Assistive Technology Assessment Melbourne

Occupational therapist and client discussing goals during a mobile home visit

Assistive Technology That Fits Real Life

Assistive technology (AT) can be a simple aid, a piece of equipment, or a more complex device that helps a person complete everyday activities. The useful question is not whether an item looks promising in a catalogue. It is whether it fits the person, the task, the environment, and the support available around them.

A Flourish Health occupational therapist assesses those factors in the place the technology will actually be used. Depending on the referral, the process may include comparing options, arranging an appropriate trial, documenting what happened, and preparing a recommendation or report. Scope is confirmed before booking because not every clinician or assessment covers every type of equipment.

We accept referrals across all ages and anywhere in Melbourne, including Melbourne’s eastern and outer-eastern suburbs.

Mobile assessment in the person’s everyday environment
All-ages occupational therapy referrals
Option comparison and trials where clinically appropriate and available
Plan-managed, self-managed, and private referral pathways

What an AT Referral May Be About

These are examples already represented within Flourish Health’s OT service scope. We review the exact item and complexity before accepting the assessment, and may recommend a different specialist when that is safer or more appropriate.

Personal Care & Daily Living

Equipment that may assist with showering, toileting, dressing, meal preparation, positioning, or another everyday task.

Mobility & Transfers

Mobility aids, wheelchairs, transfer equipment, or related options where the referral matches clinician scope.

Seating & Pressure Care

Seating, cushions, mattresses, or positioning equipment considered alongside posture, comfort, skin risk, and daily use.

Communication Technology

Technology that supports communication, considered with the person and relevant members of the clinical or support team.

Environmental Controls

Technology or controls that may assist a person to operate parts of their home environment more safely or independently.

Task-Specific Equipment

Aids for a defined home, community, study, or work task where an OT assessment is the appropriate pathway.

Assistive Technology Assessments Explained

What the occupational therapist assesses

An AT recommendation starts with the person rather than the product. The OT clarifies what the person wants or needs to do, what is difficult now, and what has already been tried. They consider physical, sensory, cognitive, communication, and psychosocial factors only to the extent relevant to the referral.

The environment matters just as much. Door widths, floor surfaces, storage, turning space, steps, power access, transport, school or workplace routines, and the availability of informal or paid support can all affect whether an option is practical. A mobile visit lets the OT see these constraints rather than assume them.

The assessment also considers safety, ease of use, maintenance, adjustment, growth or changing needs, and how the item may interact with other supports. The final scope varies: a straightforward daily-living aid is not the same clinical task as complex seating, powered mobility, communication technology, or a transfer system.

Trials, comparison, and supplier information

Where a trial is appropriate and available, the aim is to gather evidence in realistic tasks and settings. The OT may compare more than one option, observe whether the person can use it safely, ask the person and support team for feedback, and record any adjustments or accessories needed. A trial is useful evidence, but it is not a guarantee that the item will be supplied or funded.

Supplier involvement depends on the item. The OT remains responsible for their clinical reasoning; a product demonstration or quote does not replace assessment. We confirm who needs to attend, where the trial can occur, and what information must be available before it is arranged.

If a preferred item is unavailable, does not fit, or creates a safety concern, the useful outcome may be to reconsider the option rather than force a recommendation. That protects the person from receiving technology that cannot be used consistently in daily life.

What the recommendation or report may include

The document is matched to the referral and the evidence required. It may describe the person’s goals and functional needs, their current equipment, the environment, options considered, trial observations, safety and support considerations, and the clinical reasoning for a recommendation. It may also identify training, adjustment, maintenance, or review needs.

For an NDIS request, the NDIA’s current guidance says a general AT assessment should explain how the technology relates to goals, previous technology, other supports, and any trial evidence. An allied health practitioner, rehabilitation engineer, or other suitably qualified advisor may provide evidence depending on the item. Read the NDIS general assistive technology assessment guidance for the scheme’s current requirements.

Flourish provides OT assessment evidence. The NDIA decides whether an NDIS support meets the law and funding criteria, and a plan manager confirms whether an invoice can be paid from the participant’s available budget. We do not promise approval, a funding level, a supplier, or a delivery date.

Mobile AT assessment across Melbourne

Flourish Health does not operate a public clinic. Our occupational therapists accept referrals from anywhere in Melbourne and attend an appropriate home, school, workplace, or community setting when an in-person assessment is required. That includes the eastern suburbs as well as the wider metropolitan area.

