RTC are an independent company providing occupational therapy services for clients with a range of disabilities and injuries. We specialise in the vocational rehabilitation of injured and disabled clients to assist them to achieve their vocational goals.

RTC is owned and managed by Kay McArthur BSc OT, MSc VR, an occupational therapist specialising in vocational rehabilitation. Kay has worked as an independent OT for over 12 years working within the field of vocational rehabilitation and case management within the UK and Australia.

RTC’s therapy practice covers a breadth of clinical areas including complex physical and orthopaedic injuries, hand injuries, amputation of upper and lower limb, prosthetic rehabilitation and associated psychological symptoms including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). All our services involve extensive liaison with all key stakeholders including medical professionals, family & carers, disability employment advisors, insurers, solicitors, treating practitioners and employers. Our ethos is that above all the individual is at the centre of the process and that with every assessment and intervention a holistic approach is adopted to address all aspects of their life and the areas their injury or disability has impacted on them.

Our services

RTC’s variety of specialist services aim to provide client focused interventions to promote and facilitate independence, recovery and return to work.

• Occupational Therapy assessments.
• Vocational Rehabilitation.
• Vocational Redirection / Job seeking support.
• Occupational Health & Therapy Services.
• Functional Capacity Evaluations.
• Training.

CV’s available on request.

"Vanliners used RTC to complete Occupational Health Assessment on two of our employees. This included an initial assessment, feedback about the individuals needs and continued support. Kay was superb in making sure that we, as an employer, were kept in the loop through the whole process and individuals involved were made to feel at ease throughout and confident in Kay's ability as an OT. With Kay's help and guidance, we have been able to provide the support needed for our employees to have a happy and health work environment. The advice she has given has also helped the individuals on a personal level, improving their health through better lifestyle choices. Kay provides a first-class service from start to finish, we could not recommend RTC highly enough."

Independence Works - www.independenceworks.net

Case Management Society UK website - www.cmsuk.org

Vocational Rehabilitation Association website - www.vra-uk.org

College of Occupational therapists - www.cot.co.uk

Health and Care Professions Council- www.hcpc-uk.co.uk

Functional capacity evaluations(FCE’s) are carried out by occupational therapists trained and experienced in the Matheson FCE system.  They are an objective and customised assessment of the individual’s functional capabilities in terms of their mobility, fitness and stamina, effort, manual handling, symptoms and pain. A combination of observation, clinical reasoning and professional judgement is applied to establish an objective evaluation in relation to an individual’s capacity for work or against specific job requirements.  This objective evaluation is presented in the form of an in-depth thorough report.

If you wish to make an enquiry or discuss any of our services please contact us by telephone, email or post.

Occupational Therapists assist individuals who have a health condition, disability or injury whether it be physical or psychological to maintain, improve or regain their independence in everyday tasks (occupations) to enhance their health and well being.

RTC provide occupational therapy assessments to a  range of customers including case managers, insurance companies, solicitors and individual clients and their families.  These assessments usually take place in the individual’s home and assess their current function, medical and condition history, current symptoms, home environment and daily routine to establish client centred recommendations aimed at increasing their independence at home. This can include equipment advice and recommendations.

Kay McArthur, Director of RTC is the clinical occupational therapist for PACE Rehabilitation (Cheadle Branch) providing occupational therapy assessment, recommendation, treatment and vocational rehabilitation for amputees and prosthetic users. 

"Vanliners used RTC to complete Occupational Health Assessment on two of our employees. This included an initial assessment, feedback about the individuals needs and continued support. Kay was superb in making sure that we, as an employer, were kept in the loop through the whole process and individuals involved were made to feel at ease throughout and confident in Kay's ability as an OT. With Kay's help and guidance, we have been able to provide the support needed for our employees to have a happy and health work environment. The advice she has given has also helped the individuals on a personal level, improving their health through better lifestyle choices. Kay provides a first-class service from start to finish, we could not recommend RTC highly enough."

RTC provides tailored support to individuals who find themselves unable to return to their pre-injury job or career for a number of reasons. For these individuals identifying a new job role that they can manage physically and in terms of their work skills can be a daunting and sometimes overwhelming task. 

We aim to help make this process

A structured programme is designed and developed with the aim to support the individual in identifying their own capabilities, skills and interests in relation to work and prepare for and apply for suitable alternative job roles. 

This intervention and support is predominantly telephone and electronically based where appropriate but does involve a thorough face to face functional capacity assessment in order to assist the client to clearly identify their individual physical ability and limitations. The programme is aimed to provide clients with the necessary tools to independently job seek and assists them to work through this often complex process step by step.

