FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Occupational Therapy Degree (1994)
• Labour Relations Management Certificate (2009)
• Human Resource Management Certificate (2011)
• WorkWell Certification (2017)

EXPERIENCE & SKILLS

• Occupational therapy assessment and treatment (25 years)
• Absence, incapacity & disability assessment, and management (10-15 years)
• Disability awareness and sensitization workshops/training (5-10 years)
• Workplace/Ergonomic assessments (10-15 years)
• Disability verification (5-10 years)
• Disability claims assessment (5-10 years)
• Mental Health: Adult psychiatry & psycho-social support (10-15 years)
• Medico-legal assessment and medical expert witnessing (5 years)
• Occupational health and wellness management (3-5 years)
• Adult physical conditions (10-15 years)
• Independent living assessment, recommendation & intervention (15-20 years)
• Care-worker training (1-2 years)
• Hand and upper limb conditions (5-10 years)
• Functional capacity evaluation – WorkWell Certified (5 years)
• Paediatric conditions (5 years)
• Training & recruitment (5 Years)
• People management (2-5 years)

CURRENT PRACTICE FOCUS

• Return to work incapacity/disability case management
• Incapacity & disability assessment and management
• Mental Health: Adult psychiatry & psycho-social support
• Functional capacity evaluation
• Workplace/Ergonomic assessment
• Disability awareness and sensitization workshops/training
• Disability verification
• Group therapy and support groups
• Care giver support and training
• Independent living assessment, recommendation & intervention
• Medico-legal assessment & medical expert witnessing

NAME OF COMPANY

Sandra Botha Occupational Therapist

PERIOD

From August 2017 to current

POSITION HELD

Practice Owner

AFFILIATES, CLIENTS & ROLES

• Hollard Group Risk Insurance: Return to work incapacity/disability case management
• Zwavelstream Psychiatric Clinic: Acute psychiatric treatment (induvial and group psychosocial intervention)
• SADAG (South Africa Disability and Anxiety Group Support): Support group facilitator & ad hoc  psycho-social & occupational therapy intervention)
• Moreletapark Dutch Reformed Church: Depression and anxiety support group facilitator
• Rita Van Biljon Occupational Therapists: Medico-legal reports, medical expert witnessing and functional capacity evaluations
• Kim Kaveberg Occupational Therapists: Medico-legal reports & medical expert witnessing
• Stabilis (“Staanvas”): Locum/ad hoc group therapy intervention

NAME OF COMPANY

Moreletapark Dutch Reformed Church

PERIOD

From April 2009 to current

POSITION

Facilitator and presenter of a monthly community-based group focusing on depression and bipolar mood disorder

GROUP ATTENDEES

• People diagnosed with depression & bipolar mood disorder
• Caretakers/supporters
• Counsellors
• Anyone interested in the topic

GENERAL GROUP CONTENT

• Psychoeducation & training
• Psycho-social support
• Awareness and sensitization
• Anger & conflict management
• Personal insight and assertiveness training
• Socio-emotional growth
• Stress and anxiety management
• Coping skills & treatment options

AFFILIATES

• SADAG (South Africa Disability and Anxiety Group Support)

• Multiple diverse medical & other specialists in the field of mood disorders who voluntary presents relevant topics upon invitation, e.g. psychiatrists, psychologists, occupational therapists, dieticians, fatigue management specialists, social workers, pharmacists, and life-coaches

NAME OF COMPANY

ICAS

PERIOD

From June 2016 to July 2017 - formally employed

From August 2017 to June 2018 – affiliate/service provider

POSITION HELD

Key account manager: Absence, incapacity, and disability (AID) services / Occupational Therapist

FOCUS/DUTIES

• Offering clinical AID case assessment and management services to clients in various industries
• Training of clients
• Disability sensitization and awareness workshops
• Conducting accessibility audits in liaison with affiliate experts
• Compiling AID services proposals with costing for potential/new clients
• Developing and growing the AID business into the market leading provider of AID services in SA
• Management of key clients & close networking with multiple stakeholders across all levels of business
• Developing and growing the business to meet agreed monthly, quarterly, and annual revenue targets
• Utilizing case studies, clinical and industry knowledge to support the sales team at client meetings  
• Developing AID case management processes
• Contributing to the development of a training and quality assurance system
• Contributing to the development of a clinical governance
• Contributing to a system of continuous learning and research

