In 2022, Nova Scotians lost around a million working days to workplace injury. That’s the same as nearly 200 people working full-time for a year. It has a huge impact on those individuals and their families, their workplaces, our healthcare system and the province as a whole.

As leaders, we have a responsibility to do everything we can to minimize that impact. A key member in this work, of course, our province’s doctors, who are often among the first to see workers after an injury occurs. They play a critical role in helping to set workers on a path to a successful recovery and are important members of the return-to-work team. At the same time, Nova Scotia’s physicians are focused on enabling a culture shift in our province to encourage our population to lead healthier, more active lifestyles.

What insights do our province’s medical leaders have about the importance of a safe and timely return to work? Why is staying connected to work after an injury so important for a successful recovery?

Joining us for this episode is Dr. Leisha Hawker and Dr. Manoj Vohra. This past June, Dr. Hawker wrapped up her term as the President of Doctors Nova Scotia, the province’s medical association that represents more than 3,500 physicians. Dr. Hawker is currently a practicing physician at the North End Community Health Centre, the Halifax Newcomer Clinic, and the Regency Park Opioid Use Disorder Clinic. She is a member of the Board of Directors for Doctors Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia College of Family Physicians, and the Healthy Tomorrow Foundation.

Dr. Manoj Vohra is WCB Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Vohra is also a practicing physician who served as the President of Doctors Nova Scotia from 2017-2018. As part of his role as Chief Medical Officer with the WCB, Dr. Vohra works closely with physicians throughout the province to help them support patients who have been injured at work.

In this conversation, we discuss the vital role that work plays in recovery after workplace injury, the long-term effects of being off work, how to support employees in returning to work and the importance of understanding the whole person when building a return to work plan.

Make sure you follow WorkShift, a podcast from the Workers' Compensation Board that helps to rewrite the narrative on what makes a healthy, safe and successful workplace.