ndis - Choosing a provider

The introduction of the ndis gives participants choices around the activities they want to engage in; the way they want to achieve their goals; how they want to be supported; who they would like to support them (ie providers and supplies); therapies that will assist with long term independence.  But how do you find the services and support people who best suit you and your goals?

My name is Deb Chilton and I self-manage my ndis plan.  The National Disability Insurance Scheme gives participants and their families choices around their 'supports'.  Individuals have the right to chose who will support them; how they want to be supported, when they want to be supported; however how do you chose the right provider to meet your needs.

Regardless of how your plan is administrated

Participants can chose their service providers

As a participant of the ndis you fall into one of two groups:-

• Those who have had support prior to the ndis;
• and those who haven't

When it comes to choosing a service provider those who have previously accessed a service provider should have an advantage. Many participants are selecting to stay with current providers, due not coping with change; friendships; repore with staff and a sense of security.  They are really important reasons to stay with a provider, as long as they are supporting you to achieve the goals or enjoy the activities outlined in your ndis plan.

However the ndis broadens' the scope of what supports you can access. You may be able to access supports you've not been able to access before such as assisted technology; counselling, early intervention, physio and speech thearphy.  So if you not used these types of supports before or your new to the disability support system where do you start your search?

As someone who has accessed some type of support for over 20 years and volunteer in the sector, I imagined I had a pretty good handle on the support services market.  However the choices, I made haven't worked out for me.  That's ok because the one choice you can always make under the ndis is 'change your mind.'

Most agreements you have with service providers have a period of notification before you can leave. typically that is 30 days, however if your changing providers due to unresolvable dispute that period can be waved.

So the first thing you need to look for in a provider is; can they support you to achieve your ndis plan goals. If they can't then you need to cross them off your list.

Some disability support providers provide specialized support services they deliver (such as allied health services); while other providers cover a large range of services such as: (physio, ot, speech, accommodation support, direct service support, community support and plan management.)  You will need to weigh up if you're looking for a provider that provides the range of supports you want or you want a number of smaller providers who specialized in the areas you need.

For example larger organizations such as Blue Care, cpl, and Endeavour offer a large range of support services including accommodation support, community support; nursing, in-home support; support coordination, fund hosting, ot services, physio and speech thearpies.

Where as smaller companies or businesses only offer a handful of services such as hiring of support staff; social activities or plan administration.  You might want to think through how many services you want to juggle in your life.  Or you might chose to ask the ndia for supports coorindation to help you select your providers. 

You need to ask for all the types of supports you need in the planning meeting and that includes support coorindations or the will not be money in your budget to access that service. So if you are still to have your planning meeting here's some tips.

1. Have a list of porrtental ndis goals and/or activities you want to engage in.  Know what you want to do.  ie move out of home; play cricket; fun stuff like disco dancing; help to get to and from school/work or the local shops.
2. Have a plan of how you want to work things:-  a) early intervention programs; b) mobility equipment; c) help after school and d) social support on the weekends.
3. A list of supports you receive now: This is not a list of your support providers. You might chose to stay will your current providers; change providers for certain supports; or start over again.  Your ndis plan and therefore budget is independent of any providers you will chose to access. 
4. Have an idea of how you want your plan to be administrated.  There are there basic ways. a) have the ndia do it for you; b)have a organization do it on your behalf or c) manage your own plan.  Within these three main options their are a number of combinations and you need the ndis to explain these.  One thing to note self-management and self-directing are not the same thing.  You may do one and not the other; you may like me do both; The way your plan is administrated has no bearing on other supports.  
5. Have a basic idea of how your service structure will work.  i.e one main provider; self manage with a few providers or use specialized providers.

There is a complete list of ndis approved support providers on their website or you can ask your LAC for a copy.  I pretty much ditched this immediately, I found google a lot more helpful.  If you do nothing else do research what you want from your ndis plan.

  Those who prepare for participating in the ndis are the most satifited with the plans they are given. 

So Google isn't much help. You've drug around the ndis website and your band bossral what's next?

1. Ask for recommendations from other participants.
2. Attend information sessions offered by providers and the ndis.
3. Talk to people who use the same services you; ask how the service provider supports them to achieve their ndis goals and how they feel about the providers knowledge of the ndis what they think about different aspects of the ndis; what other current providers do they use; and have they had discussions with other providers. 
4. Talk to your current provider; tell them what your thinking about your ndis goals; ask them how they would support those goals and also ask any other provider who you talk to about how they will specfically support you to achieve your ndis goals. i.e.  How can you help me with a); b) and c) if there answer is not clear ask other providers.  If the say we can look at individual options, then I suggest go look for a provide you can provide a clear answer; quote  and transition timeline.  If the answer is not clear that provider hasn't got a service delivery plan yet.  Don't live in hope like I did

I am not going to name services because every participant's plan is different and I can think of one or two services that didn't work for me, that have work really well for friends.  A good service provider fit is very much about you goals; the activities you do; the type of services you need and how you administrate your plan.

Me and the ndis

I am a visual artists, small business owner and support the local arts community in Ipswich.   I am also a published author and disability advocate.  My ndis goals are around self-managing, building my own support team (workers) to self-direct; maintaining my independence and growing my business, art practise and art audience.

So you be correct if you think my schedule doesn't fit the model of support offered by traditional providers. However that doesn't mean there  are not ndis service providers out there reinventing the wheel. You've just got to decide what wheel you want to ride.

