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Access Independent: The UK’s leading provider of occupational therapy services

When it comes to providing the best quality occupational therapy and physiotherapy services to organisations across the country, Access Independent stands apart from the crowd.

We have extensive experience of working with local government, charities, housing associations, insurance and case management companies as well as private individuals. Our centralised administrative structure and nationwide network of experienced OTs can handle a full spectrum of bespoke service requirements.

To discuss your unique needs and how Access Independent can provide a tailored service that’s right for you, contact us today.

Why choose Access Independent?

Our vision is one committed to putting people at the heart of our process. We focus on results, on improving health and wellbeing for those we work with. Our approach is always transparent, fair and efficient without compromising on quality. Benefits of engaging Access Independent include…

Our national cohort of OTs, spread across a range of skillsets to provide the bespoke service you need.

Full compliance with legal and industry standards to ensure a fully transparent service.

Centralised admin management for an efficient service from referral to completion.

Fully manned contact centre from 8AM to 5PM Monday to Friday

Our Key Services

Whether you’re a local authority, a charity or a private individual, our nationwide network of qualified practitioners let us develop and provide the fully tailored services you require.

  • Training for OTs. For those wanting to move into occupational therapy or start practicing independently, we offer training and workshops with the opportunity to work with us.
  • Caseload management. For those facing increased demand for OT services, we can handle backlogs and ensure an efficient service for your clients.
  • One-off assessments. Whether for private individuals or local authorities assessing properties, we can conduct full and transparent OT or mobility assessments as a one-off purchase.
  • Mobility assessments. Working with local authorities across the UK, we assess eligibility for Blue Badges and other concessionary travel schemes
  • Return to work solutions. We work with employers to ensure their employees cope with injury, illness or disability in the workplace in the most efficient way possible.
Meet the Access Independent team

From our offices in Central Cambridge, our team coordinates and assists those we support. Our fully manned contact centre handles queries on a daily basis, whether from customers, their clients or even OTs looking to attend training workshops or join the team.

Stephen Naylor, Managing Director

Responsible for all commercial, financial and legal aspects of our services, Stephen is our authority on all queries regarding invoicing, payments, complaints and meeting our terms of contract.

Delia Naylor, Clinical Director

An occupational therapist with over 20 years’ experience, Delia was instrumental in developing our assessment approach. She oversees maintaining our professional standards, furthering our services and upholding the values and vision of Access Independent.

Our Team

The Access Independent team are here to handle any queries you might have from 8.30AM to 5PM Monday to Friday.

Testimonials
Mum and I are very happy with the service we have received from you and cannot praise you enough. The things you have put in place have been very helpful and the information you have provided is very useful. – OT Service User – Redcar
Thank you for your call today and the support you have given. Your assessor was incredibly professional and I am sending an email to the council about how your services are excellent – Blue badge Service User – Telford
AI have provided an end to end process, acting as a ‘shield’ for NCC OT service while they reorganise. The project has reduced waiting list countywide by 50% and those out of timescale by up to 90%. –Steve Jennings-Hough, Nottinghamshire County Council

Access Independent has formed an excellent working relationship with Staffordshire. They have suggested improvements to the service delivery which have resulted in a more effective service delivery. – Angie Middleton, Staffordshire County Council

 

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FAQs
What is occupational therapy?

There are some daily tasks which many of us take for granted. Sometimes these are simple things like shopping and washing up, or we could be talking about more complex things like raising children or studying. For some people, these daily tasks are only possible with the assistance of a qualified occupational therapist (OT).

As defined by the British Association of Occupational Therapists, the term refers to therapy provided by specially trained, 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.”

Is occupational therapy the same as occupational health?

No. They’re entirely different.

  • Occupational health refers to maintaining standards of living for employees on the job.
  • Occupational therapy refers to helping those coping with existing problems attain a higher quality of life.

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.”

How quickly are assessments conducted?

We plan to undertake every assessment within 10 working days of referral, assuming this suits the client, and to return reports in five working days. Special arrangements are made for large numbers of cases.

Once your requirements have been agreed, we search our database for a qualified OT assessor in your area. Confirming an OT can take a couple of days, whereupon all the necessary paperwork is forwarded to them. They’ll then call to arrange a convenient time to visit you.

What happens after an assessment?

Once an assessment takes place, a report is completed within five working days and forwarded to Access Independent. We check the content and clinical reasoning in the report before sending it to the referrer.

If the report finds that equipment or adaptations are required in a home, we are available to source, organise, deliver and fit these items for a small additional charge. Please refer to the deliver and fit process for details.

How quickly can you set up a service delivery agreement with a local authority OT department?

Once a service has been agreed on, our OT Contracts Manager will arrange to meet with your OT decision maker at their earliest convenience. At this meeting we iron out all aspects of the service delivery including processes, procedures and systems.

From there, Access Independent organises a team consisting of fieldwork OT assessors, administrative support and a senior practitioner to oversee the assignment.

This senior practitioner’s job is to support OT assessors in ensuring they deliver the highest quality assessment possible for the client. The Contract Manager’s job is to ensure the service is delivered efficiently and within the agreed timescale set out in the initial meeting.