Occupational therapists are clinically-trained problem solvers and resourceful lateral thinkers, who seek to identify clearly the impact of a disability on every aspect of a person's daily life - placing them in an ideal position to assess the complex rehabilitation needs of clients.

Their initial assessment forms the basis of a rehabilitation plan. Our 'immediate needs assessment' encompasses care, medical, psychosocial, home- and work-related information and is intended to assist those involved in the case to fully understand the client's current functional abilities.

Our unbiased recommendations can cover both short-term and long-term goals, allowing the client and relevant parties involved to decide on the most suitable and realistic options to help them towards optimum function and return to work.

Our Associates are all senior, skilled occupational therapists and many have expertise in specific areas such as brain injury. They are used to multi-disciplinary working and share a comprehensive knowledge of the resources available from the national treatment networks for various illnesses, injuries and diseases and also from statutary service providers such as social services and employment service resources. By setting and constantly evaluating treatment objectives and rehabilitation goals, we ensure that each client progresses as fast as possible, using the most efficient resources available.

We provide comprehensive assessments of a client's current functional abilities and needs within their home and personal care environments, advise on and, if required, plan and implement a rehabilitation programme. This often includes advice on equipment or other therapeutic intervention.

During the formulation and co-ordination of the rehabilitation plan, our case managers must be sensitive to the needs of the client, their family, the employer, insurers, lawyers, unions and medical team. They play a strategic role in facilitating communications between these parties, while clearly keeping the client's needs as the priority. Maintaining the commitment of all stakeholders in the rehabilitation plan will ultimately ensure its success.

The ideal goal of a rehabilitation plan for an injured worker is to achieve a return to paid employment that accommodates their medical status, work skills and experience. Overseas studies have shown that companies employing occupational therapists as both case managers and providers of on-site rehabilitation achieved above average return-to-work rates.

To support this, Harrison Associates advises on:

• ergonomic/task analysis
• manual handling
• training
• pain management
• work hardening
• graded return-to-work programmes
• functional capacity evaluation
• adaptive equipment