FAQs
What is Occupational Therapy?
The British Association of Occupational Therapists defines it as therapy provided by specially qualified staff "who help people of all ages who are suffering from physical, mental or social problems as a result of an accident, illness or ageing, to do the things they want to do." Daily activities that many of us take for granted, such as doing the weekly shopping or washing up, to more complex activities such as looking after children, studying, or meeting new people, may only be possible for some people with the assistance of a qualified Occupational Therapist.
Is Occupational Therapy the same as Occupational Health?
No, the two are entirely different. The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes Occupational Health as "the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations by preventing departures from health, controlling risks and the adaptation of work to people, and people to their jobs."
What is the Government's proposed Personalisation Agenda?
Since 2007, various government department have been working towards an agenda that promotes "a shared ambition to put people first through a radical reform of public services. It will mean that people are able to live their own lives as they wish; confident that services are of high quality, are safe and promote their own individual needs for independence, well-being, and dignity." (As described on the Department of Health website.)
How quickly will I will be able to book an assessment?
As soon as the requirements have been agreed, our Sales Administrator will search for an OT Assessor in the local area from our database. This usually takes a couple of days. Once an Assessor has been confirmed, all the paperwork required to complete the assessment and report is forwarded to the Assessor. They will then call to arrange a convenient time to visit. The assessment visit should be completed within 10 working days of receiving the referral. Following the assessment, a report is completed within five working days and forwarded to Access Independent to check content and clinical reasoning before it is forwarded to the referrer.
If equipment and/or adaptations are required within the home then we are available to source, organise and deliver and if required fit these items for a small additional charge. Please refer to the 'deliver and fit" process for details of this service.
How quickly can you set up a service delivery agreement with a Local Authority Occupational Therapy department?
Once the service has been agreed, our OT Contracts Manager will make a time to meet with the OT decision-maker at the Local Authority to discuss all aspects of the service delivery, including processes, procedures and systems as necessary. She will then organise a team including Fieldwork OT Assessors, a Senior Practitioner and administrative support and put together an induction manual for the fieldwork Assessors to guide them through from assessment to closing process. The Senior Practitioner will support the OT Assessor to ensure they understand the procedures and deliver high quality assessments with necessary and appropriate solutions to meet the needs of clients they are assessing. The Contracts Manager will ensure that the service is delivered efficiently and within the agreed timescale as set out at the beginning of the contract. She will liaise closely with the Senior Practitioner, OT Manager at the LA OT Assessors and admin support in the course of running the contract.
