Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA)
Clinically reviewed by Angela Lander, AHPRA-registered Occupational Therapist and Director of Occupational Therapy — last reviewed July 2026.
NDIS Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) — Occupational Therapy in Melbourne
A Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) is a comprehensive occupational therapy report. Specifically, it evaluates how a person manages the activities of daily life. It then identifies the supports, equipment, and modifications that maximise independence. For NDIS participants, an FCA is one of the most important clinical documents in a plan. It informs plan reviews and supports funding requests for assistive technology. Furthermore, it underpins applications for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and Supported Independent Living (SIL).
At Ability Rehab in Ivanhoe East, our occupational therapists conduct FCAs right across Melbourne. Specifically, we work with NDIS participants and plan-managed or self-managed clients. We also report to support coordinators, GPs, specialists, plan managers, and aged care providers. An experienced AHPRA-registered OT conducts every FCA. Importantly, we write each report for the audience that needs it.
Our Directors bring backgrounds in medico-legal expert witness work and complex disability. Their experience also covers neurological rehabilitation, intellectual disability, and behaviours of concern. Meanwhile, we deliver FCAs in clinic, via telehealth, and in the home. We also cover community and aged care settings across Melbourne.
Need an FCA for a plan review, AT funding request, or SIL/SDA application?
Request an FCAThis is one of our occupational therapy sub-services. For our full range of OT supports, visit our occupational therapy page.
What is a Functional Capacity Assessment?
A Functional Capacity Assessment is a structured clinical evaluation that an occupational therapist conducts. It examines how a person performs across the core domains of daily life. Specifically, those domains cover self-care, mobility, domestic tasks, and community participation. They also cover social and cognitive functioning, and communication. Above all, the FCA gives an evidence-based picture of strengths, limitations, and support needs at one point in time.
An FCA is more than a list of impairments. First, it documents what the person can do, and what they need support to do. Then it sets out which reasonable adjustments or assistive technology would help. Finally, it draws out the implications for therapy, accommodation, and funding. Above all, the report has to be useful. That means useful to the participant, their family, support coordinators, plan managers, and the funding bodies deciding on it.
Most FCAs sit in the NDIS context. However, they also apply to Home Care Packages, transport accident insurance, and private health pathways. In each case, we shape the report's structure and emphasis around the audience and purpose.
Who Can Conduct a Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA)?
Occupational Therapists hold the qualifications to assess a person’s function and participation in everyday life.
Occupational Therapy is a registered qualification; all clinicians must hold current registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). So you are entitled to ask about a practitioner’s registration. You can also ask about their experience with the report you need. After all, an FCA supporting a home modification request draws on different knowledge than a plan reassessment.
At Ability Rehab, an AHPRA-registered occupational therapist completes every FCA. Furthermore, our Directors (Occupational Therapists) and Team Leaders provide senior oversight.
Do You Need an FCA?
To access the NDIS, a person must demonstrate ongoing functional impairment across multiple areas of life. An FCA sets out which daily tasks you manage, and which ones need assistance. Consequently, the NDIS can understand your overall function. It can then judge whether you meet the access criteria.
An FCA is not mandatory. However, it is often the best way to demonstrate your overall strengths and limitations. Indeed, reviewers give it significant weight.
Common reasons for an FCA referral include:
Three Ways to Access Therapy
We offer three ways to access therapy, so you can choose whichever works best for you.
What's Included in Our FCA Process
Every FCA at Ability Rehab follows a structured process that produces a thorough, defensible report. Naturally, the exact balance of clinical work depends on complexity and purpose. However, the core process stays consistent:
- Initial Intake & Referral Review Our admin team confirms the referral and checks the funding pathway (NDIS, HCP, private). They also collect existing reports, such as medical letters, prior allied health correspondence, discharge summaries, and the current NDIS plan.
- Information Gathering & Clinical Review The assigned OT reviews all background information and clarifies the purpose with the referrer. They then identify the most appropriate standardised assessment tools.
- Initial Consultation We meet the client and their support network, including family, support coordinator, and support workers. The aim is to understand goals, current routines, and lived experience. Typically, this is the first detailed clinical conversation.
- Standardised Assessments & Functional Observation We use validated assessment tools alongside direct observation. Specifically, we watch the person perform tasks at home, at school, or in the community. Common tools include WHODAS 2.0, DASS 21, and sensory assessments, plus others matching the presentation.
