Read Arahni Sont’s blog for the latest disability conference and event updates.
Last year, the Government promised to develop an NDIS Participant Service Guarantee to be effective 1 July 2020. The aim of this Guarantee will be to simplify NDIS processes and remove legislative barriers in order to improve participants’ experiences with the scheme. To help develop the Guarantee, the Government commissioned an independent review of the NDIS Act.
Providers must have policies and processes to register for the NDIS and pass the audit. Having these are one of the first steps towards compliance for a provider. The next step towards compliance is to ensure employees understand and adopt the policies and processes. They should not simply be forgotten after a provider passes the audit.
It is a known fact that providers need policies and processes to register for the NDIS and pass the audit. They are necessary to meet the standards of the new National Quality and Safeguarding Framework. However, compliance for providers should not stop there.
The NDIS offers extra funding for providers delivering services in remote and very remote areas. We know it’s confusing to understand how locations are classified as remote and very remote, and how extra loadings are calculated. We have made a summary of the most important information you need to know about this topic.
The NDIS (Provider Registration and Practice Standards) Amendment (2019 Measures No. 1) Rules 2019 was just released. The Amendment will see some changes to the NDIS (Provider Registration and Practice Standards) Rules 2018. We have written a summary about what you should know from the Amendment.
There have been some minor changes to the NDIS Price Guide and Support Catalogue 2019-20. These changes are effective 1 December 2019. We have written a summary of the five changes you should be aware of.
On 14 November the Honourable Stuart Robert MP, Minister of the NDIS and Minister for Government Services, released his plan to deliver the final 20% of the NDIS. He announced the plan in a speech at the National Press Club in Canberra.
2019 was a year of significant growth for the NDIS. Almost 300,000 participants are now in the Scheme. 100,000 of these participants are receiving supports for the first time. This is a 10-fold uplift from just over 30,000 participants who had a plan at the beginning of Transition on 1 July 2016.
Mental Health Awareness Month is coming to an end, a very important month for Australians. One in five Australians aged 16-85 experience a mental illness in any year. The most recent ABS National Health Survey estimated there were 4.8 million Australians with a mental or behavioural condition in 2017-18.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission Annual Report 2018-2019 has been released.[1] The report informs stakeholders about the NDIS Commission’s operations. It provides corporate information and documents performance.
July 2018 saw the introduction of a new independent agency, The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. The Commission is now operating in all states except WA. Its purpose is to improve the quality and safety of NDIS supports and services across Australia. The body has changed the way providers are audited and accredited. It is important to think about what it means for you.
The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability was established on 4 April 2019. The Commonwealth Government has committed $527.9m for the inquiry. The Royal Commission will be based in Brisbane, however, hearings will take place around Australia. The Commission began on 16 September, where the domains of inquiry were announced.
The NDIA have released an updated NDIS Price Guide and Support Catalogue 2019-20. It is effective 1 October 2019. The main update is the inclusion of more than 90 new or updated disability-related health support items.
The NDIS represents a key change to the way people with a disability are supported in their everyday lives. The scheme aims to help people get support that will develop their skills and independence over time. The NDIS has now been rolled out in all states, with WA yet to fully transition.
It is important to be aware of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission’s Compliance and Enforcement Policy. It is one of the ways the Commission encourages best practice among NDIS providers and minimises risk to participants. The Commission takes a responsive and proportionate approach to enforcing regulation. This means the strongest actions apply to the most serious issues and breaches.
Disability Service providers have a range of approaches to managing their compliance documents. From speaking with service providers, we have discovered that many of these approaches are problematic! Auditors and staff (especially new ones) often struggle to find the relevant and reliable document.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has announced that new Worker Checks are coming soon. The Checks will replace state arrangements and set a national standard. They will ensure that NDIS participants have safe, high-quality services and supports.
The NDIA have released the NDIS Price Guide and Support Catalogue for 2019-2020. There are updates relating to price increases, as well as other changes. Most of the updates are an outcome of the Annual Price Review. They are all effective on 1 July 2019.
The issues facing today’s Healthcare Leaders are enormous. An ageing workforce, dropping health insurance participation, rising costs, robotic technology, electronic health records, royal commissions, patient expectations and an enormous amount of data to manage it all.
The NDIA have implemented various requirements governing the way registered NDIS providers operate to ensure people with a disability get the best outcomes from NDIS funding. One requirement involves choosing the correct ‘registration groups’. Centro has simplified registration requirements, including certification and verification, in this graphic.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission have recently announced audit updates which will benefit some service providers. There have been some teething issues with the audit process as states move to the national scheme.
We are proud to announce that Centro ASSIST has been named a winner at the NSW iAwards 2019! The awards were held by the Australian Information Industry Association at the end of May. The iAwards program is Australia’s longest running innovation recognition program.
The NDIS Worker Orientation Module, ‘Quality, Safety and You’ was launched in early May and has an important message. It shows workers that people with a disability should be treated as any other Australian, and highlights the importance of the NDIS in giving people with a disability more choice.
Centro ASSIST and our parent company Holocentric, were awarded a Highly Commended recognition at the Consensus Software Awards this year. Consensus specialises in industry development, awards and recognition programs. They are committed to supporting innovation and enterprise.
One of the most talked about issues on social media and with participants is the confusion over their plan management and how to use their funding. Here is an explanation on how the NDIS plan management works and the different types of funding.
World Autism Awareness Day is April 2, 2019. World Autism Awareness Month continues for the rest of April. During the month, people around the world will "go blue" in recognition of those with autism. You can take part by wearing or lighting up buildings with the colour blue.
The Centre for Social Impact report on the NDIS market has sent shock waves through the sector. Alarmingly 28% of providers are operating at a loss according to Assoc Prof Gemma Carey, UNSW.
ABS statistics state 52% of organisations are operating at a loss or not making a meaningful profit.
The NDIS scheme is half-way through the full roll-out of projected services and supports. By the end of 2019 239,400 participants will be a part of the NDIS. On 1 July 2019, all States, except Western Australia will join the scheme.
If you had to put a dollar figure on your CEO’s time, what would you say?
Our CEO’s are having restless nights trying to get everything done. They are tearing their hair out over their responsibilities and work load.
An innovative software platform has been adopted by the University of New England (UNE) to help students in its National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) certificate course to better deal with compliance and regulation.
