Update on Return to Work Programme and Number of Workers Helped

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Manpower since the launch of the Return to Work (RTW) programme in 2017 (a) whether all public hospitals have come on board the RTW programme; (b) how many injured workers have participated in the RTW programme; and (c) how many workers have been successfully placed back to work.

Mr Speaker, the Return-to-Work or RTW programme helps workers with traumatic work injuries return to work as soon as medically suitable. As part of the programme, the worker undergoes occupational or physiotherapy, while the hospital assists the employer to make workplace adjustments to support the injured worker’s return and long-term employability.

RTW services are available at seven public hospitals. They represent all the public hospitals with Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments, where ambulances send acute injury cases to. The exception is KK Hospital, whose A&E department caters to women & children.

As of end 2019, 1922 injured workers have participated in the programme. About 95% of the participants have been successfully placed back to work. This was an improvement from around 75% remaining employed before the RTW programme.

We have also received positive feedback about the programme. Some workers shared with us that their supervisors are more supportive after the hospitals’ RTW coordinator explained how the worker can remain productive post-injury.

A few supplementary questions. First, I would like to ask if there have been any situations where the workers or their employers decline to sign up for the Return to Work programme after they were approached by the coordinator. And if so, what were the reasons why they decline to join the programme? Second, could the Ministry also consider expanding the Return to Work programme by placing more hospitals on board?

I thank the Member for his clarification. First, we have about 64% of suitable injured workers participating in the Return to Work programme. For those who did not participate, it was mostly because either the worker resigned or the employer dismissed the worker. So, we expect participation rate to improve as more hospitals gain more experience with the Return to Work programme. With experience, the Return to Work coordinator should be better able to convince both workers and employers. There is hope for restoring work ability.

On the Member's second question with regard to whether we will expand the number of hospitals, right now, the Return to Work service is already available at seven public hospitals and each one is an A&E hospital. So, it is natural that you have ambulances send acute injury cases to these hospitals. The only exception today that has an A&E that is not part of the programme is KK Hospital, as mentioned earlier.