Before you have your surgery, it is a good idea to think about how and when you would like to return to work. The OPAL programme allows you to plan your return to work in 8 easy steps.
You can use the forms on the website or the printed patient workbooks to write down your progress. You can then share your return to work plan with others. This may include your employer, managers, work colleagues, occupational health adviser and GP. You can also talk about your plans with family, friends, and carers.
It will help you feel confident that your needs are being considered. It will also help to ensure that there is a process in place to manage your return to work.

The 8 steps of the OPAL programme:
Step 1: Assessing how your hip or knee affects your ability to work.
Step 2: Setting an approximate date for your return to work.
Step 3: Developing a return to work plan.
Step 4: Discussing your return to work plan with your return to work co-ordinator.
Step 5: Discussing and reviewing your return to work plan with your ‘employer’ and / or your occupational health team.
Step 6: Contacting your “employer” and / or occupational health team after surgery and updating them on your progress.
Step 7: Updating your return to work plan based on your recovery after surgery and discussions with you “employer” and hospital staff.
Step 8: Seeking help after surgery.
You will see the 8 steps listed on your home pages once you log in. Click on each one for more information and to complete the tasks for that Step.
By following the OPAL programme, we hope that you will:
- Be able to think about the difficulties you are currently having at work and the specific demands of the type of work you do
- Feel confident to make a plan for your recovery after surgery and your eventual return to work. You can then share this plan with your employer, work colleagues and healthcare team
- Have the advice and information you need and know how to ask for help if you need it
We also hope that you will recognise:
- Patients need to take an active part in their care and make decisions about their own return to work
- Returning to work after surgery is important and it needs to be planned
- Involving employers at an early stage can help them understand the problems you are facing. It can allow them to make changes to your place or pattern of work that could help you to return to work. Remember employers do not necessarily know about hip replacement surgery and how best to support your return to work
- Returning to work needs planning between you, your employer and your health care team