Natalie
Purtell
Occupational Therapist (OTR)
E: natalie@purtellotservices.com.au
Natalie has been providing OT services to adults for over 16 years. During her career, Natalie has worked across a wide range of settings, including private practice, community rehabilitation, occupational rehabilitation, hospitals and regulatory bodies both within Australia and the UK.
Natalie has a particular interest in community therapy and assessment, including neuro-rehabilitation, which commenced during her time at The Victorian Rehabilitation Centre. This interest has allowed her to engage in numerous roles, including the establishment of Occupational Therapy services for a new regional stroke rehabilitation hospital in the UK.
Natalie has extensive experience working with clients with a variety of conditions including, but not limited to:
- Neurological conditions, including traumatic/acquired brain injury, stroke, and progressive neurological conditions
- Orthopaedic conditions / multi-trauma
- Spinal cord injury
- Intellectual disabilities
- Dementia and frail aged
- Complex physical and psychosocial needs
Natalie is an active member of Occupational Therapy Australia, and is passionate about improving client outcomes within the community through goal-oriented, client-centred therapy.
Laura
Harrison
Occupational Therapist (OTR)
E: laura@purtellotservices.com.au
Laura has been providing OT services to adults of all ages for over 16 years. She has worked in major acute and rehabilitation hospitals, as well as in Community Health, Mental Health, Transition Care, Aged Care and Palliative Care. This has also included working at locations including the Victorian Spinal Cord Service, Aged Care Assessment Service, and a Specialist Amputee clinic.
She has extensive experience working with clients with a variety of conditions including, but not limited to:
- Neurological Conditions, including those progressive in nature (eg: Parkinson’s disease; Spina Bifida, Motor Neurone Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy)
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Orthopaedic Conditions
- Intellectual Disabilities
- Dementia and frail aged
- Scleroderma
- Obesity (Bariatric Management)
- Chronic Pain
- Complex physical and psychosocial needs
Laura is passionate about her work and has a particular interest in assisting manage complex clients within their home environments, including CRUs. She enjoys assisting her clients and their carers (where applicable) work towards their life goals and achieve maximum independence.
Dan
Purtell
Occupational Therapist (OTR), Accredited Hand Therapist (AHTA)
E: dan@purtellotservices.com.au
Dan is an accredited Hand Therapist with the Australian Hand Therapy Association. He qualified in 2003 and has vast experience in treating a range of hand conditions from complex multi-trauma through to simple fractures.
He has worked for nearly 20 years in upper limb rehabilitation in a variety of settings here in Australia and across the United Kingdom. Daniel also has experience in University Lecturing and Supervising students as well ongoing professional development with the Victorian Hand Surgery Associates and the Australian Hand Therapy Association. He has presented at state and national and international Hand Therapy and Hand Surgery conferences, published articles on hand transplantation and continues to work on researching better practice.
Liz
Biggs
Occupational Therapist (OTR)
E: Liz@PurtellOTServices.com.au
Liz has over 19 years experience working across the UK and Australia. She has helped develop a mental health setting to transition across the community and acute sectors as well as worked in acute and community settings with the NHS and social services. She brought her skills and enthusiasm to Australia to specialise in Community aged and disability services and worked within Aged Care Assessment Services, Community Rehabilitation, and the Victorian AIDS and Equipment Program prior to working with participants through NDIS.
Liz has a passion of working with individuals, their family and carers to achieve clients goals and improve independence in and around their home environment. Liz has an extensive range of skills and enjoys working with clients across a range of diagnoses including:
- Progressive neurological conditions
- Palliative care
- Older adult and aged care
- Musculoskeletal injuries and impairments
Liz is also highly experienced in:
- Home modifications - major and minor
- Bed and mattress prescription
- Complex psycho social environments
Fiona
Harris
Occupational Therapist (OTR)
E: Fiona@PurtellOTServices.com.au
Fiona has been providing OT services to adults and children for over 20 years working in a range of settings and locations including The MS Society of Victoria, schools, CRUs and community health. Most recently Fiona has worked with clients who are housebound requiring high level care. She has also worked in the USA in an outpatient clinic focussing on hand therapy and upper limb rehabilitation.
Fiona has broad knowledge and experience working with clients with a range of conditions including, but not limited to:
- Progressive neurological conditions
- Intellectual disabilities
- Dementia and frail aged
- Complex physical and psychosocial disabilities
- Orthopaedic conditions
- Obesity
Fiona is a strong advocate for her clients and is committed to providing quality, client centred care focussing on achieving functional goals in the community and home environment.
Sheetal Deepika
Chand
Occupational Therapist (OTR)
E: Sheetal@PurtellOTServices.com.au
Sheetal is an AHPRA registered Occupational Therapist with 10 years' experience working across Auckland, New Zealand and more recently Victoria, Melbourne. Sheetal brings a wealth of knowledge in the health and well-being space. Her skill set ranges from working across the public hospitals, including several inpatient wards, from trauma, surgical, orthopaedic, emergency department, general medicine, neurology and cardio vascular. To outpatient community rehabilitation with the adults and older adults' population, promoting independence in the home and community, including prescription of equipment; assistive technology. She has driven allied health initiatives in the Emergency Department for streamlining admissions for older adults to initiating Occupational therapy services in the Acute Care of the Elderly inpatient wards in Aucklands' Hospitals with a focus on dementia, delirium and discharge planning.
More recently, Sheetal has ventured into the world of health promotion, and prevention, along with chronic/ pain management and self-management in the private sectors. Having migrated to Victoria in late 2024 Sheetal has worked in the NDIS space, completing Functional Capacity Assessments and providing capacity building therapy for physical and psycho-social needs. She believes in a holistic approach, targeting prevention towards overall well-being and reducing the risk of chronic health conditions. She has experience in supervising students and junior OTs, promoting a safe space for clinical and non-clinical development. She is now working in the Aged Care, NDIS and TAC spaces and accepting referrals via telehealth as well.
