Occupational Therapy
Functional Capacity for Everyday
We are currently accepting new Occupational Therapy clients across our clinics in Sydney, regional NSW, and Tasmania. We also provide mobile assessments at home, school, and in the community.
Patients & Families
For referrers and Support Coordinators
How can I fund
Occupational Therapy?
- NDIS (Capacity Building, Improved Daily Living) – covers assessments, therapy, Functional Capacity Assessments, assistive technology assessments, and home modification reports
- Medicare – up to 5 sessions per calendar year with a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan
- DVA – Gold Card and White Card accepted, GP referral required
- WorkCover and CTP – accepted for workplace and motor vehicle injuries
- Private health insurance – rebates available through most funds with extras cover
- Self-funded – no referral needed for private patients
WHAT DO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS HELP WITH?
1.
DAILY LIVING AND INDEPENDENCE
Struggling with dressing, bathing, cooking, or managing your home? We break everyday tasks into manageable steps and find practical ways to help you do more on your own, with less effort and less frustration.
2.
SENSORY PROCESSING AND REGULATION
When sounds feel too loud, textures feel wrong, or your child struggles to sit still and focus, sensory processing could be part of the picture. We assess how the nervous system responds to input and build practical strategies that work at home, school, and in the community.
3.
FINE MOTOR SKILLS AND HANDWRITING
Difficulty with buttons, zippers, cutlery, or holding a pen affects daily confidence. We work on hand strength, coordination, and control through structured activities that build skill without overwhelming the person doing them.
4.
HOME SAFETY AND MODIFICATIONS
Falls, tight doorways, inaccessible bathrooms and poorly set-up kitchens create risk every day. We assess your home environment and recommend changes, from simple grab rails to full bathroom modifications and Specialist Disability Accommodation reports.
6.
COGNITIVE AND NEUROLOGICAL REHABILITATION
After a stroke, brain injury, or with conditions like MS or dementia, everyday thinking tasks can change. We work on memory strategies, planning skills, and safe routines so you can participate in daily life with more confidence and less reliance on others.
5.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT
The right equipment makes a measurable difference to independence. We assess, trial, prescribe, and manage the paperwork for everything from basic daily aids to complex powered mobility and communication devices.
What supports are our Occupational Therapists
qualified to provide?
We support anyone facing barriers to their independence. Whether you are managing a physical disability, navigating mental health challenges, or recovering from an injury, our team is here to help you build capacity.
From children needing support with sensory regulation to adults wanting to stay safe and independent in their own homes, we work with you to find practical solutions that make daily life easier. Where physical rehabilitation is also needed, our Physiotherapy team works closely with your Occupational Therapist.
Daily living skills
Home safety modifications
Fine motor skills
Sensory processing
Assistive technology
Mental health support
SCHOOL & WORK CAPACITY
Neurological Support
Your Rehab Roadmap
Get in touch
Book online on our Booking Directory, or call us, fill in an Appointment Request Form or ask your Support Coordinator to send a referral. We will confirm we have received your enquiry within one business day.
WE MATCH YOU WITH AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
Based on your needs, location, and age group, we will connect you with the right clinician. We offer clinic, home, school, and community visits depending on what works for your situation.
Initial Assessment
We start with your story. Where it hurts. When it flares. What you can and can’t do right now. We check movement, strength, balance, and simple functional tasks like sitting, taking stairs, and walking. These baseline measures guide your rehabilitation.
PERSONALISED PLAN
Your plan fits your life, not the other way around. We focus on building capacity for the tasks that matter to you, from self-care and school readiness to home safety and community access. If other clinicians can help, we align care through case conferences so the team is already on the same page.
REVIEW AND ADJUST
We provide regular progress reviews to keep your care practical and results driven. We re-check the measures that matter, adjust goals and strategies, and fine-tune what happens in sessions and at home so therapy stays consistent and realistic.
EDUCATION AND CARRYOVER
We teach you, your family, and your support network how to carry skills forward between sessions.
Practical strategies, plain language, and support for your day to day.
CAN I USE MY NDIS PLAN FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?
Occupational Therapy is one of the most commonly funded NDIS supports. We work with children and adults who live with autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, acquired brain injury, and a wide range of physical and psychosocial conditions. We meet you where you are, with respect for your preferences and communication style.
Start with a no-cost discovery session:
We listen first, then map out a clear therapy plan together. You will meet the team and feel comfortable in our accessible studio environment. If a home, school, or community visit suits you better, we can arrange that too.
One team aligned:
At Optimum Health Solutions, we proudly offer Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Exercise Physiology, Speech Pathology, Dietetics, Podiatry and Positive Behaviour Support all under one roof. We coordinate our multidisciplinary participants through MDT Case Conferences where our clinical leads oversee quality and progress.
Funding, made simpler:
We navigate your plan with your Support Coordinator or Plan Manager, so you can stay focused on everyday life.
For over 20 years, Optimum Health Solutions has paired evidence-based therapy with compassionate care, keeping your plan practical, measurable, and aligned with what matters most to you.