CLIENTS

Gauteng Provincial Government, H&M, Multichoice, Medscheme, Mweb, Sasol, Western Cape Government, Nedbank, Wesbank, Standard Bank, Transnet, Dimension data, SASSA, Telkom

NAME OF COMPANY

Assupol life

PERIOD

From November 2015 to May 2016

POSITION HELD

Specialist: Individual life (death & disability) claims assessment

DUTIES

• Registering, assessing, and processing of life (death, dread disease and disability) claims
• Liaison with and providing input to re-insurers and underwriting
• Forensic and other special (ASISA, VOPD and ITC) investigations
• Overseeing funeral claims assessors and validators
• Assessing and processing retirement annuities and ill health claims
• Liaison with medical professionals, hospitals, specialists and consultants
• Appointing occupational therapists for independent assessments
• Making claims decisions
• Keeping statistics for audit purposes and to report on trends
• Handling disputes, complaints, and queries by all stakeholders

NAME OF COMPANY

EOH Occupational Health & Wellness

PERIOD

From March 2013 until October 2015

POSITION HELD

Incapacity & Disability Case Manager / Occupational Therapist

DUTIES

• Operational management of the incapacity & disability management unit
• Advising clients with regard to health and wellness programs to prevent incapacity/disability
• Assisting clients with development and reviewing of incapacity & disability management policies & processes and providing training where needed
• Providing clinical incapacity assessment and management services
• Recommendation to employers and insurance companies
• Assisting employers with the case management of employees with medical conditions requiring reasonable accommodation, realignment, etc. (also incapacitated employees who did not medically or contractually qualify for temporary or permanent disability insurance benefits)
• Reporting to and chairing at client medical panel meetings
• Disability verification of client employees according to the EEA number 55 of 1998
• Advising employers on the provision of reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities
• Disability awareness and sensitization workshops
• Conducting accessibility audits in liaison with affiliate experts
• Ergonomic assessments
• Monthly/quarterly/annual reporting to clients
• Quoting and tendering for incapacity and disability management projects and services
• Incapacity process mapping in support of the development of an incapacity workflow/data system

CLIENTS

Aveng Mining and Construction, Execujet Maintenance, Mammoet SA, Monsanto SA, Medihelp, Murray & Roberts, Ro-al Construction, Shell SA, Standard Bank, Telesure Holdings, T-Systems, The Auditor General SA

NAME OF COMPANY

Momentum

PERIOD

From 1 June 2007 until 12 March 2013

POSITION HELD

Disability Claims Consultant

DUTIES

• Group disability claims assessment and management.
• Coordinating return to work case management and work rehabilitation programmes
• Disability insurance product training of clients
• Workplace risk assessments
• Development and training of disability claim team staff members at Momentum
• Quality assurance of national disability claim data integrity
• Participating in clinical claims discussions and meetings
• Assisting IT department with the development of an effective disability claim management workflow system
• Liaison with forensics, legal and sales team w.r.t disability claim management and service development

NAME OF COMPANY

Denmar Psychiatric Hospital

PERIOD

From 1 October 2005 until 31 May 2007

POSITION HELD

Senior Occupational Therapist

DUTIES

• Assessment and treatment of acute & recurrent psychiatric conditions
• Coordinating and managing the daily group & activity program at the hospital
• Group and individual psychiatric/psychosocial intervention.
• Orientating and supervising occupational therapy-, medical- and nursing students

NAME OF COMPANY

Wise Eye Reading Program Franchise

PERIOD

From 1 April 2005 until 30 September 2005

POSITION HELD

Marketing, advertising, and presenting the Wise Eye reading program in the Pretoria East region

DUTIES

• Development and implementation of marketing & advertising activities
• Reviewing & assessing marketing results
• Communicating marketing results of the franchise to the CEO of the nationwide Wise Eye Company
• Clinical presentation of the Wise Eye reading program to children & adults with reading and learning problems
• Developing and maintaining a client database

