WorkCover-Approved Pain Management Program
- Jan 20
- 2 min read
Supporting injured workers through coordinated, GP-centred care
Chronic pain can significantly delay recovery and return to work following injury. When pain persists, people often move between services without a clear plan, which can increase frustration, disability, and disengagement from rehabilitation.
Pain Education and Management is pleased to advise that we can now accept referrals for WorkCover Queensland clients. The program is fully approved by WorkCover, meaning eligible injured workers can access the program at no cost, within a structured, community-based model that keeps care connected to their GP.
What the program offers
The program provides injured workers with access to:
Evidence-based pain education
Personalised clinician support
Multidisciplinary assessment and planning
Ongoing coaching and allied health support
All components are delivered within a single, coordinated pathway, designed to support functional recovery and sustainable return-to-work outcomes.
How the program works
Step 1: Learn at your own pace (Education)
Participants begin with an online pain education program written in plain language. This builds understanding of pain and introduces practical self-management strategies that can be used immediately.
Step 2: Individual clinician support
Education is reinforced through a series of one-on-one consultations with experienced clinicians. These sessions translate learning into practical strategies tailored to the person’s health, work, and recovery goals.
Step 3: Multidisciplinary assessment and planning
Participants complete a coordinated assessment process involving:
Physical (musculoskeletal) assessment
Psychosocial assessment
Medication review
Findings are brought together into a personalised pain management plan, developed in collaboration with the participant’s GP through a case conference. This ensures care remains clinically appropriate, coordinated, and aligned with rehabilitation goals.
Step 4: Ongoing support and coaching
Where ongoing support is required, participants may continue with:
Targeted allied health support
Structured health coaching
Regular reviews to track progress and adjust strategies
This step helps consolidate skills, maintain engagement, and support longer-term recovery.
Key features for GPs and patients
GP-centred care with clear communication and case conferencing
Community-based delivery, reducing reliance on hospital programs
Accessible statewide, including telehealth options
Focus on function and self-management, not passive treatment
Early intervention, before pain becomes entrenched
Referrals and next steps
Referrals into the WorkCover-approved program are designed to be simple and flexible, allowing GPs to choose the option that best fits their consultation and workflow.
GPs can:
Refer directly using the online referral form, allowing us to contact the patient and coordinate enrolment, or
Support patient self-enrolment by completing and printing the referral form or Best Practice template and providing it to the patient with clear next steps
Once referred, patients are guided through the program in a coordinated way, with communication maintained with the referring GP throughout assessment, planning, and ongoing support.
👉 To refer a patient or discuss referral options: https://www.managepain.au/contact
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