Your responsibilities as a provider

If you’re a provider treating a patient with a work-related injury, we want to work with you to ensure the patient receives the right level of treatment to support their recovery and return to work.

WorkCover is focused on getting the best outcomes for customers, both employers and workers. Our priority is to ensure workers receive timely treatment and rehabilitation services to help their return to work and, the treatment is at a fair and reasonable cost to minimise impact on employer premiums.

As the main provider of workers’ compensation insurance in Queensland, we also have a responsibility to maintain the financial viability of the workers’ compensation fund. This means working with our partners in the medical and allied health industry to ensure a balance in the level of services and costs without compromising the treatment and rehabilitation of workers.

What are my responsibilities?

Clinical framework

As a healthcare professional, WorkCover encourages you to adopt the nationally recognised clinical framework (PDF, 1.29 MB) in the treatment of an injury. This framework is based on the following principles and is intended to support you in delivering the right treatment through:

1. Measurement and demonstration of the effectiveness of treatment
2. Adoption of a biopsychosocial approach
3. Empowering the injured worker to manage the injury
4. Implementing goals focused on optimising function, participation and return to work; and
5. Base treatment on the best available research evidence.

Principles of practice for workplace rehabilitation providers

Workplace rehabilitation providers (or return to work services providers) play a key role in optimising workers’ recovery and return to work.

The principles of practice for workplace rehabilitation providers (PDF, 0.28 MB) were developed after extensive consultation with industry. The principles:

1. recognise the importance of work in recovery
2. guide workplace rehabilitation providers in delivering workplace rehabilitation services to a worker
3. inform the workplace rehabilitation provider approval and management frameworks of workers’ compensation authorities
4. support the vision of the National Return to Work Strategy 2020-2030
5. complement the clinical framework for the delivery of treatment services.

The Return to work services table of costs sets out the services, fees and the specific requirements for accreditation and service standards for return to work services providers in the Queensland workers’ compensation scheme.

Health benefits of good work

Research shows that getting back to work is a vital part of recovery that benefits the health and wellbeing of the injured worker. Your treatment programs should help workers get back to work as early and safely as possible. More information is available on the health benefits of good work.

Work capacity certificates

A work capacity certificate is a type of a medical certificate that helps WorkCover Queensland (or a self-insurer) decide and manage workers' compensation claims.

You must be an AHPRA registered medical doctor, dentist (oral injury) or nurse practitioner (minor injury) to issue a valid work capacity certificate to a worker.

More information is available on the work capacity certificate page for providers.

Invoicing WorkCover

We provide a table of costs for different kinds of services applicable for workers' compensation in Queensland.

Please refer to these table of costs and associated item numbers when invoicing us for your services.

More information is available on how to invoice us.

Contact us

If you have any questions regarding your responsibilities in treating a patient with a work-related injury, please email us at communications@workcoverqld.com.au.