DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjams.2026.v14i05.023

Pages: 786-789

Background: Occupational health services face rising demands from an ageing workforce and staffing shortages. Musculoskeletal (MSK) health conditions contributes to significant referrals and associated costs. Consequently, occupational health physiotherapists were introduced to provide multifaceted care. This role is increasingly proving to be both clinically and cost-effective in supporting health and productivity in the workplace. Objectives: The purpose of this project was firstly, to determine the number and percentage of clients who, having first seen the occupational health physiotherapist for a MSK health condition via self-referral, then re-attended to see another occupational health practitioner, such an occupational health nurse or physician, via management referral for the same MSK health condition within a 12-week period, and secondly to explore the reasons for re-attendance. Materials and Methods: An OPAS-G2 database was used to extract anonymised demographic and clinical data on clients using the occupational health physiotherapy service. The project tracked self-referrals and subsequent management re-referrals across specific time intervals. To ensure accuracy, two reviewers independently audited 10% of the records, testing inter-rater reliability for data extraction and coding. Results: Only 26.5% of clients re-attend for specialised management advice, the vast majority successfully recovered, showcasing the vital role and impact of occupational health physiotherapy on successfully resolving the majority of MSK health conditions at the initial stage. Conclusion: This high success rate suggests that occupational health physiotherapy serves as a robust frontline defence, effectively addressing MSK health conditions through early intervention before they transition into chronic disability and absenteeism.