The role of an
Occupational Physician
Occupational Physicians are highly trained medical specialists who focus on the health and safety of individuals, employers, and the workplace.
They provide opinions on the impact of medical conditions and/or injuries on an individual’s employment capacity (fitness for work, pre-employment screenings) and functional capacity (i.e. activities of daily living).
They also provide an opinion on the impacts of workplace environments on an individual’s health and wellbeing.
In a nutshell, Occupational Physicians take a holistic approach to the management and prevention of illness, injury and disease for individuals in the workforce. Often the best work that an Occupational Physician does is providing common sense objective solutions to seemingly insoluble and complex problems at the interface of medical issues and employment capacity.
OUR SERVICES
FITNESS FORDUTY
Fitness For Duty (FFD) assessments address the relevant issues relating to an individual’s non-compensable medical conditions and their effect on the individual’s capacity to perform their normal job role safely and efficiently. Practical advice is given regarding the management of the relevant influences and – in the case of an absence from work – the individual’s return-to-work capability in either their normal or alternative duties.
WORKPLACEASSESSMENTS
A Workplace Assessment can be conducted as part of the IME process to have the opportunity to thoroughly understand the demands and dynamics of the workplace. This enables us to provide a well-informed, tailored and balanced opinion on the cause of a claimed workplace injury and the individual’s capacity to return to work under a safe and suitable duties plan.
PERMANENT IMPAIRMENT ASSESSMENTS
We provide expert independent medical opinions in the form of Medico-legal assessments and reports. These may relate to Medical Negligence claims, CTP insurance claims or TPD insurance claims, and are structured like an Independent Medical Examination (IME) report.
Consultant Occupational Physician
DR FARHAN SHAHZAD
Dr Farhan Shahzad is a highly experienced Consultant Occupational Physician. He is a Fellow of The Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Royal Australasian College of Physicians and also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Ireland.
Having worked in Occupational Medicine across New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland, Tasmania and Australian Capital Territory for almost 15 years, Dr Shahzad has an extensive range of professional experience, accreditations and qualifications within the industry.
Dr Shahzad has served as an inhouse medical specialist to iCare (formerly WorkCover NSW), assisting various insurers and agents with complex case management needs, liability assessments and treatment recommendations for workers’ compensation cases. Dr Shahzad has also previously been a Medical Advisor to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Latest Videos
What is Health Surveillance?
by Dr. Farhan Shahzad
What is a Fitness for Duty assessment?
by Dr. Farhan Shahzad
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