This interventions within this service aim to be tailored to each individual but may include some or all of the following:

• In depth interview focusing on injury or condition history and in depth career background and work experience.
• Support and guidance with CV development or updating.
• Transferrable skills analysis.
• Functional capacity based evaluation (FCE) to identify physical ability and limitations
• Support and guidance on job application & approaching employers.
• Support in identifying suitable training needs.
• Support with labour market research to identify jobs available within the clients local labour market.
• Assistance with interview preparation.
• Arranging and monitoring work hardening programme.
• Job simulation.

Our vocational rehabilitation encompasses a wide range of services and assessments.

These include:

• worksite assessments/evaluations
• job demands analysis
• job retention services
• the development and monitoring of phased return to work plans
• close liaison and regular communication with employee and employer where appropriate
• recommendations for adaptations and reasonable adjustments within the workplace
• Vocational redirection/ job seeking assistance for those looking for new employment.

Our customers include insurers, claimants solicitors and employers.

RTC has been providing a range of customised courses over the last 9 years for professionals and organisations.  These include:

• Vocational rehabilitation: incorporating an introduction to vocational rehabilitation, assessing the individual and their workplace, the development of graded return to work plans and how to asisst clients to seek new employment.
• Disability awareness, equipment and adaptations.
• Workstation adjustment for employees.

RTC offers occupational health and therapy services direct to employers to support them in managing a range of occupational health issues such as sickness absence, injury management and phased return to work as well as prevention strategies for reducing risk and improving the health and well being of employees.  RTC’s service is unique and differs from traditional occupational health input in that it is provided by qualified occupational therapists and is focused on an individual’s physical and psychological function and capacity for work.

We know from experience that organisations and companies differ in their size, structure and operation and that all employers and their employees therefore have different needs when it comes to their health and well being at work.  For this reason RTC offers bespoke services to employers to assist and support them in the management of their occupational health issues and will tailor services to meet their unique needs.

Examples of some of the occupational health & therapy services RTC provides:

• Telephone based ‘first response’ or triage assessments

Initial contact is made with the employee following illness, injury or absence from work and an assessment is completed to establish their medical status and obtain an overview of their functional capacity for work. Recommendations are work focused and would detail interventions such as a short course of physiotherapy or counselling to aid their successful return to or remaining in work. These assessments are accompanied by a brief report which goes to all parties to reinforce transparency and enhance collaborative working and a positive return to work. 

• Worksite assessments & ergonomic assessments

Conducted on site and together with both employee and their relevant manager or colleague. Worksite assessments involve detailed observation & assessment of the physical and psychological demands of individual job role and the employees workstation or work environment. From this process recommendations are made by the OT aimed to assist the employee safely back to work or to sustain their work role.  

• Development and monitoring of return to work programmes

When a gradual return to work is recommended following a period of absence, illness or injury,  a phased or graded return to work plan can be implemented.  This provides recommended structure for the individuals return to the workplace detailing recommend hours, duties and any restrictions.   The key to a successful phased return to work is that a fixed time period is agreed between all parties, that the employee gradually increase their hours and duties over this agreed period of time in line with medical guidance and that the program is regularly reviewed and monitored to ensure a sustainable return to work.

• Functional Capacity Evaluations

A Functional Capacity Evaluation or FCE is an objective and tailored assessment of an individual’s functional capabilities in terms of their mobility, fitness and stamina, effort, manual handling, symptoms and pain. An FCE involves observation, clinical reasoning and professional judgement to establish an objective evaluation in relation to an individual’s capacity for work or against specific job requirements.  It incorporates standardised and non standardised assessment tools.  These assessments can assist employers and employees in safely establishing any limitations or long term restrictions to ensure safe working practices.

• Vocational Case management services

Vocational rehabilitation and case management is simply the management and coordination of an individual’s return to work. The OT acts as a key contact and liaison person for all involved monitoring phased return to work plans, treatment progress and liaising with key health and medical practitioners alongside the individual and their employer.  

• Vocational redirection

Despite everyone’s best efforts, sometimes it is not possible, for a variety of reasons for an individual employee to safely return to their contracted job role.  In these circumstances vocational redirection can be implemented. This involves the OT working closely with the employee to assist them to identifying a suitable alternative job either with their current employer or a new employer. The OT will work with the individual to identify their physical and psychological capacity for work along with any limitations. The service is individual but can include functional assessment, transferrable skills analysis, CV development, job seeking support and interview preparation.

"Vanliners used RTC to complete Occupational Health Assessment on two of our employees. This included an initial assessment, feedback about the individuals needs and continued support. Kay was superb in making sure that we, as an employer, were kept in the loop through the whole process and individuals involved were made to feel at ease throughout and confident in Kay's ability as an OT. With Kay's help and guidance, we have been able to provide the support needed for our employees to have a happy and health work environment. The advice she has given has also helped the individuals on a personal level, improving their health through better lifestyle choices. Kay provides a first-class service from start to finish, we could not recommend RTC highly enough."