The Aged Care workforce is more crucial than ever, with over 500,000 individuals now dedicated to providing essential care and support to Australians. With the introduction of new Aged Care Act and extraordinary levels of demand, our invaluable service providers are handling these challenges with professionalism, resilience, and integrity. Workforce Health Assessors (WHA) have proudly supported Aged Care providers for over 20 years, conducting over 200,000 assessments. This extensive experience has given WHA unparalleled insight into the risks faced by this workforce and how to help organisations navigate them. Pre-employment medicals are important to any workforce, but due to the high risk of injury, they play a significant role in the aged care industry. Care workers are especially vulnerable to workplace injury because they spend each day working with people who are losing their own physical and mental capabilities. “Safe Work Australia’s National Data Set for Compensation-based Statistics (NDS) shows that, over the past decade, the Nursing, care and support workforce has experienced a significantly higher frequency rate3 of serious claims for musculoskeletal injuries (2.3 times the national average in 2022-23). Additionally, the number of serious claims related to Mental health conditions has been steadily rising, a total increase of over 500 serious claims (a workers’ compensation claim that involves more than one week of time lost from work) over the last 10 years.” SafeWork Australia, WHS Profile: Nursing, Care and Support Workforce Working in aged care is a surprisingly dangerous occupation due to the extreme physical and mental demands of the job. In the aged care industry, keeping your workforce safe and healthy is vitally important for your workers and those they care for. Continue reading to learn more about pre-employment medicals, the aged care industry, and how employee health assessments can mitigate workplace risk. The Aged Care Industry It is a rapidly growing industry in Australia. As of 2024, 1 in 6 Australians are aged 65 or older, and that growth isn’t slowing down, increasing the need for aged care workers. Aged care provides its share of challenges for workers, as it has one of the highest injury rates among Australian industries. Workers need to do a lot of lifting during their day to day routines. Whether that is assisting the residents with their mobility, bathing, bed transfers or even dressing, uncontrolled human weight is considerable. Workers can strain their backs, pull muscles, and even break bones in some instances. With the risk of injury so high, pre-employment medicals are critical for aged care employees. What is a Pre-employment Medical? Pre-employment medicals manage workplace risk by ensuring employees can meet the physical demands of a job. Pre-employment medicals are crucial to maintaining the safety and wellness of a workforce. They measure the suitability of any given candidate for a prospective position so that employers can find the right fit for their company. They also help businesses learn how they can best accommodate new employees in the years to come. Pre-employment medicals include a range of tests based on the industry and specific demands of the job. They can include musculoskeletal injuries, range of movement capabilities, overall general health needed to function at peak performance, mental health and resilience, drug and alcohol screening, and more. The assessment mitigates future health and safety risks, and safeguards the long-term overall health of the company. WHA offers comprehensive pre-employment medical assessments available at our clinics across Australia and New Zealand, or onsite for your convenience. Learn more about our pre-employment medical services. Pre-employment Medical Assessments Physical Fitness Pre-employment medical assessments ensure workers are physically prepared for the job, identifying current and future health risks. In the aged care industry, it is crucial that workers are up to the physical demands of the position in order to prevent workplace injuries. The top causes of reported work-related injuries and illnesses are: Manual handling: Lifting, transferring, and repositioning residents or heavy equipment Slips, trips, and falls: Navigating wet floors, spilled food, or cluttered pathways Repetitive movements: Bending, reaching, and pushing heavy carts or wheelchair Employees must meet these high demands so they can keep themselves, their co-workers, and those they care for safe. A pre-employment medical assessment will ensure the right matched candidate gets the job and that no worker is left feeling out of their depth when working with those who need assistance. Additionally advising of role adjustments that can be made or additional equipment utilised to ensure each employee can safety carry out the work required of them. Mental Fitness Pre-employment medicals help ensure workers are mentally prepared for a job in aged care before they begin employment. Working with the elderly is strenuous work that requires mental alertness at all times. Although a very rewarding career, aged care can provide unique emotional and mental challenges for workers. According to Palliaged, “Burnout, occupational stress, and low job satisfaction are well-documented issues in the aged care sector, affecting nurses, careworkers, managers, and administrative staff alike.” Mental stress and strain in the aged care industry is caused by: Grief from loss of those in care Managing the needs of families Inter workplace conflict Physical and verbal abuse Exposure to mental stress can contribute to workplace injury and illness. When a worker is mentally strained and fatigued, they are more likely to make a mistake or become prone to injury. A pre-employment medical assessment ensures a candidate is both physically and mentally up to the high demands of a job in the aged care industry. Set a Baseline of Health Pre-employment medicals establish a baseline of physical and mental health before an employee is hired. This helps determine the root cause of any ailment that occurs throughout their employment. By setting a baseline of health, you know for a fact if an injury or illness affecting an employee is related to the job, or not. The same is true of exit medical assessments. By acquiring health data and setting a baseline at the commencement of employment and at the end, you protect your business from future insurance claims and any possible misunderstandings. The medical assessment also gives employees a better understanding of their current health and any potential health risks they should monitor. Ongoing Employee Health Checks Make the most of your pre-employment medicals by conducting regular employee health checks. Annual health checks ensure your team is safe and healthy after their pre-employment medical and throughout their employment. Health checks account for a range of check-ups that can identify any new health risks that appear during a worker’s employment. They also support an aging workforce by spotting the effects of aging and assisting employees in monitoring their own changing health. Providing periodic onsite health checks: Supports an aging workforce Supports mental strain and illness Shows investment in employees Helps recruit top talent Helps retain talent Reduces employee downtime from illness or injury Reduces workers’ compensation claims and insurance costs Continue Supporting Your Workforce Hiring the wrong employee is expensive and time consuming for employers. Workforce Health Assessors offers comprehensive pre-employment medical, and periodic/annual medical assessments tailored to the needs of your business. We organise, perform, and report on all health assessments and medicals to help you determine the suitability of candidates for your business and mitigate risks in the workplace. Our tests are carefully designed and vary depending on the specifications of the role within your business. Learn more about our pre-employment medical and other health assessment services. WHA’s Commitment to Supporting the Aged Care Workforce. Since 2004, WHA has been a trusted leader in providing occupational health assessment services, pre-employment assessments, health and wellbeing programs, and related testing services. With a network of 75+ WHA clinics and access to over 300 partner clinics across Australia and New Zealand, WHA offers comprehensive coverage and convenience for businesses and their workforce. We are here to support your business strategy and remain dedicated to meeting your recruitment and workforce program needs. If you have any questions about our services and how WHA can tailor a comprehensive program for your business, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team today. Stay up to date with the latest news on WHA services, locations, achievements as well as industry updates, resources, and more by following us on LinkedIn.