Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA)

NDIS Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) — Occupational Therapy in Melbourne

A Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) is a comprehensive occupational therapy report that evaluates how a person manages the activities of daily life — and identifies the supports, equipment, and modifications needed to maximise independence. For NDIS participants, an FCA is one of the most important clinical documents in a plan: it informs plan reviews, supports funding requests for assistive technology, and underpins applications for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and Supported Independent Living (SIL).

At Ability Rehab in Ivanhoe East, our occupational therapists conduct FCAs across Melbourne for NDIS participants, plan-managed and self-managed clients, support coordinators, GPs, specialists, plan managers, and aged care providers. Every FCA is conducted by an experienced AHPRA-registered OT and produces a clinical report written specifically for the audience that needs it — whether that's a NDIS planner, an Assistive Technology funding panel, or a treating specialist.

Our team includes Directors with backgrounds in medico-legal expert witness work, complex disability, neurological rehabilitation, intellectual disability, and behaviours of concern. We deliver FCAs in clinic, via telehealth, in the home, and across community and aged care settings anywhere across Melbourne.

Three Ways to Access Therapy

We offer three ways to access therapy — whichever works best for you and your family.

What is a Functional Capacity Assessment?

A Functional Capacity Assessment is a structured clinical evaluation, conducted by an occupational therapist, that examines how a person performs across the core domains of daily life — self-care, mobility, domestic tasks, community participation, social and cognitive functioning, and communication. The aim is to provide an evidence-based picture of the person's strengths, functional limitations, and support needs at a specific point in time.

An FCA is more than a list of impairments. It documents what the person can do, what they need support to do, what reasonable adjustments or assistive technology would help, and what the implications are for therapy, accommodation, and funding. It's intended to be useful — to the participant, their family, support coordinators, plan managers, and the funding bodies who rely on the report to make decisions.

FCAs are commonly used in the NDIS context, but they're also relevant for Home Care Packages, transport accident insurance, and private health pathways. The report's structure and emphasis is tailored to the audience and purpose.

Why You Might Need an FCA

An FCA is usually requested when a clear, evidence-based document is needed to support a decision about funding, accommodation, equipment, or therapy. Common reasons clients are referred for an FCA include:

What's Included in Our FCA Process

Every FCA at Ability Rehab follows a structured process designed to produce a thorough, defensible report. The exact balance of clinical work depends on the complexity of the presentation and the purpose of the assessment, but the core process is consistent:

1. Initial Intake & Referral Review Our admin team confirms the referral, checks the funding pathway (NDIS, HCP, private, etc.), and collects any existing reports — medical letters, prior allied health correspondence, hospital discharge summaries, current NDIS plan.
2. Information Gathering & Clinical Review The assigned OT reviews all background information, clarifies the purpose of the assessment with the referrer, and identifies the most appropriate standardised assessment tools for the assessment.
3. Initial Consultation Meeting with the client and their support network — family, support coordinator, support workers — to understand goals, current routines, and lived experience. This is usually the first detailed clinical conversation.
4. Standardised Assessments & Functional Observation Use of validated assessment tools alongside direct observation of the person performing tasks in their home, school, or community environment. Tools commonly used include WHODAS 2.0, DASS 21, Sensory assessments and others that match the clinical presentation.
5. Goal Clarification & Recommendations Synthesis of findings into clear, prioritised recommendations covering therapy, assistive technology, accommodation needs, and any further assessment required.
6. Comprehensive Written Report A detailed, structured FCA report written for the relevant audience — NDIS planner, AT funding panel, SDA assessor, support coordinator, GP, or specialist. Reports are typically 15–30 pages depending on complexity.
7. Feedback Session & Follow-Up Walk-through of the report with the client and support network to make sure findings and recommendations are clearly understood. Follow-up clarification is provided to support coordinators or planners as needed.

What's in Your FCA Report

Our FCA reports are written to be genuinely useful — clear enough for the participant and their family, rigorous enough for clinical review, and structured enough to support funding decisions. A typical Ability Rehab FCA report includes:

How Long Does an FCA Take?

An FCA is not a single appointment — it's a clinical project that typically spans four to eight weeks from intake to final report. The timing breaks down approximately as follows:

• Intake and information gathering — usually 1 week, depending on how quickly background documents are received
• Direct assessment time — 4 to 6 hours of clinical contact, often split across 2–3 appointments in different settings
• Report writing — 6 to 8 hours of clinical work depending on the complexity, length, and audience of the report

For urgent FCAs — such as when a plan review is imminent or an AT funding decision is time-critical — we can expedite the process. The best first step is a phone call with our admin team to confirm what's needed and by when.

FCA Costs and Funding

FCA costs depend on the complexity of the presentation and the time required for clinical work, home visits, and report writing. We provide a clear cost estimate before the assessment begins, so there are no surprises.

Common funding pathways for FCAs include:

• NDIS — billed under Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living at the NDIS Price Guide rate for occupational therapy. Self-managed, plan-managed, and NDIA-managed participants are all supported.
• Home Care Packages (HCP) — FCAs can be funded through HCP allied health budgets at all package levels.
• Transport Accident Commission (TAC) — accepted for return-to-work, accommodation, and equipment claims.
• Private fee-for-service — for clients without funding, or where funding doesn't cover the assessment scope.
• Medicare Chronic Disease Management (CDM) — partial rebate available with a GP referral, though the rebate doesn't cover the full cost of a comprehensive FCA.

For details on private fees and rebates, visit our Medicare & Private Fees page or call us on 0478 491 188.

Specialised Training and Expertise

FCAs vary widely in complexity. A baseline FCA for a person with a single, stable presentation is fundamentally different from an FCA for a person with multiple co-occurring conditions, behaviours of concern, complex communication needs, or a recent neurological event. Our team's depth of training across these areas allows us to take on assessments that other providers may not be equipped for.

Meet Our FCA Team

Functional Capacity Assessments at Ability Rehab are conducted by experienced occupational therapists, with senior oversight by our Directors and Team Leader. Full bios for every clinician are available on our Our Clinicians page.

Related Occupational Therapy Services

An FCA often leads into one or more related OT services. Once your assessment is complete, our team can provide:

FCAs Across Melbourne

Our clinic is based in Ivanhoe East, and we deliver FCAs anywhere across Melbourne via our three service modes — in-clinic, telehealth (where clinically appropriate), and mobile home visits. Many FCAs include a home or community visit, since direct observation in the person's actual environment is often the strongest source of clinical evidence. We have particular concentration of FCA work across Melbourne's north-east, including:

How to Request an FCA

Requesting an FCA at Ability Rehab is straightforward. The simplest first step is to contact us — we'll have a brief conversation about who the assessment is for, what it's needed for, and what the funding pathway is.

The standard process is:

• Submit a referral via our Make a Referral form, or call us on 0478 491 188
• Confirmation call from our admin team within 1 business day to confirm details and the funding pathway
• Quote and scheduling — you'll receive a clear cost estimate and we'll book in the initial appointment
• Assessment and report — timing from intake to final report depends on complexity

Support coordinators, plan managers, GPs, specialists, and family members can all submit referrals on behalf of a participant.

Functional Capacity Assessment – Frequently Asked Questions