NAME OF COMPANY

Hi-Tech Recruitment

PERIOD

From November 2004 until March 2005

POSITION HELD

Recruitment Consultant

DUTIES

• Recruitment and placement of candidates in the financial, insurance, IT and engineering industries
• Building & maintaining a corporate client base
• Customer care

NAME OF COMPANY

Access College for People with Disabilities

PERIOD

From 1 March 2002 until October 2004

POSITION HELD

Recruitment & Placement Manager

DUTIES

• Managing a department responsible for the recruitment and placement of candidates with disabilities in training courses, registered learnerships and permanent as well as temporary employment
• Functional assessments of students & candidates with disabilities
• Working closely with different SETA's w.r.t learnerships and skills development of people with disabilities
• Training and educating training providers & employers w.r.t. disability management in the workplace
• Job coaching of employees & learners with disabilities in the workplace
• Conducting prevocational and life skills assessments
• Training the following at the college: Life skills, interview and presentation skills, time-management, job seeking skills and workplace ethics
• Marketing of Access College and its services to employers in the open labour market
• Supervising occupational therapy students from the University of Pretoria
• Conducting disability sensitisation workshops at employers
• Leading a consortium of occupational therapists, a recruitment officer and administrative staff

NAME OF COMPANY

Gail Vlok Occupational Therapists - Pretoria

PERIOD

11 January 2001 until 28 February 2002

POSITION HELD

Occupational Therapist

DUTIES

• Functional capacity evaluation (FCE’s)
• Medico-legal assessments & medical expert witnessing
• Workplace/Ergonomic assessment
• Return to work case management
• Starting and developing a clinical hand therapy & splinting service for the practice at Unitas Hospital
• Clinical assessment and treatment of hand and upper limb conditions (therapy and splinting)

NAME OF COMPANY

Gold Fields West Hospital - Westonaria

PERIOD

3 January 1995 until 25 May 1997

POSITION HELD

Occupational Therapist

DUTIES

• Clinical assessment and treatment of hand & upper limb conditions, head injuries, other mine injuries and occupational related medical conditions
• Functional work assessments of mine workers
• Developing a work hardening (rehabilitation) programme to assist disabled/injured mine workers to return to previous or alternative employment
• Clinical assessment and treatment of children with learning/developmental problems
• Supervising and monitoring the training of occupational therapy assistants

NAME OF EMPLOYER

Recruitment Solutions Group - Paramedics Workline

PERIOD

1 August 1999 until 22 November 2000

NAMES OF COMPANIES WORKED

• Selly Oaks Hospital – Birmingham (4 Oct-3 Nov 2000)
• Medway Hospital – Gillingham (5 Apr-3 Nov 2000, and re- employed from 22 Nov-15 Dec 2000)
• Princess Margaret Hospital – Swindon (3 Mar-3 Apr 2000)
• Queen Victoria Hospital - East Grinstead (31 Jan-1 Mar 2000)
• Essex River Healthcare – Colchester (24 Oct- 20 Nov 1999)
• Hargrave House – Chelmsford (1 Aug- 22 Oct 1999)

POSITION HELD

Senior 1 Locum Occupational Therapist

DUTIES

• Medical rehabilitation of adult physical and psychiatric conditions
• Discharge planning and home visits
• Clinical assessment & treatment of hand and upper limb conditions (therapy and splinting)
• Relieving head occupational therapist in hand therapy at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead
• Community paediatric occupational therapy
• Respite and long-term care of individuals with learning, other mental and physical challenges

NAME OF COMPANY

First Rehab (Baptist Healthcare) - Florida

PERIOD

7 July 1997 until 24 May 1999

POSITION HELD

Head of Occupational Therapy

DUTIES

• Rehabilitation of adult physical and psychiatric conditions
• Clinical assessment & treatment of hand and upper limb conditions (therapy & splinting)
• Geriatric care and home healthcare
• Supervising a team of occupational therapists with professional licences in the state of Florida
• Supervising and monitoring the training of occupational therapy students from the University of Alabama

INSTITUTION

University of Pretoria (South Africa)

QUALIFICATION

B. Occupational Therapy Degree (1991-1994)

PERFORMANCE

Passed 11 out of 24 prescribed subjects with distinction