Introduction
With the exception of Western Australia, the NDIS Commission will be rolled out in all states and territories on 1 July 2019. Western Australia will follow on 1 July 2020. It is a significant step for the disability sector because it will provide a single, national registration and regulatory system across Australia for NDIS providers of services to people with a disability. This post examines what the NDIS Commission is, what is expected of NDIS providers and the significance it will make to the disability sector.
What is the NDIS Commission
The full title of the Commission is National Quality and Safeguards Commission. It is an independent government body whose role it is to ensure the quality and safety of NDIS services and supports. It has the power to investigate and resolve problems and strengthen the skills and knowledge of NDIS providers and participants.
Why is NDIS Commission Important?
Until recently, the disability sector was funded and managed by the states and territories. Each had their own standards and guidelines. The NDIS Commission provides a nationalframework for disability providers, which will result in a consistency of quality and regulation across the nation. This in turn ensures quality care for people with disability.
How is it different?
All providers of disability care are registered through the NDIS Commission. They are governed by the NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicatorsand NDIS Code of Conduct. Together, these provide a benchmark for all NDIS providers. They use these to ensure they are delivering high quality care. Providers are audited against these standards. In addition, both providers and their employees must abide by the Code of Conduct. These two documents also inform participants about what they can expect from their provider and their employees, ensuring that their quality of life and well-being are held to the highest standards. It also means they can operate in any state or territory where the NDIS Commission operates.
A safe environment for people with disability
Ensuring a safe environment for people with a disability is the responsibility of the provider. A national igovWorkers Screening Check for prospective employees who anticipate caring for a person with disability is a tool rolled out by the NDIS Commission. Employers are required to use to this tool when recruiting staff. Employees who have been screened through this process have the added benefit of being able to work anywhere in Australia. Previously, they would be subjected to the various checks required by individual states.
Complaints management
If there is a complaint about the quality or safety of supports or services, these should be made, in the first instance, to the provider of the service. The provider is required to have effective complaints management procedures in place. This must allow for a fair and equitable method of dealing with complaints. If an acceptable resolution can’t be found, the next step is to make a complaintto the NDIS Commission who will then take the matter up on behalf of the complainant.
Incident management
There are certain, serious incidents against a person with disability that must be notified to the NDIS Commission. These are:
- Death or serious injury
- Any allegations of abuse and neglect
- Unlawful sexual or physical contact
- Sexual misconduct
- Unlawful use of restrictive practices
The provider must have a management system in place to ensure that these are handled correctly and in a timely manner.
The Vision
“The NDIS Commission’s vision is for people with disability to receive quality and safe supports and services under the NDIS.”
To achieve this vision, the Commission has set up national guiding principles and regulations for the registered providers of disability support services. The Practice Standards and Quality Indicators and Code of Conduct were developed for the person with disability in mind. If a provider fails to comply with these it means they lose their registration and will no longer be able to provide support.
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