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Create a participant plan change request where the legislative type isn’t specified

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DOCUMENT 5 FOI 24/25-0113

OFFICIAL Knowledge Article

For Internal Use Only

The contents of this document are OFFICIAL.

Create a participant plan change request where the legislative type isn’t specified

Guidance in this document is not approved for use unless you view it in PACE.

This article provides guidance for a local area coordinator, early childhood partner, planner delegate, payments officer, review officer, complaints officer, participant support officer, access delegate, technical advisors, National Contact Centre, liaison officers (HLO/JLO) or planner (non-partnered area) to:

  • create a plan change case
  • create a participant plan change request where the legislative type isn’t specified
  • add a subject to the plan change case.

Note: This article is for a plan change request where the plan change type hasn’t been specified. Don’t use this article for specific requests for a plan variation (s47A) or a plan reassessment (s48). You’ll need to go to article Create a plan variation (s47A) request or Create a plan reassessment (s48) request.

Recent updates

24 June 2024 Updated guidance to include link for new scripting article Discuss a participant’s plan change request.

28 May 2024 Update to reflect new mandatory subject line drop-down feature.

Before you start

You have:

  • received a plan change request from a participant or their authorised representative
  • completed steps in article Prepare to submit a plan change request
  • read and understood Our Guideline – Changing your plan (external).

Create a plan change case

You can receive a plan change request verbally, in an email or in a change of circumstances form. The change of circumstances form doesn’t have to be completed to submit a plan change request, however supporting evidence and information should be provided.

You must use the scripting in section Check supporting information to submit a plan change of article Discuss a participant plan change request when speaking to the participant or their authorised representative.

To request changes to a participant’s plan, you’ll need to create a plan change case. A plan change case can also be initiated from other cases such as a check-in case.

To create a plan change case:

  1. From the Person Account, select the Cases tab.
  2. Select New.
  3. Select Plan Change from the list of case types.
  4. Select Next.
  5. Confirm the Status is set to Draft. The plan change case should remain in Draft status as the default status when creating the case.
  6. Select Case Origin from the drop-down list.
  7. Add Internal Comments about the case, if required.
  8. Select Save. You have now created the plan change case.

Create a participant plan change request where the legislative type isn’t specified

You’ll use a participant plan change request when you’ve received a request for a plan change, but the legislative type is not specified. This is the preferred option unless the participant or authorised representative clearly indicates the plan change type. When submitted, the delegate will decide what legislative type matches the request.

To create a participant plan change request:

  1. From the Plan Change case, select the Request tab.

  1. Select the Requested Date of the plan change. This will default to today’s date. Note: Plan change requests can be backdated.

  2. Under How is the request being initiated?, select Participant plan change request.

  3. Select Who is requesting the plan change?. If selecting Related Party, you’ll need to select the authorised representative making the request from the list that appears.

  4. Select Next.

    Note: Save for Later won’t work when you add a new plan change request in the same plan change case after it has been submitted.

Plan Change Requests

To progress a participant plan change request where the legislative type isn’t specified select the checkbox next to each plan change request that applies:

  • An emergency situation has occurred that impacts the funding needs. Go to section Emergency Situation in this article.
  • Change to the fund management type. Go to section Fund Management Type in this article.
  • Change the reassessment date. Go to section Reassessment Date in this article.
  • A correction of a minor or technical error. Go to section Minor or Technical Error in this article.
  • Minor change to the funding. Go to section Minor change to funded supports in this article.
  • Change in Situation. Go to section Change in situation in this article.

When you select a checkbox, it’ll automatically add the change request to the workflow for completion. Complete the relevant steps for each plan change request you have selected.

Emergency Situation

For more information about what is considered an emergency situation for plan variations go to section We believe that you need crisis or emergency funding because of a significant change to your support needs in Our Guideline – Changing your plan (external).

