Occupational Therapy
Eastern Suburbs
Melbourne

Why the mobile setting matters

Occupational therapy is concerned with participation in everyday activities. A mobile visit can show the OT the real layout, routines, supports, and obstacles involved in those activities. For an FCA, that may mean observing how a person moves through the home or manages daily tasks. For AT or home modifications, dimensions, surfaces, storage, access, and support-worker practices may be central to the recommendation.

For ongoing therapy, the setting may help turn a goal into a practical routine. A school or community visit may be relevant where participation in that environment is the referral question. The location is chosen because it is clinically useful and suitable, not simply because it is convenient.

Flourish does not operate a public clinic. If part of the work can be completed safely by telehealth—such as a suitable planning conversation, document review, or follow-up—we can discuss that option. Some assessments still require direct observation in the environment.

Occupational therapy across all ages

Our OT age scope is all ages. A child’s referral may concern play, self-care, routines, school participation, motor or sensory needs. An adolescent or adult referral may concern study, work, community access, home tasks, disability support, equipment, housing, or mental health. An older adult may need assessment of function, safety, access, or equipment.

Age alone does not establish service fit. We review the referral question, requested service, condition and risk information relevant to the work, setting, and clinician capacity. If the requested work needs a specialty that is not currently available, the safer answer is to say so rather than accept an unsuitable referral.

Speech Pathology also accepts all ages. Children and adolescents aged 0–18 have a dedicated pathway; families in the east can review the paediatric Speech Pathology Melbourne pathway.

Eastern and outer-eastern areas

We accept referrals from communities across the following local areas. The suburb lists are a guide, not guaranteed appointment zones. Travel and clinician availability are confirmed for each referral.

Nearby suburb not listed? You can still submit the referral. We accept mobile OT referrals from anywhere in Melbourne and confirm the practical travel arrangement after reviewing the requested service.

Clear pathways for participants and professional referrers

A participant or family member can self-refer. Support coordinators, plan managers, GPs, specialists, allied health professionals, schools, case managers, and other authorised people may also refer. A GP referral is not required for ordinary OT access, although a particular funding pathway may have its own documentation rules.

A useful referral tells us the person’s goals, the main question to answer, the setting, the preferred contact, and any important date. For an assessment report, attach existing information that helps define the question. For AT or housing work, include what has already been tried and the people who need to be consulted where known.

You do not need to diagnose the correct service page yourself. If the request could be an FCA, SIL, SDA, AT, home modification, or ongoing therapy referral, describe the problem in plain language. We review it before confirming the pathway, scope, expected timing, and funding arrangement.

Outside the eastern suburbs?

Our mobile service accepts referrals from across Melbourne, not only the eastern suburbs.

Referrals from Melbourne’s north, west, inner suburbs, south-east, and bayside remain welcome. We assess the same factors for every location: service type, age, environment, clinician fit, case complexity, travel, and current capacity. Telehealth may be available Australia-wide when the work is clinically suitable for remote delivery.

First appointments are typically scheduled within one to two weeks, but that is not a guaranteed wait time. We provide an expected timeframe after reviewing the referral and update the referrer if the requested service or location affects timing.