working with terms and conditions under the ndis

We need to start educating providers about comsuer choice and different ways of plan manager so this is a email to a provider this morning,. 

Store Manager

I am sorry to draw your attention to a decline in customer service offered by your team.  I do feel you would value my feedback given our business relationship extends many years and I know you pride yourself on the high-quality service you have previously delivered.

I acknowledge the introduction to the NDIS has been difficult for all parties and navigating it has not been easy.  However, we have all had 18 months to adjust to the NDIS system, as manager I see it as your role to train your staff in the number of ways NDIS can be managed.

While I respect providers want to ensure participants can pay for services and products.  A participant should not need to pay out of their own pocket.  I realise it has been your store policy for payment on delivery. 

I feel frustrated that having my manual chair serviced I now need to wait until my plan manager pays the invoice. I am told that could take up to 7 days.  Once I have it confirmed by them the money can be reimbursed I will pay by cash then I will collect my chair.  This is not very convenient to do so. Like your business I do not want to be out of pocket as unlike a NDIS managed plan, my portal is not set up for me to make a claim. 

I self-manage my funds through a fund manager.  My fund manager pays all invoices on my behalf within seven days, as is standard business practice. This payment agreement is beyond my control.

This issue has arisen for three reasons:

1.       Your staff are not trained well enough to be able to handle payments through different types of plan management.

2.       Services not trusting clients to be in control of their expenditure, therefore you all ask for service agreement plans.  You want to ensure we can pay.  No other consumer is treated with this level of distrust and this is a discriminatory attitude adopted by all providers.  Participants are trapped between providers and fund managers.  It is them who are inconvenienced when a provider withholds a service, while a plan manager decides to pay.  As you know I run a business and now I feel held a ransom buy both parties.  I blame you both equally as each of your terms and conditions leave me without a chair or out of pocket.

I could just have paid the $40 as requested, but I wanted to highlight the gaps in the NDIS delivery service. Every transaction as a participant is lengthy and incurs inconvenience, that sends a message that we people with disabilities are untrustworthy and it is ok to make us wait because we don’t have responsibilities.  We are used to being made to wait.

I not only write this email as a loyal customer who is made to feel less important but on behalf of every non-verbal participant who is now trapped in a system dishing out the same old same old.  Our predictions were correct it’s the same old story under a new name that takes five times as long as the system it replaced.

As you know I am a strong advocate for people with disabilities.  I am not happy just to send you this email, which will be followed up with the excuses other providers have already given me.  It will be forward to Shayne Newman my local MP and published on my blog. I don’t want an apology, I want change! I want to be treated with respect and receive the same quality service as every other Australian resident.  I too run a business to run and my work hours should not be consumed by chasing up payment of NDIS invoices.

How to live your best life . . .

For me living my best life means surrounding myself with people who have simular passions to me.  My passions are about embracing life and helping others to do the same.  I love art and see it as key to addressing issues of social inclusion.  I endeavour to be compassionate and try to treat others the way I want to be treated.

However that's about me and what I value, this may be very different to what your . . . . . best life might look like.  I am celebrating that this conversation is on the table and people living with disabilities and their families can at least begin to imagine some sunshine coming into their lives as the National Disability Insurance Scheme is now being rolled out across Australia.

I do not think the NDIS will solve all my issues with the world or be ever able to provide me with a even playing field. Besides I like being the odd one out!

Yet! The fact the NDIS finally acknowledges we are individuals and surprise, surprise we don't all want to hang out together; we don't all have the same goals.  I hate golf and putt putt golf, but my friend Helen loves it.  Under the NDIS many people and their families loving with disabilities are being asked for the first time what they want and what the would like life to look like. 

This unlocks a hold range of emotions.  Especially in Queensland, many families living disability, just survive and they will tell you they can not comprehend the freedom that choice provides.  To be given a choice of what time they like a shower will move them to tears, but NDIS choices are far greater.

We're talking choices around schooling and early intervention programs, were talking lifestyle choices, being able to move about the country without fear of losing supports. A choice between living of the coastline or the beach; We're looking at accommodation options and being able to chose who you want to live with or the freedom to marry.  Or a choice to have your own pad without housemates to fight with.  Or your little brother eating all the chocolate cookies.

For some the choices they make will be very simple - maybe their might try a new service provider, for others they are content with life the way it is and its not our roll to judge or question that or any other choices people will make about there own lives.

Now others are bursting out of the skin eager to tackle the world with the energy of an eight week old puppy.  Sure their maybe a few bumps and burses or pieces of humble pie to be eaten. But hey that's what happens when we try new things.  Not everything will be as cool as we imagined or as easy as other make it look.

However now people have the freedom to dream bigger and live bigger too!  People are experts in limiting themselves and others.  We live by assumption, it you use a wheelchair you can't walk or if you have a disability you can't work in the disability sector.

There's part of me that beliefs we do not know what people with disabilities are capable of because we have never allowed them to try.  We as a society have cared for the people, instead of letting them grow and develop and make mistakes along the way like everyone else.  When we limit others we deny them the change to shine.  We assume failure. Failture is success inside out.

In order to enable ourselves and others to live their best lives we need to remove limits and give people the freedom to be themselves.  Outcomes are the result of choices we make. Regardless of the choices their will be consequences.  This is what people with disabilities and families have said the wan

Letting people live their best lives is about giving them the freedom to chose and learn from their mistakes.  My best life will look very different to yours and don't let anyone tell you otherwise!!!