- Goal Clarification & Recommendations We synthesise the findings into clear, prioritised recommendations. Specifically, those cover therapy, assistive technology, accommodation, and any further assessment.
- Comprehensive Written Report A detailed, structured FCA report, written for the relevant audience. Typically, that is an NDIS planner, AT funding panel, SDA assessor, support coordinator, GP, or specialist. Reports usually run 15–30 pages, depending on complexity.
- Feedback Session & Follow-Up We walk through the report with the client and support network. As a result, the findings and recommendations land clearly. Afterwards, we provide follow-up clarification to support coordinators or planners as needed.
What's in Your FCA Report
We write our FCA reports to be useful in practice. Specifically, they stay clear enough for the participant and family, yet rigorous enough for clinical review. Above all, they are structured to support funding decisions. A typical Ability Rehab FCA report includes:
FCA Report Contents
- Background and presenting context — diagnosis, history, current supports, and reason for assessment
- Assessment methods — standardised tools used, observation settings, and information sources
- Strengths and abilities — what the person does well and what they're working towards
- Functional analysis across domains — self-care, mobility, domestic, community access, social, cognitive, communication
- General clinical observations — sensory, cognitive, physical and psychosocial factors, where relevant to the funding decision
- Support needs — general observations and recommendations about the type and level of support that may assist day to day
- Recommendations — for therapy, assistive technology, home modifications, accommodation, and further assessment
- Goals and intervention priorities — measurable goals aligned with the participant's stated priorities
- Risk considerations — relevant safety, falls, behaviour, or environmental risks identified
NDIS Functional Capacity Assessment
The NDIS funds most of the FCAs we conduct. Ability Rehab is a registered NDIS provider, and our team has worked in the NDIS since the local rollout. Furthermore, we support NDIA-managed, plan-managed, and self-managed participants. We also work closely with support coordinators and plan managers, so reports land within the timeframe required.
Our NDIS FCAs commonly support:
- Plan reviews and reassessments — providing the functional evidence needed to demonstrate ongoing support requirements
- AT (Assistive Technology) funding — including complex AT requests requiring detailed clinical justification
- Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) — functional capacity evidence for SDA applications and design category recommendations
- Supported Independent Living (SIL) — clinical evidence to inform support intensity and SIL roster design
- Home Modifications — minor and complex modifications, including liaison with builders and OT-AT specialists
- Capacity-building therapy planning — establishing functional baselines for measurable goal-directed intervention
We bill NDIS FCAs under Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living. Specifically, we charge the standard NDIS Price Guide rate for occupational therapy. Naturally, we provide a clear cost estimate before the assessment begins.
How Long Does an FCA Take?
An FCA is not a single appointment. Instead, it is a clinical project that typically spans four to eight weeks from intake to final report. The timing breaks down roughly as follows:
- Intake and information gathering — usually 1 week, depending on how quickly background documents arrive
- 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
Sometimes an FCA is urgent, because a plan review is imminent or an AT funding decision is time-critical. In those cases, 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 complexity, and on the time needed for clinical work, home visits, and report writing. Therefore, 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) — HCP allied health budgets can fund an FCA 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 Condition Management (CCM) — a partial rebate with a GP referral. However, it does not cover the full cost of a comprehensive FCA.
For details on private fees and rebates, visit our Medicare & Private Fees page. Alternatively, call us on 0478 491 188.
What affects the cost of an FCA?
We price an FCA on the clinical time it takes, rather than as a flat fee. That is because the work varies considerably with complexity. The main factors are:
- Complexity of the presentation — co-occurring conditions, communication needs or behaviours of concern all extend assessment and reporting time.
- Number of settings visited — a home visit, a school observation and a community assessment each add time.
- Report length — our FCA reports typically run approximately 15 to 30 pages depending on scope.
- Travel — where the assessment takes place across Melbourne.
Specialised Training and Expertise
FCAs vary widely in complexity. A baseline FCA for a single, stable presentation is fundamentally different from a complex one. For example, a person may have multiple co-occurring conditions or behaviours of concern. Similarly, they may have complex communication needs or a recent neurological event. Because our team trains deeply across these areas, we take on assessments other providers cannot.
