A Joint Project of the Canadian Injured Workers Alliance (CIWA) and the Canadian Pain Coalition (CPC)
CIWA and CPC have undertaken to collaborate on an exciting project involving research and development of a tool kit for those dealing with returning to work after sustaining an injury. A main focus of the project is dealing with a return to work plan while trying to manage chronic pain.
We have received funding assistance from the Federal government’s Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) to move forward with this project.
To date, this project has involved research through engaging a research specialist to do a literature review, both domestic and international. We have formed a steering committee consisting of the President of the CPC Lynn Cooper, the National Coordinator of CIWA Bill Chedore, Dr. Lynn Shaw PHD and Dr. Mikelle Bryson Campbell PHD.
We have collected a wealth of information through our research and presented it for review, input and recommendations at two different forums. Our initial forum was held in Toronto in November 2015 and the second forum was in March 2016, also in Toronto.
Both forums were attended by invited experts on the issue of pain and on the issue of return to work. These experts included family doctors, occupational therapists, physio therapists, psychologists, pain researches and clinicians, labour representatives, injured workers and insurance specialists.
We are currently compiling all of the information, forum participants’ comments and recommendations. We will be looking at our next steps for developing a working tool kit, which we hope will become a resource for injured workers and family members, medical practitioners, health care providers, employers, trainers in the medical field and insurance providers, including provincial Workers’ Compensation Boards.
Every year, there are over 1000 workers who will die in Canada from worker related injuries or exposure to carcinogens and toxins. There will be close to 1,000,000 workplace injuries, thousands of which will result in workers being afflicted with chronic pain.
It is estimated that 1 in 5 Canadians are dealing with chronic pain. It is also estimated that the yearly cost to the Canadian econommy may be as high as 50 billion dollars or more.
Our hope is that this joint project by CIWA and CPC will produce new and/or improved resources to help injured workers in their desire to return to work and live with a sustainable way to manage their pain.
We will be posting updates as our poject moves forward.
Getting recognization for the c.r.ps.(cronic. Regional.pain.desiese) or r.s.d which was the original term reflec.sympthic.dystrophy.
Getting w c b and doctors to recognize and diagnose the illness correctly.
It is treated as pie in the sky and not revelent, but if you suffer from it you know the effects , iam sure many injured workers suffer from this and some do not know why they are in so much pain and not taken seriously.
If anyone needs more information look up R.S.D. and will be directed to revelent site
i hope this may help others gain information they need.
in closing the staff at w.s.b.need to be made accountable for thier decissions and actions, untill then injured workers will continue to be treared as second class citizens.
i have been total disability for many years and recently had to appeal w.h.c.c stealing my canada disability pension also refusal to pay for treatment and medication these o will have to appeal and we all know this willtake at lrast a year to be heard.
Also iwas made aware that moves were made to make long term disability for life and not end at 65 years of age what do all agree/disagree