Meet Our Occupational Therapists
Mahek Bansal
Occupational Therapist
BAppSc (OT) (Hons)
Sally Yamazaki
Occupational Therapist
BAppSC-OT
Fiona Mathebula
Occupational Therapist
BOT
Sarah-Louise Higgins
National Head Of Clinical Development & Occupational Therapist
BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy
Mikaela Naamo
Occupational Therapist
BOT
Michael Mason
Occupational Therapist
BAppSc (OccTher)
Claire Humphrey
Occupational Therapist
BAppSc, MOccTherPr
Lara Bray
Occupational Therapist
B. Occythy (Hons)
John McCredden
Occupational Therapist
BOT
Caitlin Lorimer
Occupational Therapist
BOT
Jordann Johnson
Occupational Therapist
BOT
Georgia Mathwin
Occupational Therapist
BOT (Hons)
Jessica Cooke
Occupational Therapist
BOT
Bonnie Xu
Occupational Therapist
BSc, BOT
Richard Farmilo
Regional Manager & Occupational Therapist
BAppSci (OccTh), MBA
Jessica Filetti
Occupational Therapist
BOT
Kadi Kramer
Area Discipline Manager & Occupational Therapist
MOccTher
Janelle Delos Santos
Area Discipline Manager & Occupational Therapist
BHlthSc, MOT
Courtney Saunders
Discipline Area Manager & Occupational Therapist
BOT
Michael Rawlin
Occupational Therapist
BHSc, BOT
Referrers Hub
When you are short on time and managing the needs of others, you need clarity, not administrative hurdles. Whether the person you support requires a comprehensive Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA), complex home modifications, Assistive Technology prescription, or ongoing therapy, our hub creates a direct line to our OT team.
Use our referrers hub to instantly check service capacity across our clinics, submit referrals, and ensure your client’s funding is utilised effectively. We facilitate transparent communication so you can focus on supporting your client’s independence.
Start Your Enquiry
Clinics That Offer Occupational Therapy
We aim to respond to all enquiries within one business day. If you need to speak with someone now, call us on 1800 678 647.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an NDIS Occupational Therapist actually do?
Occupational Therapists enable individuals, who may have a disability, to maximise their independence and achieve their personal goals. Rather than treating a medical diagnosis, the focus is on building “functional capacity”, aligning a person’s physical, cognitive, and sensory abilities with the demands of their environment.
Occupational Therapy is a broad and inclusive Alled Health discipline, extending far beyond basic self-care to cover every aspect of living:
- Physical Independence: Developing skills for mobility, personal care, and domestic tasks.
- Cognitive Support: Improving executive functioning for budgeting, planning, and memory.
- Psychosocial Health: Building strategies for emotional regulation, social interaction, and community access.
- Environmental Enablement: Prescribing Assistive Technology or designing Home Modifications to remove barriers.
Do you offer mobile Occupational Therapy services or home visits?
Yes. Mobile therapy is one of our primary service models because assessing you in your natural environment ensures some of the most accurate outcomes. Rather than relying solely on a clinical studio, our therapists can visit your home, school, workplace, or community to identify real-world barriers that would otherwise be missed.
Delivering therapy in your real world ensures that our interventions are ecologically valid, meaning they work in your daily life, not just in a clinic. We find this critical for:
- Home Safety & Modifications: Observing exactly how you navigate your own hallway, bathroom, or kitchen so we can prescribe precise modifications.
- Skill Transfer: Teaching daily living skills (like cooking or laundry) using your own equipment to ensure you can retain the skill.
- Psychosocial Comfort: Allowing participants who find travel or new environments overwhelming to engage in therapy within their own safe space.
- Community Integration: Facilitating sessions in schools or workplaces to address your social and environmental hurdles in real-time.
What is a Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) and why is it required?
A Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) is a comprehensive forensic report used to provide the evidence required to determine NDIS funding levels. To clearly articulate a persons support needs an FCA maps an individual’s function across six key domains:
- Mobility
- Communication
- Social Interaction
- Self-Management
- Self-Care
- Learning
Unlike standard therapy progress reports, an FCA is designed specifically to prevent funding gaps. It explicitly links functional limitations to the reasonable and necessary supports required, including:
- Core Supports: Justifying the specific hours required for support workers.
- Capital Supports: Providing the clinical rationale for Assistive Technology or vehicle modifications.
- Capacity Building: Outlining the therapy plan needed to build future independence.
The goal is to provide a robust “blueprint” that ensures the NDIS plan accurately covers the cost of care.
Do I need a referral to see an Occupational Therapist?
No. A doctor’s referral is not required for NDIS participants, Private patients, or Home Care Package holders. You can contact us directly to book an appointment or make a referral.
We accept referrals from Support Coordinators, Local Area Coordinators (LACs), family members, or participants themselves.
NDIS & Private: No referral needed.
Medicare (CDM/EPC): If you are claiming a rebate through Medicare under a Chronic Disease Management plan, you will need a valid referral from your General Practitioner before your first session.
How do you ensure my NDIS funding is managed effectively?
To ensure your NDIS funding is allocated effectively, we create a transparent service map for every participant before therapy commences to ensure your budget lasts the full length of your plan. This ensures that your funding is paced correctly across regular therapy sessions, assessments, and critical reports, preventing the stress of running out of funds before your review is due.
We view funding management as a partnership. By planning the entire journey upfront, we provide:
- Budget Security: Strictly reserving funds for your End of Plan Report so it is ready for your NDIS review.
- Clear Visibility: Providing you with a schedule that shows exactly how many sessions your plan covers.
- Adaptability: Reviewing your plan regularly to adjust for any changes in your goals or circumstances.
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How Can We Support You Today?
Our Core Services
A team of caring health professionals working together around you.
From physiotherapy and exercise rehabilitation to speech pathology, dietetics, podiatry and more, your care is coordinated not fragmented.
NDIS Disability Services
Navigating the NDIS can feel overwhelming. You don’t have to do it alone.
As a registered NDIS provider, we align therapy with your plan and help map out a clear and sustainable pathway so funding works for you.
Careers at Optimum
Do meaningful work without burning out.
Join a supportive multidisciplinary team where mentoring, collaboration and professional growth are part of everyday practice.