Follow the steps below to record a request due to an emergency situation:

  1. Select Date (calendar) for When did the emergency situation first happen?.
  2. Describe the emergency situation in the free text field.
  3. Record details which support the request in the free text field.
  4. Select Next.
  5. If applicable, use the Documents tab to add documents related to the emergency situation. Refer to articles Add documents to a case and Add and link evidence to a case.
  6. Select Next.

Fund Management Type

To understand what a change to a plan management type is go to section Update how the funds or other aspects of your plan are managed in Our Guideline – Changing your plan (external).

When you record a request to change the fund management type, record:

  • how the participant or authorised representative wants the funding for supports to be managed
  • any reasonable risks or other impacting circumstances. For example, if the participant becomes insolvent under administration, they can’t self-manage the supports in their plan
  • information relating to the misuse of funds. This will impact the management of funding for supports under the plan.

Follow the steps below to record a request to change the fund management type:

  1. Select the Update checkbox next to the support categories where a change to the fund management type is being requested.
  2. Select the Plan Management Type from the drop-down list.
  3. Capture Details of the change in fund management in the free text field.
  4. Provide detailed reasoning for request in the free text field.
  1. If you need to update fund management for another support category, go back to step 1. Otherwise, select Next.
  2. If applicable, use the Documents tab to add documents relating to the change in fund management. Refer to articles Add documents to a case and Add and link evidence to a case.
  3. Select Next.

Reassessment Date

This type of request is to bring the reassessment forward or extend the reassessment date. For example, when a participant would prefer to have a longer plan duration and their support needs are stable. To learn more go to section Change the reassessment date in Our Guideline – Changing your plan (external).

Before creating a request to change the reassessment date, make sure the participant or authorised representative:

  • knows continuing with the same supports means they’re working towards the same goals with the same supports
  • is continuing to work towards pursuing the same plan goals
  • agrees to continue with the same supports in their plan
  • confirms their current funded supports are meeting their ongoing needs
  • confirms their support needs and situation are likely to be stable for the new plan duration
  • understands their options for an internal review if they disagree with the plan reassessment date
  • understands they can ask for a plan change if their circumstances change before their next plan reassessment.

Follow the steps below to record a request to change the reassessment date:

  1. Select the New Reassessment Date Year from the drop-down list.
  2. Select the New Reassessment Date month from the drop-down list.
  3. Select Calculate New Reassessment Date.
  1. Capture Details of the request to change the reassessment date in the free text field.
  2. Provide detailed reasoning for request in the free text field. Note: Include specific reasons why the participant would like to change the reassessment date. For example, the participant’s disability or living situation isn’t stable, or the participant entered the NDIS under the early intervention criteria and is likely to have met their goals and likely to leave the scheme in the next 3 years.
  3. Select Next.
  4. If applicable, use the Documents tab to add any documents relating to the change in reassessment date. Go to articles Add documents to a case and Add and link evidence to a case.
  5. Select Next.

Minor or Technical Error

To understand what can be changed under a minor or technical error, go to section Fix a small or technical error in Our Guideline – Changing your plan (external).

Follow the steps below to record a request to fix a minor or technical error:

  1. Capture Details of the error in the free text field.
  2. Provide detailed reasoning for request in the free text field.
  3. Select Next.
  4. If applicable, use the Documents tab to add any evidence related to a minor or technical error.
  5. Select Next.

Minor change to funded supports

It’s important to remember that adding a significant amount of funding wouldn’t be considered a minor change. To understand what a minor change to the statement of participant supports that increases funding is, go to section Change the statement of participant supports that is in your current plan, or of the funding of supports under the plan in Our Guideline – Changing your plan (external).

Follow the steps below to record a request about a minor change in funding:

  1. If the request is for an existing support, select the Update checkbox next to the support category where a change of funding is being requested. If the request is for a new support category, select the Support Category from the drop-down list.
  2. Describe change to funding for each selected/added support category in the free text field.
  3. Provide detailed reasoning for request in the free text field.
  4. If you need to update or add an additional support category, go back to step 1. Otherwise, continue to step 5.
  5. Select Next.
  6. If applicable, use the Documents tab to add any documents relating to a change in funding for a support category. Refer to articles Add documents to a case and Add and link evidence to a case.
  7. Select Next.

