In the job interview with Evidex I was asked if having to restart as the “new kid” would be a bitter pill to swallow (or words to that effect) and while I had to restart my career a few times and was not concerned to do so again, I had no idea of the extent of the challenge ahead.  The need to further develop my report writing skills has been both a revelation and a most stimulating experience.  The importance of being very considered, accurate, impartial and most importantly, realistic, cannot be overstated.  Thankfully the training and support provided by Margaret, Suzie and Fran is of the highest calibre and also readily available.

There are many lines of interest I am tempted to pursue to further enhance my knowledge and skills in this new role.  I could benefit from a visit to the fountain of youth to be able to take them all on!  In the meantime there is a very challenging, stimulating and rewarding job to perform and I have to pinch myself to be sure that I have actually landed a job that has revitalised and renewed my career after all these years!

Paul Stanley

Senior Occupational Therapist

Evidex Melbourne has had a productive year and we look forward to continuing to deliver expert, quality controlled, evidence based reports in a timely and professional manner in 2012.

Our presence earlier this year at the annual Australian Lawyers Alliance conference in Torquay was, as always, a welcome opportunity to meet with some of our clients, while sponsorship of and attendance at the recent ALA Trivia Night, in a most relaxed atmosphere, tested our general knowledge skills.

And so, as the year draws to a close, on behalf of Evidex Melbourne we extend our very best wishes for a happy and safe holiday season and look forward to continuing with our professional partnerships in 2012.

Both Melbourne and Sydney offices will close from 2.00 pm Thursday 22^nd December to reopen for business at 8.30 am Tuesday 3^rd January 2012.

Fran Willcox

Office Manager – Melbourne

Time and time again this experience has provided valuable insight when given the task of preparing economic loss assessments. Each case has it’s own peculiarities but some are more challenging than others. Past work in an industry and the diversity provided by Evidex assessments gives us the experience to meet these challenges.

Personally, I have also found that my involvement in recreational and community interests over the years has proved valuable in my forensic accounting work.

Over my time with Evidex I have prepared a number of assessments for teenagers who showed promise in the sporting field but whose aspirations were dashed by accident. I have also prepared assessments for professional sportsmen.

Past experience as a Regional Director of Coaching for NSW Cricket, identifying talent and working with young elite athletes, has given me an insight into the challenges and pitfalls involved in successfully competing at the elite level. My reports are enhanced by this experience.

It’s good to have Mike McLoughlin back at Evidex. Mike was one of our first forensic accountants and is the brains behind the system that crunches the numbers in our reports. He brings not only his expertise to the office but also his sense of humour.

I’m proud to report that Evidex accountants are not your average accountants!

Ian Davy

Forensic Accountant

Evidex provides Medico-legal Occupational Therapy, Vocational and Assessment of Daily Living reports. It is a company that encourages and arranges the opportunity for ongoing professional development for its employees.   I was given this opportunity recently when I attended a two-day seminar organised by OT Australia NSW on “The Basic Principles of Medico – legal Occupational Therapy.”

After my return to the company, attendance at this seminar provided me with the opportunity to re-assess my work against current Evidence –based practice. It allowed me to review my assessment procedures and subsequent reports in order to maintain the high quality and standards of work that Evidex is recognised for.

As each referral case is different and requires full consideration of that individual’s circumstances and needs regardless of their age or injury, the opportunity to regularly review and upgrade my work through attendance at professional development courses is greatly appreciated.

Diane Prattley, Senior Occupational Therapist, Evidex

Recently a colleague and I had the pleasure of attending “The Basic Principles of Medico Legal Occupational Therapy” in Sydney, presented in conjunction with OT Australia. What strikes me as a relatively new member is the room for evolvement as a Forensic Occupational Therapist, and the ‘essential’ service we provide in order to determine ‘fair and reasonable’ recommendations due to our realm of expertise in relation to key areas such as provision of care, rehabilitation needs, equipment and modification needs. These are not new concepts to understand or impart, but the language, delivery and determination of opinion to justify our clinical reasoning to the court system demands a gold standard of report writing to reflect these opinions as an Expert Witness.  Knowing I have peer reviews and close support from the team at Evidex gives me greater confidence in reaching this continuous goal.

Kate Walch, Occupational Therapist, Evidex

A typical day is busy and varied. Claimants range from adults through to children with varying degrees of injury as a consequence of work related injuries, transport accidents, medical negligence or third-party claims such as slips and falls. In the case of children injured at birth, some are now adults with significant disabilities.

Some days I’m out on the road, visiting claimants in their homes.  I will assess both their present and future needs.  This includes levels of personal care, any equipment or modifications they require or their ability to access their community.

Each case is different and requires research. For instance, one claimant had worked in eight vastly different jobs and had gained a new qualification since injury. Another, but for his injury, could now be working in the mining industry in Western Australia.

Assessing the effect that injuries have had on a person’s independence in activities of daily living and employment can be challenging – but that’s what makes it interesting.

Senior Occupational Therapist, Evidex Victoria

In 12 years of Occupational Therapy I had been exposed to lots of different settings from occupational rehab to acute psychiatry.  I had gained a lot of satisfaction from the thousands of patients I worked with however I felt it was time for a total change – new country, new city, new job and a new challenge.

I had thought about working in the medico-legal area but getting a start seemed both difficult and financially risky on my own.  When I heard about the opening at Evidex in Sydney, it seemed ideal – specialised work, on the job training, support and an attractive starting salary.

I applied from New Zealand, flew to Sydney for interviews and got the job before we left for Australia.

That was just over a year ago and I’ve been asked to describe my experience in that time so that, if you are reading this and are thinking about applying for a medico-legal job with Evidex, you have some idea of what you can expect.

I suppose the two things that made the biggest impression on me at first were just how challenging the work is and how highly developed the systems and processes supporting it are.

Evidex is involved exclusively in medico-legal assessments and reporting.  The people we deal with have an infinite array of impairments from foetal injury to psychological shock.  Our clients are their solicitors.  Our reports are intended for use in legal proceedings and so we form part of the legal system.  Ultimately we serve the Courts, and it is their exacting standards we have to satisfy.

That’s the challenge.  It’s one thing to arrive at a professional opinion about an impaired person’s need for care and assistance or employment prospects, but another to present it in a form that is reasoned, balanced, objective and supported by facts so that a Court – or more to the point, the defendant’s lawyers – will accept it.

“Your work must be bullet-proof”, I was told.

For a new-comer to the field it was reassuring that Evidex’s report formats have been refined by its team of OTs over a dozen years and more than 7000 cases.  The people here have all been through the same learning experience and are very supportive of new staff.

It is very gratifying when you get client feedback that not only has your side accepted your work but the other side has too and the plaintiff has had a good outcome without the stress of protracted, adversarial litigation.

Which is not to say there is no stress in my work.  There can be time pressures –- and occasionally I need to travel out of town, which can mean an early flight and a late night.  Being able to manage day-to-day stress is a valuable attribute.

Having a sympathetic and supportive management certainly helps.  My hours are flexible enough for me to take care of my family, take time off when I feel I need a break, go to my son’s concerts and so on.

My colleagues are all very experienced and professional people, some of whom have been here for many years.  The pay is good, too.  As my manager says, “we pay well to attract the best”.

What else can I tell you?  You need to be able to manage yourself and your time.  You must be able to work without supervision.  You need to be able to work autonomously, and be flexible; and work within established standards and formats.