1770a Rehabilitation paradigm: return to work from disability

Evidence based, both scientifically and practical experience have indicated that maintaining a disabled worker’s attachment to a pre-disability employment prior to entering some form of social security assistance, has, contingent upon jurisdictional circumstances, delivered some impressive socio-economic outcomes. SOCSO receives over 75,000 new claims a year with a majority of these cases coming from its employment injury scheme and the rest coming from its invalidity pension scheme; despite various prevention activities being implemented. With such findings, SOCSO reengineered its complete operations to ensure that every claim is managed to ensure that the workers or their family members are protected. Operational reengineering had also considered early intervention to reduce disability or impairment when an accident or diseases occur. It has been slightly over 10 years since the establishment of the SOCSO Return to Work Program which has been the catalyst for the establishment rehabilitation and social reintegration activities for injured and disabled workers in the country. This has culminated in over 14 thousand cases who had went through the program and returned to gainful employment. This session will provide an overview of the challenges that Malaysia faced in the effective re-integration of injured and disabled workers, the rationale for adopting international best practice professional standards in Return to Work and Disability Management, together with the implementation process adopted and will highlight practical considerations – both challenges and opportunities in the roll-out across our country.