A Letter from Dr. Paul Atkinson, Chief Medical Consultant
Dear Colleagues,
As I return to a leadership role within WorkSafeNB as Chief Medical Consultant, it brings me great pleasure to reconnect with you, as fellow NBMS members and physician colleagues, and to share some important developments that support our shared mission of improved healthcare in New Brunswick. These updates, I believe, are pivotal in our ongoing collaboration to provide the best care for injured workers. I am proud to return to the WorkSafeNB team, led passionately by CEO and President Tim Petersen and working closely with our Health Services Team led by Mike Hallett, alongside our Lead Medical Consultant Dr. Paul Keyes, and Lead Psychologist Dr. Doug French.
Our Vision
In 1918, New Brunswick’s workers’ compensation system was established based upon principles developed five years earlier by Sir William Meredith, a former Chief Justice of Ontario. The development of the Meredith Principles achieved a historic compromise in which employers fund the workers’ compensation system and collectively share liability if, and when, workers are injured. In 2023 over 3,800 individuals in New Brunswick experienced lost work time due to workplace injury or illness. Our vision is Making New Brunswick the Safest Place to Work, and we are pleased that this number has continued to fall, year on year.
You can find out more about WorkSafeNB’s goals and performance here.
Enhanced Processes for Better Care
At WorkSafeNB we’re continually refining our intake and adjudication, and case management processes. Our aim is to make these systems more supportive and efficient for everyone involved; healthcare providers, employers, and especially the injured workers whom we all serve. Following the recent decommissioning of the Workers Rehabilitation Centre in Grand Bay, injured workers are now receiving the rehabilitation care they require closer to home, near their families and support networks – networks that are critical in their recovery and return-to-work activities. You can find out more here.
Recognizing Your Vital Contributions Helping Workers Recover Sooner
Our Getting Back is Part of Getting Better campaign underscores the significance of a safe and early return to work, highlighting the crucial role we as physicians play in this process. As healthcare providers, we witness firsthand the profound impact workplace injuries can have on individuals and their families, often resulting in psychological and financial strain. It is essential that we guide our patients toward focusing on their abilities rather than their limitations, fostering a mindset that promotes recovery and resilience. Research consistently shows that returning to work, even with modified duties, accelerates physical healing and enhances mental well-being.
That is why careful and considered completion of WorkSafeNB’s Form 8/10 by physicians is invaluable. The easy-to-complete section on abilities helps us identify suitable roles for injured workers within their field of employment, enabling them to remain at work or return to work early and safely. This supports their psychological, physical, and financial well-being. To acknowledge this effort, WorkSafeNB automatically compensates one third of the initial assessment and report fee, independent of work absence or status of the application for benefits. This step is a token of our appreciation and encourages the inclusion of the brief functional assessment and clinical note in your reports. We know that meaningful work benefits our patients’ recovery, and we aim to separate the need for time off work from the process of recovering from injury. Workers can still benefit from all the healthcare programs supported by WorkSafeNB, without requiring lost time from work if they are able to be accommodated. Find out more here.
Up-to-Date Medical Care Guidelines and Commitment to Safe Practice
Keeping pace with the latest in medical care, we’ve updated our medication schedules. Notably, Ketamine now falls under ‘generally not recommended’, with specific exceptions, particularly for PTSD cases. We are also developing a workbook to help guide clinicians through these new guidelines. We are actively reviewing and updating our continuum of care for physical and psychological injuries and hope to be able to provide updates over the coming months. The safe prescribing of opioids, and the controlled use of medicinal CBD remain crucial. At WorkSafeNB, we’re dedicated to working with you to ensure that our injured workers receive the safest, most effective care, particularly for specialized treatments. We have also committed to working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick to help orient international medical graduates to Canadian workers’ compensation principles and practices. Details on our medical programs can be found at WorkSafeNB | Health Care.
A Heartfelt Thank You for Injury Prevention Efforts
We continue to work with our healthcare and industry partners to promote wellness and injury prevention. Recent provincial rounds from the NB Trauma program have endorsed these messages and can be accessed via www.nbtrauma.ca/healthcare-professionals. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you for your unwavering commitment to preventing injury and illness, both in the workplace and in the wider community. Your efforts are fundamental to the health and safety of our workers. More information and additional resources can be found at WorkSafeNB | Safety Topics.
Strategic Review of Medical Services
Over the next year, we plan to collaborate with our healthcare partners, including NBMS members, to seek feedback on how we can enhance our collaboration to best support injured workers and the medical community through WorkSafeNB. Our goal is to identify existing gaps and inefficiencies and then work towards improving our programs and systems. This may include educational opportunities, information-sharing processes, and any other areas where we can make improvements together. During this time, when our healthcare system is sometimes struggling, we want to ensure we continue providing the best possible care to our workers in their time of need.
For more detailed information on these updates, please visit the WorkSafeNB website. Your expertise, insights, and compassionate care are crucial to our shared goals of healing and supporting workers. If you have any questions please reach out to the Health Services Team via WorkSafeNB | Contact.
Thank you for your dedication and for the exceptional care you provide. Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of those we serve.
Warm regards,
Dr. Paul Atkinson MB, BCH, BAO, MA, FRCPC