Change in Situation

To learn more about what a significant change in situation for a participant is go to section What is a plan reassessment? in Our Guideline – Changing your plan (external).

Follow the steps below to record a request about a change in situation:

  1. Select the Change in Situation from the drop-down list.
  2. Select Date (calendar) for When did this change happen?
  3. Provide details of the situation in the free text field.
  4. If the new plan requires a change in fund management, select the checkbox next to Change to fund management required.
  5. If required, Provide Reason for fund management change in the free text field.
  1. If you need to provide an additional change in situation request, select Add on the top right hand side of this screen and complete the above steps until all change in situation requests are captured. Otherwise, select Next.
  2. If needed, use the Documents tab to add any documents relating to the change in situation. Refer to articles Add documents to a case and Add and link evidence to a case.
  3. Select Next.

Risk Matrix

Check for any risks associated with the plan change request which could impact on the participant, nominee or NDIS.

If you don’t identify any risks:

  1. Select No.
  2. Select Next to progress the case.

If you identify a risk:

  1. Go to article Identify and escalate risks in plan change request to complete this section.

Request Confirmation

  1. If required, select a section to review from the Steps workflow.
  2. You’ll need to add a subject to the plan change case. This is to make sure cases can be routed efficiently. Go to section Add subject to the plan change case in this article, before going to the next steps.
  3. Select the checkbox next to I confirmed the information recorded is accurate (mandatory in order to proceed for submit).
  4. Select Submit.

Note: Don’t manually move the case status from Draft. Refresh your browser after the plan change request has been submitted. The case status will automatically change to New.

Add a subject to the plan change case

To assist delegates with managing work, you’ll need to add a subject to the plan change case before submitting the case.

  1. From the Plan Change case, select the Details tab.
  2. Under the System Information heading, select Edit Subject (pencil).
  3. Select the correct Subject from the drop-down options. Use the table below to understand each subject.

Note: If there’s more than one subject, you should select the most urgent. If Exhausted Funds or Breakdown of Informal Supports are a factor, make sure this is the subject used.

Subject Description
Assistive technology Requests for the supply of Assistive Technology or equipment
Vehicle modifications Requests/quotes for vehicle modifications
Home modifications Requests/quotes for home modifications
Plan management Any request to change the way participants plan funding is managed
Plan error Identification of any error associated with funding in a participants plan
Exhausted funds/breakdown of informal supports Requests where funds have been depleted prior to the plan end date or where a participant advises they have had a breakdown of informal supports
Home and living A participant is requesting inclusion of, or changes to, SIL, SDA or ILO supports in their plan
Change of circumstances Any other change of circumstances the participant may have experienced resulting in a request for a change to their plan

| Other | Should only be used where no other relevant theme is identified |

  1. Select Save.

Next Steps

Once submitted, a plan change case will automatically be allocated to the Plan Change Routing Queue. The request information will no longer be available under the Request tab in the Plan Change case.

  1. If you’re not the decision maker on the plan change request, there are no further steps.
  2. If you’re the delegate making the decision on the plan change:
    • Assign and review the plan change case. Go to article Assign and review a plan change case.

Article labels – internal use only

PACE user role names

Add: User role name label Delete: User role name label No change.

Topics

Add: Topic label Delete: Topic label No change.

Case names

Add: Case name label Delete: Case name label No change.

Ownership

Add: Ownership label Delete: Ownership label

No change.

Version control

Version Amended by Brief Description of Change Status Date
3.0 JS0082 Class 1 approval

Updated guidance to include link for new scripting article Discuss a participant’s plan change request.		 APPROVED 2024-06-13