Meet Our FCA Team
Experienced occupational therapists conduct every Functional Capacity Assessment at Ability Rehab. Furthermore, our Directors and Team Leader provide senior oversight. You can read full bios for every clinician 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 sits in Ivanhoe East. However, we deliver FCAs anywhere across Melbourne. Specifically, we offer three service modes — in-clinic, telehealth (where clinically appropriate), and mobile home visits. Many FCAs include a home or community visit. After all, direct observation in the person's own environment is usually the strongest clinical evidence. Most of our FCA work happens across Melbourne's north-east, including:
How to Request an FCA
Requesting an FCA at Ability Rehab is straightforward. First, contact us for a brief conversation. Specifically, we'll cover who the assessment is for, what it's needed for, and the funding pathway.
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, then we'll book 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.
Ready to request an FCA, or want to talk through whether an FCA is what you actually need?
Functional Capacity Assessment – Frequently Asked Questions
What is a functional capacity assessment?
A Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) is a comprehensive clinical evaluation that an occupational therapist conducts. It examines how a person performs across the core domains of daily life. Specifically, those cover self-care, mobility, domestic tasks, community participation, and social and cognitive functioning. The output is a written report. It documents strengths, functional limitations, and support needs. Furthermore, it recommends therapy, equipment, accommodation, and funding.
Who can conduct a Functional Capacity Assessment?
In Australia, occupational therapists typically conduct FCAs. However, physiotherapists and other allied health professionals may also conduct functional assessments, depending on the purpose. For NDIS participants, AHPRA-registered occupational therapists usually write them. That applies to plan reviews, AT funding, SDA, and SIL applications. At Ability Rehab, an experienced AHPRA-registered OT leads every FCA. Furthermore, our Directors and Team Leader provide senior oversight.
How long does an FCA take?
An FCA at Ability Rehab typically involves 4–6 hours of direct clinical contact. Often, we split that across multiple sessions in different settings. Report writing then takes a further 6–8 hours. However, for urgent matters such as imminent plan reviews, we can expedite the process. Call us to discuss.
How much does an FCA cost?
FCA costs depend on complexity, and on the time needed for clinical work, home visits, and report writing. We bill NDIS-funded FCAs under Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living, at the standard NDIS Price Guide rate. Naturally, we provide a clear cost estimate first, so you know exactly what's covered. For private and other funding pathways, see our Medicare & Private Fees page.
What's included in an FCA report?
An Ability Rehab FCA report opens with background and presenting context. Next come the assessment methods, including standardised tools and observation settings. It then sets out strengths and abilities. After that, a functional analysis covers self-care, mobility, domestic, community access, social, cognitive, and communication domains. General observations of sensory, cognitive, physical and psychosocial factors follow. The report also covers support needs in a general sense. Finally, it gives recommendations for therapy, AT, home modifications and accommodation, plus goals, intervention priorities, and risk considerations. Reports usually run 15–30 pages, depending on complexity.
Do I need an FCA for my NDIS plan review?
Not every plan review requires an FCA. However, one often helps when a participant's needs have changed. Similarly, it helps when you are seeking funding for assistive technology, SIL, or SDA. It also helps after a significant change in functional status. If you're unsure, your support coordinator, plan manager, or our admin team can work through the question with you. You're welcome to call us on 0478 491 188 before committing to a referral.
Can I have my FCA conducted at home?
Yes. Indeed, for many FCAs a home visit is a clinically important part of the assessment. Direct observation at home provides much stronger evidence than a clinic assessment alone. That is particularly true for FCAs informing home modifications, AT, SDA, or SIL applications. Our OTs travel anywhere across Melbourne for home, community, school, and aged care visits. Most of that work sits in Melbourne's north-east.
What's the difference between an FCA and a Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE)?
People sometimes use the terms interchangeably. However, in Australian practice a "Functional Capacity Assessment" usually means a broad OT-led assessment of daily-life functioning. Typically, it appears in NDIS, disability, and aged care contexts. By contrast, a "Functional Capacity Evaluation" belongs to workers' compensation and return-to-work, where it evaluates work-related physical capacity. Ability Rehab's FCAs point towards NDIS, disability, aged care, and complex disability presentations.
How do I request an FCA from Ability Rehab?
The simplest way is to submit a referral via our Make a Referral page. Alternatively, call us on 0478 491 188. Our admin team then responds within 1 business day. Specifically, they confirm details and the funding pathway, and provide a cost estimate. Support coordinators, plan managers, GPs, specialists, and family members can all refer on behalf of a participant.