Occupational therapy expert witness

Areas of occupational therapy opinion

• Occupational performance and the functional impact of symptoms or impairment
• Personal care, domestic activity, family roles and day-to-day independence
• Cognition, executive function, fatigue, routine, safety and self-management
• Housing, equipment, adaptations, assistive technology and environmental barriers
• Care, support, rehabilitation, case-management and occupational therapy needs
• Education, employment, vocational function and sustainable return to work
• Community access, parenting, leisure and other valued life roles
• Proportionate, reasoned and costed options where within the agreed scope

The exact questions, evidence base, assumptions, exclusions and limits of opinion are confirmed for each instruction. ProActive Therapy does not offer medical diagnosis, legal conclusions or opinions outside occupational therapy competence.

Services available where instructed

• Proportionate records and evidence review
• Interview, observation and functional assessment
• Home, community, workplace or remote assessment where evidentially appropriate
• Independent occupational therapy reports
• Responses to properly authorised questions
• Conferences with legal representatives
• Joint discussions and joint statements
• Court or tribunal attendance

Independence and duty to the court

When acting as an expert, Connor Harpur’s overriding duty is to help the court on matters within his occupational therapy expertise. The opinion is independent, objective and unbiased. It is not advocacy for the instructing party.

Reports distinguish observed facts, reported information, professional opinion, assumptions and limitations. Relevant uncertainty, missing evidence and material that may not support the instructing party’s case are addressed where necessary. A request to correct a factual error is handled differently from a request to change an independent opinion.

How an instruction works

• Initial conflict check: send only the parties, representatives, matter reference, broad occupational therapy questions and key dates.
• Suitability and capacity review: the proposed scope, deadlines, location, evidence and funding authority are checked.
• Written quotation and acceptance: the agreed questions, assumptions, exclusions, timetable, fees, terms and authority are recorded. No work begins before written acceptance.
• Secure evidence transfer: a suitable transfer route is agreed. Indexed, searchable and proportionate records should be supplied where possible.
• Assessment and analysis: the method is tailored to the questions and may include interview, observation, functional tasks, validated measures and environmental review.
• Report and later stages: the agreed report is issued, followed by authorised questions, conference, joint discussion or attendance if required.

What to send first

• Instructing organisation and lead contact
• Names of the relevant parties and representatives for conflict checking
• Matter reference and concise background
• Proposed occupational therapy questions
• Relevant court order, report deadline and known hearing dates
• Proposed assessment location and accessibility or communication needs
• Known consent, litigation-capacity, safeguarding or material risk issues
• Payer, purchase-order requirements and written funding authority

Please do not send a full medical bundle or detailed confidential records through the website form or ordinary email. A secure transfer route will be confirmed after the initial conflict and scope check.

Commercial terms and quotations

• Fees are confirmed by written quotation after the scope and complexity have been reviewed and before work begins.
• Court or tribunal attendance is booked as a minimum half day/four hours unless different arrangements are agreed in writing.
• Travel, mileage, disbursements, expenses and any applicable cancellation arrangements are set out in the accepted quotation and terms.
• Invoices are payable within 30 days of the invoice date unless different terms are agreed in writing.

VAT is added only where legally required. The accepted quotation, letter of instruction and ProActive Therapy’s applicable terms control.

Indicative timescales

Professional enquiries are normally acknowledged and reviewed by the end of the next business day after receipt, Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays. Availability and an estimate are normally confirmed within five working days after sufficient information is received. A medico-legal report is commonly completed within 10–15 working days after the final assessment and receipt of all material records.

These are working estimates, not guarantees. Complexity, travel, late or additional evidence, further assessment, third-party liaison, changed questions and court directions may affect delivery. Urgent work must be agreed expressly in writing.

Professional due diligence

Connor Harpur, MSc, BSc (Hons), is an HCPC registered Occupational Therapist. A current CV, registration evidence, fee schedule, terms, complaints information and relevant governance material can be supplied for a proposed instruction.

An enquiry is not an accepted instruction and no deadline, assessment or court date is reserved until acceptance is confirmed in writing.

Discuss a potential instruction

Email connor@theproactivetherapy.co.uk or call +44 7405 505597 with the minimum information listed above.