Allied Health Discipline
Evidence-Based Practice for
Occupational Therapy in Australia
Occupational therapists in Australia are registered with AHPRA under the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia. OT practice spans a broad scope — from functional capacity evaluations for the NDIS to cognitive rehabilitation post-stroke, hand therapy, paediatric developmental support, and mental health recovery. A robust evidence base underpins each of these areas, including the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) position statements and Cochrane reviews. OpenBook Clinical surfaces this evidence in seconds, graded by level and quality.
Key Clinical Conditions
- Activities of daily living (ADL) impairment post-stroke
- Cognitive rehabilitation following acquired brain injury
- NDIS functional capacity assessment and goal-setting
- Hand and upper limb rehabilitation
- Sensory processing disorders in children
- Mental health recovery and psychosocial disability
- Falls prevention in older adults
- Home modification assessment
Key Assessment Tools
- Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS)
- Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM)
- Functional Independence Measure (FIM)
- Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool (MOHOST)
Databases Searched
- OTseeker (Occupational Therapy systematic reviews)
- Cochrane Mental Health and Rehabilitation Groups
- PubMed / MEDLINE
- NHMRC Clinical Practice Guidelines
Australian Guidelines
- NDIS Operational Guidelines — Functional Capacity Assessment
- Australian Commission on Safety and Quality — Cognitive Impairment Care Standard
- Aged Care Quality Standards — Australian Government
- OT Australia Professional Standards and Code of Ethics
Ready to search the Occupational Therapy evidence base?
OpenBook Clinical searches 35 million papers across PubMed, Cochrane, and Australian guidelines. AI-synthesised summaries. Evidence graded by quality. Free to try.