Eastern and outer-eastern coverage includes communities across Knox, Maroondah, Whitehorse, Monash, Manningham, and nearby parts of the Yarra Ranges. Location alone does not guarantee a booking; we match the referral to the item, age, setting, clinician scope, travel, and current capacity.

Some planning, document review, training, or follow-up may be suitable by telehealth. Where safe use, fit, transfers, posture, access, or environmental dimensions need direct observation, the OT will explain why a mobile visit or supplier trial is required.

Funding and Referral Fit

We confirm the assessment scope, funding pathway, and likely next steps before the service begins.

Self-Managed NDIS

We accept self-managed referrals. The participant or nominee confirms that the assessment and any proposed AT are consistent with the plan and current NDIS requirements.

Plan-Managed NDIS

We accept plan-managed referrals. The plan manager or support coordinator should confirm the available funding pathway before the assessment proceeds.

Private Referral

Private assessment may be available after we confirm that the request matches occupational therapy scope and current clinician capacity.

Why choose Flourish Health

A careful AT recommendation depends on the person, the task, the environment, and the evidence—not a product list.

Real-Environment Assessment

Our mobile model lets the OT consider the space and routines in which the technology will actually be used.

AHPRA-Registered OTs

The assessment is completed by an occupational therapist, with item and complexity matched to current clinician scope.

Options Before Conclusions

Where appropriate and available, trials and comparison help test fit, safety, usability, and environmental constraints.

Clear Clinical Reasoning

Recommendations connect the person’s goals and functional needs with the evidence gathered during assessment.

Melbourne-Wide Mobile Service

We accept referrals from anywhere in Melbourne, including the eastern suburbs.

Decision Boundaries

We explain what the OT evidence supports while leaving funding decisions to the NDIA or relevant payer.

Your Assistive Technology Assessment

The exact steps vary by item, but the referral moves through a clear assessment and evidence pathway.

Step 1

Send the Referral

Tell us the goal, task, environment, and equipment being considered.

Step 2

Confirm Fit

We check clinician scope, setting, funding pathway, documents, and likely assessment needs.

Step 3

Assess

The OT assesses relevant function, tasks, risks, supports, and the real environment.

Step 4

Compare or Trial

Options may be compared or trialled when clinically appropriate and available.

Step 5

Recommend

You receive the agreed recommendation, report, training, or follow-up for the referral scope.

Refer for an AT Assessment

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an assistive technology assessment?

An assistive technology assessment looks at the person’s goals, daily activities, abilities, environment, and existing supports to work out whether equipment or technology may help. The occupational therapist considers fit, safety, usability, and how the proposed item would work in real life before making a recommendation.

What ages do you accept for assistive technology assessments?

Flourish Health accepts occupational therapy referrals across all ages. The exact assistive technology scope depends on the person’s goals, the equipment being considered, clinical suitability, and current clinician capacity. We confirm fit before booking.

Where does the assessment take place?

Flourish Health is mobile-only. We usually assess in the home or another everyday setting where the equipment would be used. We accept referrals from anywhere in Melbourne, including the eastern suburbs. Telehealth may support suitable planning or follow-up components, but it does not replace an in-person assessment when the item or risk requires one.

Will I be able to trial equipment first?

A trial may be recommended when it is clinically appropriate and a suitable item is available from a supplier. The need, location, participants, and length of a trial vary by item and circumstance. We do not promise supplier stock or a particular trial timeframe before checking availability.

Can you guarantee that the NDIS will fund the recommended equipment?

No. An OT assessment and report can provide functional evidence and clinical reasoning, but the NDIA decides whether a support meets NDIS laws and funding criteria. We do not guarantee approval, a funding amount, supplier availability, or plan inclusion.

Can I use plan-managed or self-managed NDIS funding?

We work with plan-managed and self-managed NDIS participants. Whether the assessment or proposed item can be paid from a particular plan depends on the person’s goals, budget, and current NDIS requirements. Your plan manager or support coordinator should confirm funding before the assessment proceeds.

Is an assistive technology assessment the same as an FCA?

No. A functional capacity assessment gives a broad picture of function across multiple life areas. An assistive technology assessment focuses on an equipment or technology need, how options perform in the person’s environment, and the evidence for a recommendation. The two assessments may be related, but each has a different referral question.

What should I send with the referral?

Send the referral question, the person’s goals, where the equipment will be used, any current or previously tried equipment, relevant reports, and key contact details for the support team. Do not delay a referral if something is missing; we can identify the information needed after reviewing it.

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