Capability and Culture of the NDIA

Submission 161

15/12/22

Why all workers are burning out of the System

And

The lack of Respect from NDIS towards other workers

I am a Social Worker in the role of Support Coordinator in a not-for-profit organisation. All my other experiences of bullying, harassment and intimidation by NDIS staff have been raised by my organisation in their submission to this committee.

The most recent incident I would like to raise, is a matter of NDIS’ general lack of courtesy and respect for Professionals within this system – that has serious consequences for participants.

Details of Incident:

• 2/12/22 Participants Plan Released
• 2/12/22 is a non-workday for me and I had already taken a Mental Health Day on 1/12/22 due to a separate matter of intimidation and bullying by NDIS Complaint Staff
• 2/12/22 – I receive a private number call

It is important to note here – I am now hyper vigilant to private call numbers (as they are most likely a NDIS call) – if you don’t answer a NDIS call then whoever it is will most likely not leave a message or if they do, no contact and you are not likely to hear from them again i.e. any chance that there was to provide information/set the record straight is gone forever, often times with serious consequences for the participant. This has become so bad for me – that this year while filling my car up with petrol, I seriously contemplated taking a call – such is the pressure to prevent serious harm coming to the people I support as a result NDIS blind power and control. I acknowledge the impact this is having on my mental health and the significant strain this is having on me and my family (as it also interrupts their time with me- I work Part-Time) – my family have asked me to leave my job!

I took the call given the risks of not taking the call (despite being a non-workday) – the NDIS person was a member of the Home and Living Team and wanting to have a plan implementation conversation. I advised that due to being a non-workday I had not read the new plan, so I was not in a place to discuss the plan and it was also a non-workday, so could we discuss the matter at another time. A time was made for the worker to contact me 5/12/22

• 5/12/22 no call from Home and Living Worker
• 5/12/22 at the end of my workday I made contact with the NDIS planner (as that is the only contact I had) to see what was going on. She was most helpful and made many efforts to follow up.

Capability and Culture of the NDIA

Submission 161

It is also important to note here that one of the points I wanted to follow up – which was clarified by the NDIS Planner- the decision re community access, which the Home and Living Team had changed from the recommendation of the Planner.

• 7/12/22 the NDIS planner made contact, and apologised, as she advised Home and Living would not be contacting me. She also provided me with their rational for their decision for a significant reduction of support (which I had requested) – which was a value for money argument

It is important to note here that this decision is: -contrary to NDIS operation guidelines

• contrary to NDIS legislation
• contrary to AAT legal precedents -breaches the participant’s human rights However, that conversation will never be able to be had with the decision makes at the Home and Living Team – simply because I am not at the beck and call of the NDIS.

Where are my rights as a worker?!!!!!!!!!!!!

But the most disturbing and impactful thing on my wellbeing, is the fact that now a person I support is seriously compromised and at risk due to this decision.

Works are also experiencing system trauma when they repeatedly have experiences such as the one I outlined above. This is an unhealth system – SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE!!!!!