1. Large scale traditional service providers offering a varied number of services including in-home care; community access; day respite; allied health services; accomondatin support; supports coorindation and plan adminstrations.  Centrecare; Blue Care; cpl (choice; life; passion); Agliacare and Endervor.
2. Medium scale traditional services providers these may offer a few services in a number of areas like individual and group supports in social activities; or accomondation and respite support but not both.
3. There are a few small traditional support services that offer individual supports only.
4. For those who self-manage you do not need to use a registered provider.  For example your local gym my off plates or hydrotheraphy or a local physio.
5. There are providers new to provider services for ndis participants some of these are well establish in their area.  I access my current thearphy through a phsyio activation clinic. 
6. There are services that only offer supports in ndis funds adminstration such as supports coordinations; funds hosting and plan managerment. 
7. If you self-manager who may even chose to directly employ your personal support team.

I self-manage all my supports except my mobility aids through a plan manager.  A plan manager pays invoices and helps with ndis reporting.  I do the budget planning. A plan manager is  not paid to make spending decisions.  Providers are still very nervous about participants ability to make wise decisions even when they run a business.  Administration of my plan would be easier if I could access the information in a user friendly manner.

I selected medium to large service providers to support my plan management; physio; mobility of assessment and in-home and community support needs.  I am definitely a harder marker, and I have ditched all three providers.

Firstly a traditional support provider will always struggle with supporting me with my main ndis goal: To host a solo art exhibition outsider the Ipswich area.  I often have events at night and weekends when less support staff are available.  Larger support providers have a responsibility to provide good working conditions for the staff.  At times this can limit service delivery time, especially when staff take leave.  In choosing a major support provider I was alarmed only half my shifts were being filled, because they need not have enough staff.

Staffing issues were also present a the provider I chose for physio.  Services do not need to tell how many staff the have. My physio had to cover all Ipswich, Boonah and Toowoomba areas.  No way the could assist me with weekly physio.  It is difficult to make choices when providers only give some of the information.

Participants have to prove they have the funds to purchase supports through a service provider; however support services do not need to prove the ability to deliver.  The balance is still tipped in favour of service providers.  Participants need to provide feedback when service delivery is not what is promise.  They also need to give other participants reliable information on their experience with a provider.

I now engage my own support staff through a self-directing service provider.  This allows me to employ staff that are interested in enabling my ndis goals, (enjoy assisting with art and attending art exhibitions). I also make it clear from the outset what hours will be expected.

I also engage staff from a provider who puts staff and participants in contacts with each other and allow them to neogate their terms. All the staff I engage are protected by employment conditions of the provider.  This ensures staff security.

I am still with the physio who assisted me with my wheelchair assessment solo in the hope at some stage my chair will be approved.. This has been a needle point in my ndis experiences.  So many people to contact with to get the information required. My physio is virtually uncontactable.  Unfortunately to change would mean starting from starch.

One of the first support providers you will need to select is the administrator of your plan.  Every participant chooses the own paths and their are to many to cover here.  The three basic choices are ndia; funds host provider or self-management.  Regardless of how your funds are administrated you can still chose your other direct service providers.

One reason the ndis want participants plans to be independent of service providers is to prevent providers from influences other services participants.  This is why service providers must provide a quote.  This makes providers easier to compare.  Services should not be using the excuse that their over stretch and not sure of how this all works. It is the support providers roles to deliver the services they advertise.

Intially I worked very well with my plan manager as we discovered how the ndis system worked together. Basically the function of a plan manage is to make service bookings and pay the participants invoices.  Some participants chose to do this themselves through the ndis portal.

A service booking allocates the percentage of your total budget to a provider who is providing you with support.  For example if Blue Care take you shopping once a week the amount of money is set aside to pay Blue Care.  You will find that figure in your service agreement quote.  This insures the money is their to pay when the invoice is received.  It is not the plan managers role to set the budget or decided how much you can spend on a service.  If you are self-managing that is your responsibility.

Providers even plan manages feel the need to protect  participants from over spending, in this the restrict choice.  My core funding is flexible and yet my plan manager refuses to pay my invoices to ensure I don't go over.  The amount of the invoice for assisted technology was less than 1% of my total budget not sure how that put me at risk and nor is my local area coorindator.  I am hoping things change under my new provider.

I hope in sharing so of the unforeseen  difficulties I had, you can think through questions to ask protental providers.  The more transparent providers list their staff on their websites and their area of interest. The last thing you need is a support worker who can't swim to support you to do lap of a swimming pool.

If a support service coorindator does not know you ndis goals then how can they provide the correct supports.  If they don't ask for your goals I would think about whether you want to sign that service agreement. They have questions for you, you should be able to know "how specifically are they going to support your goal to find voluntary work in a kindergarten? Or help you prepare to participate in a fundraising fun run?" Do the have the staff who have an interest in this area with the right training for your support needs with the availability you require. If the answer is not at this time then that provider is not right to support you with that goal.

You might chose to look for another provider who can support all of your ndis goals or you might stay with them, but look for a provider who can support you with just that particular goals.

Instead of looking for a program you can slot into, look for a provider you can provider what you want.  For those who a self-managing you do not need to use a registered ndis provider,  so you could ask a personal trainer to support you to take part in the fund.


So give a few things a try like I did and if their not working or a service is not keeping to their part of the service agreement then move on a try something else, otherwise service providers are still in control.