The OPAL “return to work” programme is for anyone intending to return to a “work” role after their surgery. This includes people in full-time or part-time employment, people who are self-employed, volunteers or carers.
Our earlier research showed that most people are not provided with the help and support they need to enable them to return to work after surgery. Only a quarter of patients receive advice about their return to work after surgery. This advice is often overly cautious and does not take account of their individual needs. Most patients do not have access to occupational health services.
The OPAL programme provides useful information for patients, employers (including roles such as line managers, human resources teams and occupational health services), GPs and hospital orthopaedic teams that takes account of the differing needs of individual patients and supports their return to work process.
As an employer, line manager, human resources team, or occupational health service, you can therefore play a key role in helping!
Return to work is determined by a variety of factors including the type of work the person does, their work environment, the demands their work places on their body, the ability of their employer to make adaptions to the work place and pattern of work and their recovery following surgery.