Why is the NDIA testing a new way to deliver the scheme?

Key points

Consultation has helped us build our new computer system and improve the participant experience.
Testing in Tasmania will help us plan for a national rollout.

We know the disability community is committed to making the NDIS work and is invested in the opportunities and experience of Scheme participants.

But we also know there are many ways the NDIA and the Scheme can be better. The 2019 Tune Review showed us there were changes we could make to improve participant experience and outcomes.

That’s why the Participant Service Guarantee was legislated and changes made to the NDIS Act earlier in 2022. We have also developed the Participant Service Improvement Plan – to set out what we are going to do to deliver a Scheme that meets participants’ expectations.

We can deliver our commitments in a better way by improving the service systems and structures around participants.

These improvements mean our staff and partners have more time to support people with disability to access community and mainstream supports, and help participants make the most of their NDIS plans.

Consultation

Our new computer system has been strongly influenced by ongoing consultation with participants, NDIA staff, NDIS partners and providers.

Participants have told us:

with longer NDIS plans, up to 3 years long, they want their budget released every 12 months
they want to speak to the person who makes decisions on their plan and budget
they want improved digital platforms and apps for them to manage their plan and budget.

NDIA staff and NDIS local area coordinators and early childhood partners have told us:

there are too many off-system processes that cannot work with each other
we cannot track all the information on a participant record. Work is easily lost in the system, key workers are not informed of updates, and it is impossible to track our work.
It takes a long time to open a participant record and often hours to approve a plan.

We’ve used this advice to design and build our new computer system and improve the way we work with people with disability and children where there are concerns about their development, as well as NDIS participants.