NDIS Updates

Updates

NDIS the final 20%

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.

The Minister recognised that while the NDIS is changing lives, the roll out of the scheme has been difficult. He stated that delivering the final 20% of the plan will also be challenging. The plan intends to, in Robert's words, put the NDIS 'onto a business as usual even keel for the long term.’

The NDIS plan has six core ‘swim lanes.’ Each swim lane covers a different issue and seeks a specific outcome. Here is a summary of the six swim lanes and some of the promised actions for each one:

1. Quicker access and quality decision making

This swim lane focuses on improving the quality of service, especially around wait times. Planned actions include:

• Resolving backlogs and delays through the new NDIS Participant Service Guarantee. This will set new service timeframes for NDIA service delivery.

• Providing a single point of contact for participants, and encouraging longer duration plans. Longer plans benefit providers as well as participants because it will be easier to budget.

Commencing the national roll out of joint planning meetings and the provision of draft plan

4 summaries. The co-design of plans will ultimately lead to better plans and outcomes for participants.

2. Increased engagement and collaboration

The second swim lane is about addressing inequality in the NDIS. There is an emphasis on providing more support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. The main measure is the expansion of the community connectors program for these groups.

3. Market innovation and improved technology

This swim lane is about delivering a seamless ICT experience for participants and providers. Planned initiatives include:

Developing Application Programming Interfaces to enable integration with the NDIA Business System.

Enabling a Digital Market Service which will support the development of a vibrant digital market.

Growing the current NDIS Workforce and finalising a national NDIS Workforce Strategy. There was no mention of the number of staff needed to roll out the plan.

4. A financially sustainable scheme

This swim lane is about making the scheme sustainable by integrating it with other mainstream service systems. The Minister has promised: