]
Environmental Scan [493.97 KB]

Research topics must address the real need of improving South Australia’s return to work rates. To help you determine if your topic is relevant to us, you are encouraged to review publically available data about the scheme in the Statistical Review, Annual Report and other publications on the website. The statistical review provides an overview of the extent, cost and type of workers compensation claims to stakeholders in order to create a greater awareness of workplace injury issues and provide an insight into the types and patterns of claims experienced by the South Australian Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation
Scheme. The statistical review complements WorkCover's 2008-09 annual report and provides additional information. The data is provided in two distinct employer classifications: 'registered' and 'self-insured'.

WorkCoverSA Statistical Review Part 1: 2008-2009 [647 KB]
WorkCoverSA Statistical Review Part 2: 2008-2009 [175 KB]
WorkCoverSA Annual Report 2008-09 - in full [2.96 MB]

SafeWork Australia also has relevant reports and a database (NOSI) that can be queried online at http://safeworkaustralia.gov.au/

WorkCover has commissioned specific and targeted projects. In general the funding of research feeds into the normal budget process requiring Board approval.

WorkCover will evaluate and respond to adhoc applications.

Leverage from other funding bodies

If a direct benefit to the WorkCover scheme can be demonstrated, projects that access other funding arrangements such as Australian Research Council Linkage program, NHMRC and other funding bodies are encouraged.

WorkCover Return To Work Fund

Research is not funded under the RTW Fund but research findings can generate Fund projects. Conversely Fund projects might highlight the need for research into specific topics.

WorkCover Return to Work Fund

Relationship with OHS&W research

Research applications that focus primarily on safety and prevention should be directed to the SafeWorkSA grants scheme.

http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/

In 2007, WorkCover commissioned research into the role of workplace in return to work following a workplace injury or illness.

A pilot was trialled in the aged care sector. The evidence base for informing policy and approaches are presented in the following material: (i) a discussion paper - an overview of the research literature related to return to work following a workplace injury plus some guidelines for organisations looking to improve their processes; (ii) case studies - presents the policies and practices of two aged care organisations in the management of a workplace injury and highlight the key success factors in achieving an effective return-to-work; (iii) an executive summary - this report summarises the methodology and project findings.

Executive summary - Aged care [380KB]
Return to Work Fund discussion paper (March 2010) [1MB]
Case studies - Aged care [200KB]
Role of the workplace in return to work - report of the manufacturing industry survey [1.5MB]

Social Health Atlas

A Social Health Atlas for Compensable Injury in South Australia, the first health atlas to include compulsory third party and workers compensation data, has been produced by the Public Health Information Development Unit at the University of Adelaide.

The Atlas brings together population level data on compensation claims made under the State’s compulsory third party and workers compensation schemes, and information on social, economic and demographic characteristics, health status and health service utilisation.

Visit the Social Health Atlas website.

Ageing Workforce

The ageing workforce is a critical issue in many Western countries for policy makers and those developing strategies to combat future labour shortages is how to retain older workers in the workforce and ensure they are productive and injury-free.

The Australian Institute for Social Research has undertaken research for WorkCover into the impact of an ageing workforce on workers' compensation and the wider the implications of ageing for the workplace. A long report is presented as a series of standalone chapters covering:

• The key findings
• Debunking of myths about older workers
• Profile of the South Australian workforce
• The capacity of older workers to be productive
• Examples of best practice helpful for organisations.

Ageing Workforce report

Key findings
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Ageing and SA workforce
Chapter 3: Ageing and capacity to work
Chapter 4: Good practice

WorkCover is an industry partner in the multi-partner project “Australia’s baby boomer generation, obesity and work – patterns, causes and implications. Other partners are the three universities in South Australia, SA Health, Council of the Ageing and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

We will post relevant material arising from this project as it becomes available.

Other useful websites that present research relevant to workers’ compensation:

• www.rtwknowledge.org – Research on the subject of returning to work after an illness or injury has been identified and translated into simple English.
• www.research.sa.gov.au – Science and Innovation Research Capability Directory for SA
• Australian Institute for Work and Health – www.aihw.gov.au
• Institute for Work and Health in Toronto - www.iwh.on.ca
• Liberty Mutual Centre for Disability Research - www.libertymutualgroup.com
• Swinburne University Business Work and Ageing Centre for Research
  www.swinburne.edu.au/business/business-work-ageing/index.htm

WorkCoverSA is committed to sharing information and knowledge that improves recovery and returns injured workers to work and/or the community.

Stakeholder survey

In April-May 2011, WorkCover conducted employer and injured worker satisfaction surveys to measure progress against the benchmark survey conducted in 2006.

WorkCover engaged the services of McGregor Tan Research, an independent market research company, to conduct the survey, to maintain the survey’s credibility and robustness. McGregor Tan Research conducted telephone interviews with 400 injured workers and 400 employers.

Employers

In the research, employer respondents were asked how satisfied they were, on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is extremely satisfied and 1 is not at all satisfied, with the service provided by WorkCover's single claims agent, Employers Mutual.

An overall average satisfaction with Employers Mutual service rating was 6.5 (out of 10), down from 6.8 recorded in May 2010.

The average satisfaction rating with WorkCover's service was recorded at 6.7, down from 7.0 recorded in May 2010.

Employers research report: June 2011 [293KB]
Employers research report: May 2010 [313KB]
Employers research report: May 2009 [275KB]

Injured workers

Injured worker respondents were asked how satisfied they were with how they were treated by Employers Mutual and their case manager’s effectiveness in resolving their case.

An overall average satisfaction with Employers Mutual service rating was 7.3 (out of 10), a significant increase from 5.6 in May 2010.

In line with WorkCover's role as the regulator, and Employers Mutual as the service provider, injured workers deal directly with Employers Mutual. For this reason, injured workers were not surveyed about their satisfaction with WorkCover services.

Injured workers research report: June 2011 [286KB]
Injured workers research report: May 2010 [317KB]
Injured workers research report: May 2009 [270KB]